jriddle@thealpenanews.com
News Photo by Julie Riddle
Trooper Ashley Simpson stands behind the counter in the lobby of the Michigan State Police-Alpena Post on Tuesday. People wishing to take part in the State Police’s Angel Program for addiction can ask for help at the post.
ALPENA When addiction has taken away home, there’s still somewhere to turn, said Trooper Ashley Simpson, of the Michigan State Police-Alpena Post.
The Angel Program, which just marked three years of operation by the Michigan State Police, connects people with addictions of any kind to residential treatment.
Sixteen people have walked through the Alpena Post doors to say they were ready to make their lives better since the Angel Program was introduced in 2017, officials said.
Pictured above are members of the Alpena Police Department posing with their lunches provided by NAFCU.
Pictured are members of the Alpena County Sheriff s Department posing with their lunches provided by NAFCU.
Jennifer Lipps, NAFCU Alpena Branch Manager, stands with a member of the Michigan State Police Alpena Post after lunch delivery.
Courtesy Photos
In honor of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, Northland Area Federal Credit Union stopped by several law enforcement agencies to say thank you. Meals were purchased from numerous local restaurants. Agencies have reported that this was a tough year with COVID-19 with first responders having to deal with the effects of the pandemic. “Anything we can do to bring attention to our law enforcement agencies – and what they and their families sacrifice every day for our communities is worth it,” said Northland Marketing Director Matt Duthler.
Police officers aren’t mental health counselors.
Still, they are daily asked to intervene in mental health crises, which could mean anything from violent outbursts to alien-conspiracy-theory mania crises for which police get only limited training, Alpena County Sheriff Steven Kieliszewski said.
If a crime has been committed, officers can choose to make an arrest or take someone to the hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Other times, though, the person in crisis isn’t altered enough to go to the hospital, doesn’t qualify for services through Community Mental Health, and hasn’t committed a crime.
Police are left with no options but to calm the situation and then leave, frustrated they have little more to offer, Kieliszewski said.
jriddle@thealpenanews.com
News File Photo
Investigators review the scene of a barn fire on Long Lake Road where police found the bodies of two people in the debris in this August 2020 News archive photo. Police later confirmed the bodies were brothers Jim and Mike Polluch.
ALPENA For the first time since 2010, police in Alpena County opened multiple murder investigations this year.
In a community where such crime is exceedingly rare there were none in Northeast Michigan in four of the last 10 years, including last year this year’s acts of violence follow a national trend of unexpected violence as the world faced increased stress on many fronts.