July 6, 2006

LANSING. Michigan law enforcement officers will be better equipped to investigate identity theft, credit fraud and counterfeiting complaints thanks to a new training course offered by the Identity Theft Teams of the Michigan State Police (MSP) in conjunction with the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police (MACP) and the Michigan Sheriff’s Association (MSA).

A four-hour course will be offered free of charge to interested law enforcement officers beginning this month. Training sessions will be held in Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette, Roscommon, Saginaw and Troy. Officials hope to train approximately 500 officers statewide.

Identity theft occurs when an imposter obtains or attempts to obtain the personal identity information of another person, such as name, date of birth or social security number, with the intent to unlawfully use the information to commit an illegal act.

“We expect this training to be very popular because identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the nation,” said Col. Peter C. Munoz, director of the MSP. “As criminals become more advanced in their techniques, law enforcement must keep pace. This course will put law enforcement on an even playing field with identity thieves and give officers the tools to fight back this growing crime.”

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Michigan is ranked 15 th nationwide for identity theft victims per 100,000 population. The actual number of victims may be much higher because the FTC believes that less than 20 percent of victims actually report the crime. In 2005, there were 7,139 identity theft complaints filed in Michigan.

“By nature, identity theft investigations cross jurisdictional boundaries and require cooperation from multiple law enforcement agencies,” said Terrence Jungel, Executive Director of the MSA. “This training will enhance the resources available to law enforcement officers by unifying state, county and local agencies.”

Officers will be trained in the latest investigative techniques, allowing them to better combat identity theft. The training will focus on the areas of victim assistance, identity theft rings, prosecution of offenders and criminal law.

“Unlike other crimes, identity theft is not limited by your socio-economic class or where you live,” stated Chief Kay Hoffman, President of the MACP. “This crime is not victimless, and the effects can be devastating for months or years as the victim tries to repair his/her credit history.”

The MSP has two Identity Theft Teams, one based in Lansing and one in Livonia. Both teams investigate cases involving the theft or misuse of personal identification information to obtain goods, services, credit and fraudulent bank accounts or to facilitate other criminal activity. The Identity Theft teams work with representatives from local and county law enforcement, as well as the United States Postal Inspectors Office, United States Secret Service, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Secretary of State Investigation Division and the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General to collectively investigate identity theft crimes.

To report identity theft, call 1-877-MI-ID-THEFT (1-877-644-3843). For additional information, visit www.michigan.gov/identity-theft.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Detective Sergeant Jeff Yonker, West Region Special Investigation Division, (517) 336-6225

NOTE—The media is invited to attend this training. Please contact D/Sgt. Yonker to RSVP for a training session.
July 10, 1-4 p.m., Western Michigan University
July 19, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Northern Michigan University
July 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., MSP Training Academy
July 27, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Troy Police and Fire Training Center
Aug. 2, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Delta Community College
Aug. 3, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Kirtland Community College