12/31/06

Greetings,

As we pass from one year to the next, I wanted to pass on some thoughts about what we are doing here at STING as well as what is going on in our communities.

This past year we added 2 investigators to the team, one from the MSP East Tawas Post and one from the MSP Houghton Lake Post.  Each is here on a temporary basis however their contributions have had a significant impact on the work we do.  With the extra manpower we significantly increased the number of investigations, arrests and seizures for the year.  We will be posting the 2006 STING Annual Report on the website where you will be able to look at the statistics if you are interested.

Unfortunately, these increases indicate that there are still many people out there who are willing to take the chance of being arrested for selling drugs.  Once again, abuse of prescription drugs is still a major problem in our area.  Please take a few minutes and do a self survey for your own protection.  If you have prescription medication, make sure that you and only you have control of the medication.  I can tell you from experience that most people don’t think their medications are subject to abuse; however, there are people out there that will steal your medications if given the chance.

Example:  a friend of mine had back surgery and had a prescription for a common pain medication, Vicodin.  He kept his prescriptions in the kitchen, near the sink.  This was common practice in his house, as a convenience and also to remind him to take his cholesterol medication.  He noticed that his Vicodin seemed to be missing, one or two pills at a time.  A surveillance camera was installed and captured a teenage friend of the family stealing the medication.  He has since kept his medications locked up.  Please be diligent!

With the implementation of the website we saw an increase in the number of narcotics/crime tips we received.  We haven’t kept track of the numbers, but the website has increased our communication abilities.  We recently received a tip about narcotics activity in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee , which I forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agency.  You can see that the internet is a widely used source of information!

Of great significance is the methamphetamine problem.  Fortunately for our area, we didn’t see an increase in methamphetamine related complaints.  This is good news for us.  I believe that the strict laws enacted last year in Michigan had a great impact on the local producers of the drug.  Combined with effective public education and awareness this has helped place a “roadblock” on local clandestine laboratories.  However, as with all criminals, the meth producers/traffickers are finding ways to get their products to the street.  We are seeing an increase in meth production from the southwest part of the country as well as Mexico .  The drug is being manufactured in “super labs” and then smuggled throughout the country.  Because of the continued supply of the drug, we must all be vigilant and watch for the signs of meth related activities.  Be sure to look at the website for links to sites with more information.

I want to thank all that are supporters of the team, without you we wouldn’t be here.  Also, my thanks to the dedicated, professional officers that work here.  They are a hard working group that put in long hours.  Our officers are committed to the battle against drugs and we know that you are too!

I was recently asked if we had made any “big” busts.  I responded that every bust we make is “big” and put it in this context.  We may not make the headlines often, but if the house we raided is in your neighborhood and you have watched the endless stream of cars and people at all hours of the night, then it was BIG!

The STING Team looks forward to serving our communities in 2007, with knowledge that we are making an impact.   Please feel free to contact us with tips, suggestions, concerns or requests.  We need input from the public in order to continue the battle.

Thanks again for your support.

D/Lt. Jeff Keister

Unit Commander, STING