June 24, 2003
 Photo Gallery |
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm announced that state and local law enforcement agencies apprehended 92 of the most violent parolees across Michigan in a recent fugitive sweep.
The arrests are part of an on-going law enforcement campaign called Project S.A.F.E. Street (Statewide Apprehension of Fugitives Effort) aimed at rounding up violent and other felons known to be in violation of their parole.
While lauding the success of Project S.A.F.E. Street, Granholm praised the cooperation between the various state and local agencies at a press conference today where she announced the results of the second statewide fugitive sweep that took place on June 18 and 19, 2003.
"Project S.A.F.E. Street is working to improve public safety in Michigan by ensuring that the state's law enforcement entities - beginning with the Michigan State Police and the Department of Corrections and reaching out to local agencies - are working together to make Michigan's communities safer," she said.
"When I pledged to protect Michigan's families, that did not mean just looking out for their economic security; it meant their neighborhood security too," Granholm added. "Law enforcement in Michigan is one community with one goal: to keep our families safe at home."
Five Michigan State Police fugitive teams and three Michigan Department of Corrections Absconder Recovery Unit (ARU) teams were joined by several federal, county, and local agencies in the most recent two-day, statewide fugitive apprehension effort. Their efforts focused on locating and arresting those fugitives who pose the highest public safety risk.
"The Michigan State Police and the Michigan Department of Corrections are committed to working together in cooperation with local and federal law enforcement to improve the safety and security of Michigan's communities," said Michigan State Police Director Colonel Tadarial J. Sturdivant. "A result of our combined efforts is the arrest and incarceration of parole absconders and violators, which once again proves that when federal, state, and local investigators work together, our citizens and communities benefit."
A total of 92 people were arrested in the most recent two-day sweep, bringing the total number of violent offenders arrested during Project S.A.F.E. Street to 199 offenders.
Charges included absconder, parole violation, breaking and entering, felonious assault, resisting and obstructing, and weapons possession. Two long guns were among items confiscated in the sweep.
"The Governor and the Michigan Department of Corrections' first goal is to protect public safety, and we will match criminal behavior with a toughness that is unrelenting," said Department of Corrections Director William Overton.
"Our partnership with the law enforcement community is one of the most vital to our continued success as we re-double our efforts to track down, apprehend, and incarcerate violent parolees."
Attempts to apprehend additional fugitives will continue from this point forward.
"Protecting Michigan families is the paramount job of the Governor," Granholm said. "This initiative will take hundreds of violent felons off the streets and end their continued career of crime. The message here is clear: violent probationers and parolees who fail to live up to their end of the bargain will be identified, sought, and apprehended."
