Keeping Lowell Safe: Lowell Police Department February Cases and Calls

The Citizen Police Academy accepted seven people to participate.  The first class was held the first Thursday in March.  This is the first opportunity for the community in 15 years.  The seven week class will give participants a first hand look at what goes on in the police department.

February Around Lowell

The department responded to 13 accidents.  Three of these were on private property.

Lowell Middle School security worked with the Lowell Police Department on a plan to change the student pick up process for the next school year.  The new process is believed to help with congestion along Sufolk in the afternoon.

One of the accidents LPD responded was a hit and run which started off as normal property damage.  It escalated into a fight and one individual left the scene failing to provide identification.

During an investigation of a suspicious vehicle LPD officer smelled marijuana and it was also seen in plain sight.  A male in the vehicle had a warrant out and was taken into custody.  CPS was called regarding a second person from the vehicle and her children, who were in the vehicle, were placed with their other parent while the case is under review.

Two ordinance violations were handed out during February.

LPD responded to 9 medical calls throughout the month.

An investigation into a criminal sexual conduct case occurred.  The incident, which happened six years ago, between a stepbrother and stepsister.  The suspect was cooperative when interviewed.  The investigation is still open.

A local store notified the department of a subject who left without paying for an item.  The subject thought the item was put on an account with the store.  After the miscommunication was cleared up both parties were satisfied.

A subject left a garage door open at a residence and then reported shovels were taken from the premises.  After a few days the subject called again to let the department know the property in question was found in the garage.

A call was taken regarding the break in of a vehicle.  The license plate was taken along with the car’s registration and proof of insurance from the glove compartment.  The called believes her ex-boyfriend is the suspect.  LPD is still trying to make contact with him.

Officers were called to a residence for a heroin suspect.  They were allowed entry into the house and found the suspect hiding in the bathroom.  The suspect was taken to the Kent County Jail.

An officer was dispatched to an illegal burn site.  Upon arriving at Creekside Park near the baseball fields a gas can was located.  The officer put the fire out and took the gas can as evidence.  No people were around when the officer arrived.

In a retail fraud investigation at Dollar General men’s clothing was stolen.  The suspect is a white male approximately 6’0” in his early 20s wearing a gray hoodie.  The suspect has still not been identified.

A second retail fraud investigation at Dollar General involves a male in his late 50s and 175 pounds and a hispanic female.  One of the pair distracts the employee while the other takes medication.  The suspects have not yet been identified.

During a traffic stop an officer smelled burnt marijuana coming from the car.  One subject indicated a medical marijuana card was present.  Marijuana was found in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.  A second subject admitted to possession.  A charge of use of marijuana was issued.  It can not be used while in a vehicle and when being transported it is required to be in a locked box in the trunk.

LPD made several warrant arrests during the month.

The rear window of a van was shot out in a driveway.  A BB gun is suspected of being used due to the small hole in the window.  A suspect in the case is an ex-boyfriend but the department is still working on IDing the person responsible.  

A subject turned himself in on a warrant out of Holland for his arrest.  He did so because he wanted to “just get the charges over with”.  

LPD responded to a 911 call regarding a possible domestic issue.  The female caller was not making sense when talking to 911.  When police arrived at the home the woman was found to be highly intoxicated.  She was not the resident of the home but knew the owner.  After becoming agitated she ran into the home and began slamming a chair.  She was arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct.

In a domestic incident involving two brothers one was threatening to stab everyone in the house. One brother choked the other and the two wrestled.  One of them, a 26 year old male from Lowell, was arrested on domestic assault charges.

On Grindle Dr. LPD responded to a disturbing the peace call.  The caller complained of an ORV running in a yard with loud exhaust after the vehicle was altered for racing purposes.  The homeowner argued the property was zoned agricultural but it is really labeled as residential.  The homeowner will try and reduce the sounds of the vehicles after a verbal warning was given.  When police visited the residence the noise had stopped.  

A larceny on Bowes Road was reported.  A victim claimed a work laptop was stolen from a vehicle.  It was believed someone climbed through the moonroof of the car in order to take the computer.  The reporter went into work and discovered the laptop had been left there and a work friend took possession of it to keep it safe.  

Dispatched on a call about a possible drunk drivers on M21 traveling from Ada an officer made a traffic stop.  The suspect was a 23 year old female who denied the use of alcohol or drugs.  She was having an apparent medical condition causing her to drive slowly while slumped over.  After investigation it was found this was not the first time this has happened.  The female was sent in for review with the Secretary of State to determine if she’s an unsafe driver.

On Maplewood Square a neighborhood dispute was reported over kids playing in a drive.  LPD responded and calmed those involved down and the landlord of the home was made aware of the situation.

A person reported seeing a woman and a teenager putting trash and pizza boxes into a city owned dumpster.  The bags of trash were taken as temporary evidence where an address in Alto was found.  Residents at the address were notified.  The situation will be monitored and if the action continues the suspects will be cited for littering.

A stalking complaint was received in a situation where a woman reported her ex-husband.  The suspect went into the workplace of his ex-wife to contact the manager.  He asked the manager why his ex-wife was hired and claimed she was accused of stealing from her previous job.  The suspect was asked to leave and told if he returned the case would be turned over to the prosecutor’s office for stalking.

The department assisted CPS in a child sexual abuse case which covered instances in Lowell, Kentwood, and Wyoming as well as multiple victims.  A 19 year old male suspect has been charged with 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct.  A female half sister of the suspect has been put into foster care after discovering both parents are into methamphetamine.

Detective VanSolkema assisted in an injury accident as he returned from Kentwood after following up on a case.  After coming upon the accident he remained at the scene until local authorities arrived.

In a drunk driving incident a vehicle was seen speeding.  An officer followed the vehicle to a residence where two people got out and tried to run into the house.  The female driver of the car tried to challenge the officer saying she made it home but was told the speeding incident happened prior to pulling in the driveway.  She would not consent to a sobriety evaluation and was taken to jail where her blood alcohol level came back at .13.  A male passenger in the vehicle was irate and swearing at the officer.  After resisting the officer he was placed in handcuff.  Open alcohol was also found inside the vehicle.  

An identity theft case remains open after a local resident discovered an unauthorized Comcast account was opened in the Detroit area.  

Lowell assisted the Kent County Sheriff’s Department in a missing person case.

A financial transaction device (FTD) fraud case is being investigated.  Within a span of over 30 minutes a black male went to both Admiral gas stations as well as the Shell station attempting to purchase cartons of cigarettes.  Forged gift cards and false credit card information were the attempted methods of payment.  A clerk at one of the stations became suspicious and asked for ID.  Video has been reviewed but the department is still trying to identify the suspect.  It is believed he is part of an organized crime group from the Detroit area.

An officer was flagged down by a bicyclist who witnessed someone passed out in a car.  Upon investigation of the vehicle a woman with a small child in the back seat was found.  The woman was on her way home from the doctor’s office after being up most of the previous night with her child.  She began to get sleepy and decided to pull over and take a quick nap rather than continue to drive.

LPD assisted Ionia in with a threat of suicide.  Ionia’s pinging of a cell phone tracked a vehicle to the 2200 block of W. Main.  A male had an argument with his wife, took a knife and admitted he wanted to hurt himself.  But he said he changed his mind when he spoke with police.  He was taken into protective custody and returned to Ionia for evaluation.