The News Room [News Release]

Sheriff Contact: John Roach: 313-224-0615
Release Date: Thursday, September 30, 2004

Sheriff creates “Spot Check” unit to hold parolees and probationers accountable --- Goal is to prevent crime by sending violators back to prison

Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans announced today the formation of a new full-time unit of officers that will perform unannounced visits to the homes of state parolees and probationers. Evans said his goal is to restore accountability to a system that too often lets released convicts feel as though they are no longer being held accountable for their actions. He also thinks it will prevent crime.

“We already know that 50 percent of the 20,000 parolees and probationers in Wayne County will violate the terms of their release and many will go on to commit new crimes,” Evans said. “Our intent, and that of the Michigan Department of Corrections, is to get out in front of criminal activity by arresting these people on the spot, before they have a chance to victimize anyone again.”

The Spot Check unit will consist of four sheriff’s deputies and two state parole officers who will be split into two teams. The effort is being funded by a $400,000 grant recently awarded to the sheriff by Gov. Jennifer Granholm and will officially begin on October 1st, when the grant funding kicks in.

Example highlights need
Evans pointed to one recent example to demonstrate the potential of his new Spot Check unit: During a recent joint operation with sheriff’s deputies and state parole agents, officers went to the home of convicted carjacker Aric Ivan Coleman. Coleman had been paroled in July 2003 after serving three years of a maximum 15-year prison sentence.

Although officers did not find Coleman at the residence, they did find the Chinese SKS assault rifle he had stashed in his front closet, wrapped in a green jacket, easily accessible to his 12-year old son, who was in the house at the time. Under a new zero-tolerance gun policy, announced earlier this year by Gov. Granholm to crack down on state parolees who choose to keep a gun, Coleman was promptly sent back to prison, where he likely will remain for five years.

“Common sense will tell anyone that that gun, sooner than later, would have been used to commit a new crime, very possibly a homicide,” Evans said. “Mr. Coleman is exactly the kind of person we’re hoping to take off the streets with this new unit.”

Historically, parole officers have done home checks alone. If they find someone in violation, they would have to request a police agency come out at a later time or date to arrest an individual. By the time an officer could get to the location, however, the suspect usually has already fled. With officers present, arrests can be made immediately.

Evans said that the Spot Check team will be able to perform approximately 250 home checks per month, which will be conducted at random times, so people will never know when to expect a visit. Violations, depending on each person’s individual case, could range from not reporting a change of address to having drugs or guns in the house.

Evans added that although cases prompting a return to prison like Coleman’s will be rare, the effort will send a message to people on probation and parole in Wayne County. “After a while, these people are going to get the message: If you’re on parole or probation in Wayne County, you’re going to be held accountable, so you’d better stay clean.”

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