Keeping Lowell Safe: Police Beat for July and August 2021

During the final two months of summer, the Lowell Police Department handled complaints of disorderly conduct and dog bites. It also restarted the process of earning accreditation through the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police and is looking to add a new device to officers’ toolkit to keep everyone safe during certain crisis calls.

Here’s a snapshot of department activity for July 2021:

• 69 calls for assistance to citizens
• 25 calls for assistance to other agencies
• 13 total arrests
• 12 traffic accidents
• 7 larcenies/retail fraud
• 6 verbal assaults
• 6 dog/animal complaints
• 4 ordinance violations
• 3 disorderly conduct
• 2 malicious destruction of property
• 1 domestic assault
• 1 drunk driving

Plus, in July, the department made 207 traffic stops and issued 56 citations as a result.

In August 2021, cases broke down as follows:

• 88 calls for assistance to citizens
• 25 calls for assistance to other agencies
• 15 traffic accidents
• 8 disorderly conduct
• 7 verbal assaults
• 6 total arrests
• 3 larcenies/retail fraud
• 3 ordinance violations
• 1 malicious destruction of property
• 1 assault
• 1 drunk driving
• 1 drug law violation

In August, the department made 148 traffic stops and issued 21 citations as a result.

July Cases: Dog Bites and Traffic Accident Resulting in Injury

In July, the Lowell Police Department learned that a mail carrier had been bitten not once, but twice, by roaming dogs. In each instance, it was a different dog that had escaped from its yard.

The carrier contacted their supervisor to report the bites, but Police Chief Chris Hurst encourages people to call the police department as well if they are bitten by a loose dog. The department has tools to capture strays and a kennel to hold them until animal control can arrive. Plus, dogs roaming freely can result in a misdemeanor ticket for owners. Any dog that bites someone should be quarantined for 10 days.

In another case, a Lowell police officer was pulling over a vehicle on Main Street when a person threw something out the window of a passing van and hit the officer in the back of the head. The officer was not hurt, but it was believed the incident may have been intentional.

Most car accidents in the City of Lowell only result in property damage. It’s rare for them to cause a personal injury, but that’s what happened in July. A car was traveling on Bowes Road when it was hit, causing the vehicle to spin sideways and knock into a guardrail. An older woman in the vehicle had to be transported for medical care, but police say it’s their understanding her injuries were not life-threatening.

August Cases: Drug Overdose and Disorderly Conduct

Since marijuana was legalized for recreational use in Michigan, cases about drug law violations have been few and far between in Lowell. However, the police did receive a call in August and responded to an individual who had overdosed. The responding officer was able to revive the person.

Lowell Police Department also responded to several cases of disorderly conduct. One person has been the subject of multiple calls and was found on the Showboat without authorization in one instance and trespassing on a work site in another.

McDonald’s also dealt with a disorderly person who was unhappy with his drive-thru order. The individual is reportedly not a resident but someone passing through the community. Something was apparently wrong with his order so he parked his car, entered the restaurant and began shouting profanities.

Police were summoned, and the man was given a refund and a citation for disturbing the peace. Since he decided to illegally park in a handicap spot before going on his tirade, he was cited for that as well.

Other Updates from the Lowell Police Department

In other news from the department, Hurst says he has picked back up on the process of getting the department accredited by the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. The process was begun in 2019, but then put on hold last year while the department adjusted to personnel changes.

Now that Lowell Police Department is fully staffed, Hurst says he will resume work on the accreditation process, which should standardize police policies and bring them in line with best practices for law enforcement.

Last month, the Lowell Police Department trained its first officer in the use of a BolaWrap, a tool designed to help officers safely diffuse crisis situations. It deploys a Kevlar cord to restrain people and make it safe for officers to approach. Unlike a taser, the BolaWrap doesn’t cause pain.

Lowell officers anticipate the BolaWrap will be especially helpful when responding to calls about mental health crises and will allow police to safely subdue those who might be threatening self-harm. The department has submitted a request for grant funds to pay for the devices, and if approved, Lowell will be the first city in Kent County to equip its officers with BolaWraps.