The Michigan State Police have cleared almost 2,000 warrants.
LANSING -- The Michigan State Police (MSP) and Michigan Department of Human Services (MDHS) worked together to resolve nearly 2,000 arrest warrants by using a state law that prohibits felons from receiving public assistance.
The departments cross-checked a list of those on public assistance to those that have outstanding felony warrants.
They discovered over 4,500 matches, of which the MSP cleared 800 felony warrants.
Another 1,194 were taken care of by other law enforcement agencies.
This system was first developed in 2007, but was done by manually looking through both lists.
Now the system is fully automated, allowing for a much faster check.
“The initial results of the felony warrant match between the DHS and Michigan State Police are simply outstanding,” said Maura Corrigan, DHS Director. “The program allows us to protect the integrity of public assistance while at the same time helping to ensure public safety.”
“The Michigan State Police encourages any individual with an outstanding warrant to report to law enforcement, and we will continue to pursue anyone who refuses to comply with the law,” said MSP Director Col. Krista Kibbey Etue. “We are thankful to the Department of Human Services and our many law enforcement partners that helped resolve these outstanding felony warrants.”
In the Bay and Thumb region alone 214 warrants were cleared, resulting in the recovery of stolen handguns, long guns, cocaine and marijuana.
