NEWS RELEASE

Grand Rapids Police Department

FOR RELEASE: June 30, 2011 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Lieutenant Mark Ostapowicz Phone: 456-4079

COOPERATIVE EFFORT TARGETS PAROLE OFFENDERS On the morning of Thursday, June 30, 2011, unannounced home and apartment visits took place on 51 parolees in the city of Grand Rapids. This operation focused on parolees who were considered violent offenders or who were on the Sex Offender Registry. Four teams conducted the visits. The teams included Officers from the Grand Rapids Police Department and Parole Agents from the Michigan Department of Corrections, along with Agents from the Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms (ATF) agency and deputies from the U.S. Marshals Service. The purpose of the operation was to ensure that all are parolees were in compliance with their conditions of parole. At the end of the 5-hour operation, 7 parolees were taken to jail on various violations of their parole conditions, including 1 for possession of a firearm and 2 for felony drug offenses. Three more parolees were not home, but were found in violation due to having illegal or prohibited items within their residences, and they will be lodged when located. One additional person was also arrested for an unrelated drug offense and 2 were arrested on outstanding warrants. This cooperative effort with the parole office, ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service was considered a success. The Grand Rapids Police Department is committed to partnering with parole and federal agencies to ensure that parolees within our city remain compliant through unannounced operations such as this.

1 Monroe Center, N.W., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503-2906