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July | 2017
Team 911 Academy for teens wraps up
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office worked with Grand Haven Township Fire Rescue in the 9th annual Team
911 Academy. The program is held for teens interesting in exploring careers in law enforcement, fire services, or emergency medical services. The 15 youth in this year's Academy participated in hands-on emergency duties while learning some life-saving skills. These activities included:
- Firefighting skills
- K9 demonstration
- Group physical fitness training
- Team building exercise
- Tactical police training
- CPR and First Aid
- High angle rescue and repelling
- Defensive tactics
- Vehicle extrication
- Firearm safety and operations
Deputy Ortman honored with "Essential Piece" award
Over the past school year, Deputy John Ortman has been
working with an autistic 5th grade student and his mother in an
effort to improve the student’s behavior at home and at school. Deputy Ortman has helped the family to
establish behavior limits and consequences, as well as positive reinforcement
for good behavior. All of this was accomplished
while maintaining a trusting, positive relationship with both the mother and
son.
In May of 2017, the Autism Family Network recognized Deputy
Ortman for his efforts with an “Essential Piece” award. The inscription reads “Isn’t it a wonderful
thing that we’re all different? Each of
us has strengths and skills to share. And when we link our individual strengths together, we’re invincible. Can’t imagine us without you."
Apply for the HazMat or Technical Rescue Team
 The Ottawa County Hazardous Materials and Technical
Rescue Team (OCHMTRT) is currently accepting applications for new members. Apply
now. OCHMTRT consists of volunteers
who are trained to respond to a variety of situations, from a hazardous
materials release to a building collapse. There are two teams within the group
who have slightly differing skill sets.
The Hazardous Materials team members are trained to the
advanced technician level and are prepared to respond to and mitigate incidents
involving hazardous materials. The team trains monthly using practical training
situations to simulate hazardous material releases at facilities within the County.
The Tech Rescue team members are certified firefighters
capable of responding to incidents involving confined spaces, trench and
structural collapses, as well as vehicle and heavy equipment extrication. The
team trains monthly as well on various scenarios ranging from high rise
practical training to trench rescue training.
Funding for the team is provided by twenty-four local
political jurisdictions, Ottawa County and generous donations from businesses
within the County. If your business would like to make a donation, participate
in a training exercise with the team, or if you would like more information,
please call the Emergency Management Office at 616.738.4051.
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 Please note that M231 will be closed the morning of Saturday, October 21 from approximately 5AM to 1PM for the M23.1k Run & 4 Miler. (Runners can register for the event here!) Disruptions in traffic will also take place on both Lincoln and North Cedar Drive in both directions. Please plan your travel accordingly.
Staff from the Sheriff's office are helping to plan the event, volunteering and even running that day. Give us a hello if you see us.
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Detective Kerri Cannata was selected by the Michigan Sheriff's Association to receive the distinguished service award. Her award was a result of work over the course of 2014 through 2016 on an international swatting case. Swatting is a cyber-crime and form of terrorism that involves sending emergency personnel to locations based on false reports to 9-1-1.
This case involved threats of bombings, assassinations and kidnappings. Several
schools in Ottawa County were targets along with other individuals, businesses and airports in Michigan and the US. During the disruptive swats, thousands of civilians had daily activities interrupted such as school, and businesses, airports and even police agencies accumulated large security response expenses and experienced service delays. The FBI, who had joined the investigation, was unable to track the calls and computer connection that was being used.
Investigators in the case were hunting for "Ransom" as the suspect dubbed himself. Ransom became
more and more bold, actually calling the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office taunting the detectives.
Det.
Cannata would not be defeated. She spent countless hours tracking info, in chat
rooms, executing search warrants and tracing IP address and other
investigative information looking for a needle in a haystack. Det. Cannata was able to break the case when
the suspect ordered a piece of
electronic equipment out of California. The lead gave Det. Cannata an address
overseas and finally, an ID. The suspect was in the London area. The FBI and Britain’s North West Regional
Organized Crime Unit located, arrested, charged and
convicted quickly in England on terrorism related charges. Without Det. Cannata's determination, forensic analysis and investigative skills, the suspect, Ransom, may have never been caught.
Many have asked, "Who was Ransom?" Well, Ransom was
actually Gregory Paul Sales, 15 years old. The newspapers described his appearance in court as "a school boy in his
blazer, sobbing with his head in his hands, covering his ears as tapes were
played in the court room, then lead from the courtroom still sobbing on his way
to the cells."
Det. Cannata is currently assigned to the computer forensic unit of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.
 ALPACT (Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community
Trust) is a team of civil liberties organizations, and law enforcement leaders and community members from Ottawa
County. The members examine issues
affecting police and community relations and then increase opportunities for building trust and engaging in positive interactions. ALPACT teams produce trusting and positive community and law enforcement relationships.
The ALPACT group meets bi-monthly at the Ottawa County Fillmore Complex. The ALPACT co-chaired by Sheriff Steve Kempker and Mr. Jose Gomez of Coopersville.
Sheriff Steve Kempker said, “We took an opportunity to look at other ALPACT initiatives around the state and what they stood for and how they operated. It was obvious that ALPACT is about community and how you develop and sustain law enforcement and community relationships while understanding both the needs of the community and the role of law enforcement. A clear understanding how the 'system' impacts individual and communities is critical to our success.”
Along with identifying and addressing issues affecting police and community
relations, ALPACT will
- Educate communities on the scope of the identified issues and the strategies
needed to address these issues affecting police and community relations.
- Promote training of local law enforcement officers on identified issues affecting
police and community relations.
The original ALPACT initiative was established in 1998 in Detroit, Michigan.
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