Semi-annual report shows calls are right on track with 2025
By Barb Pert Templeton
A July 21 meeting of the Algonac City Council had Sheriff Mat King giving a presentation on the 2026 Activity Report related to their police contract with the city.
The city approved a three-year contract for policing with the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department on Sept. 3, 2024 and it began on Oct. 1, 2024 and runs through Sept. 30, 2027.
The recent semi-annual report had King sharing information and statistics from calls responded to from Jan. 1 to June 30 of this year.
St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King.
King said the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department responded to 3,886 calls for service so far this year. Last year the full year included 6,800 calls so they are right on track to match that this year.
He shared the following data with the council:
· Non-criminal Area Checks – 2,247
· Medical calls – 157
· Assist citizens – 118
· Follow up calls – 193
· Juvenile Complaints – 27
· Criminal calls – Domestic violence calls – 41
· Disorderly calls – 15
· Fraud calls – 12
· Harassment calls – 17
· Juvenile complaints – 27
Total: 2,854 calls
“I see a continued effort to have proactive interaction with the public doing property checks and assisting with people in the community,” King said. “Again, always trying to be a part of the community and help curb criminal activity rather than respond to it.”
Other items that might be of interest in the police activity report provided in the July 16 meeting packet for Algonac City Council also noted the following calls responded to:
· BOL – Be on the Lookout – 34
· Civil Matter – 32
· Neighbor Trouble – 12
· Noice complaint – 25
· Reckless driving – 9
· Subpoena – 40
· Suspicious person/vehicle/circumstances – 111
· Traffic stop – 373
· Warrant/attempt arrest – search – pickup – 23
· Welfare check – 43
Total calls: 702
Pickeral Tournament coverage
As for activity during the four-day Pickeral Tournament over the Fourth of July weekend, King said on Thursday night, they had four deputies and one lieutenant working. The children’s parade went off well. There was one fight adjacent to the beer tent but it was unclear if it happened there or near the tent. One person was arrested.
“He was found to be in possession of a loaded weapon while intoxicated,” King said adding that other than that, things were pretty uneventful throughout the night.
The fireworks on Friday night were interrupted due to the weather and many people initially cleared out but it was reported that many returned after the storm. The sheriff said they had eight deputies, one lieutenant and one sergeant working that night.
“We had a decent crowd for the fireworks, the midway was nice and quiet, generally families and not a whole lot of large groups of unsupervised juveniles or mischief like that,” King said.
Foot traffic on M-29 after the fireworks was a concern but the on-duty sergeant placed a sheriff’s patrol car there along with deputies to make sure people were safe when crossing back and forth. King said the issue will be addressed for next year.
On Saturday, five deputies and one sergeant were working the tournament and the crowds were light, probably due to the weather.
“No notable concerns according to the sergeant,” King said.
On Sunday there were three deputies in place but things were quiet and the Pickeral Tournament Parade was cancelled due to the weather.
Council asks questions
Councilman Michael Bembas asked if King could provide the number of work hours for his officers over the weekend.
“I don’t, off the top of my head, certainly we have that documented, I can find that out and email it to the board,” King said.
“Would you please as always the sheriff’s department always doesn’t an excellent job for Algonac,” Bembas replied.
He then asked King for a favor.
“We do have a lot of people on golf carts and electric bikes and I do not want them ticketed we’re not out to get them but if they’re going a little big fast could we be a little more observant and pull them over and say hey young man you can’t do wheelies?” Bembas asked. “You’re not
going to see everything, I don’t expect that, but just from a safety standpoint maybe they can be a little bit more aware. Also, what can we do to help you in your mission.”
“I always say this communication and bringing these things to my attention, they don’t hurt my feelings right,” King said. “Police is the community and the community is the police and we need to help each other out.”
The sheriff added that the best way for the board to help him is to bring those issues to his attention.
“We need to do things safely because fun becomes tragedy if we don’t guide those things,” King said.
“Well, we don’t want to be the NFC – the no fun city – but we do want to be a safe city,” Bembas said.
King mentioned the sheriff’s department contract is up next year and Bembas asked what kind of discount the city might get if they re-up or extend the contract now.
“That’s certainly something that could be looked at, we’d very much willing to sit down and talk sooner rather than later to secure that out,” King said. “As you know generally if you buy a 2024 model in the 2025 year generally, you’re in better shape.”
“Absolutely so I would challenge the city manager and your department to start working on it now, why wait?” Bembas said.
Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey said she wanted to offer the deputies currently working for the city a kudos for their work with juveniles in the city.
“I do want to say thank-you to the deputies that we have now, I know that it’s been a little interesting let say with some of the kids around here over the last couple of summers,” Davey said. “They are talking with the kids and making an effort and I think they’ve done a really good job of making sure the kids know, ‘hey come talk to us.’”
King replied that it helped immensely when Davey brought up a few issues with the kids a few years ago and now the deputies have addressed it and it’s going well.
Several other members of the council then complimented King and his deputies as he completed his report.
“Keep up the good work, good job,” Councilwoman Cathy Harris said.
Mayor Rocky Gillis said he appreciates the officers, has seen them at the city’s ‘Music in the Park’ interacting with citizens and he enjoys seeing that openness with the community.
“I just want to add that your team is phenomenal, they’re always hard-working individuals and thank you guys for everything you do,” Councilman Jake Skarbek said.
