Author Archives: BangorPD

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Mayor Presents Officer with Certificate of Commendation.

Category : Community , Crime , Enforcement

During the City Council Meeting on 11/20/17 Mayor Nick Householder presented Officer Taylor Freelove with a Certificate of Commendation for his hard work and dedication to the City of Bangor. Officer Freelove has made numerous drug arrests in the past month and is a huge asset to the Department and to our Community.

Congratulations Officer Freelove!


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2 Arrested in Bangor

Category : Crime

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Bangor, MI

Earlier today Bangor Police officers apprehended a Male 47 years of age after a short foot pursuit. The suspect had in his possession Crystal Methamphetamine, Marijuana, Knives, & a Machete.
The suspect also had an outstanding warrant in Van Buren County.
He is being charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Marijuana, and Carrying a Concealed weapon.

A short time later Bangor Police apprehended a Female Suspect age 41 in relation to the previous incident. She is also being charged with possession of Methamphetamine, Marijuana, & bank transaction device of a deceased person. The Female suspect also has outstanding warrants in Kalamazoo & Van Buren Counties for Possession of Methamphetamine and Failure to Appear.

Both Suspects are being held without Bond.

Arraignment is scheduled for 1:30pm on 11/14/17 at Van Buren 7th District Court West.

These arrests are in addition to 5 other Methamphetamine related arrests within the last month.


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Arson supsect now in Custody.

Category : Uncategorized

For Immediate Release:

21-year-old Dominick Wheeler was captured in Allegan County with the Assistance of the Michigan State Police Fugitive Task force.

Wheeler is currently charged with Arson, Resisting Police, and Destruction of Police Property.

His Bond has been set at $250,000.

Wheeler also has 5 additional warrants from other counties.

– Chief Simpson


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Fireworks Reminder – City of Bangor

With the 4th of July approaching the Bangor Police Department would like to remind everyone that State law prohibits a City from regulating the discharge and use of consumer fireworks the day before, the day of and the day after a national holiday.

The City can only regulate the times between 1am and 8am.

Please be mindful of this when filing a complaint with central dispatch.

-Chief Simpson

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New Body Cams & Radios!

Category : Community

The Bangor Police Department would like to Thank the City Council for approving the purchase of New Radios and Body cameras.

(Source: Bangor Apple Press)

Bangor City Council Approves Police Radios

BANGOR — The Bangor Police Department will soon be aquiring five new state-of-the-art radios and two body cameras, after City Council members approved purchase of the equipment at Monday’s meeting.

GPS devices, software and training come with the body cams, Police Chief Tommy Simpson said. The radios that were proposed for purchase were demonstrated at a recent Homeland Security conference, Simpson said.

Current radios are outdated, and parts are no longer available, Simpson said. The cost of all five radios is $13,245, while the two cameras are $4009.85.

Some discussion ensued over methods of payment for the police equipment. Mayor Nick Householder inquired if the purchase could be made from the general fund, and if millage funds could be used to repay the City. City Manager Regina Hoover stated that the City accountant recommended not taking money from general fund. Mayor Pro-Tem Lynne Farmer and other council members suggested taking a line of credit, after seeking bids. Mayor Householder advised getting three quotes for the best interest rate. There were no further grants available for the purchase, Simpson said.

Proposals to buy the equipment, and to shop for the best loan to pay for the equipment, passed unanimously.

“The budget will be tight next year,” Chief Simpson warned, adding that this year’s budget will be used to make two more car payments on a currently-owned police vehicle. The radios were a timely purchase, while the equipment is available at the current price, Simpson added.


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Public Notice: Mowing

Category : Enforcement , Ordinances

The Bangor Police Department is now responsible for handling Code Enforcement  in the City of Bangor.

Please keep your property mowed to avoid fines and fees.


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Bicycle Safety Rodeo – May 17th!

Category : Community

Bangor Branch Library with the Bangor Police and South Haven’s Rock ‘n’ Road Cycle are putting on a Bicycle Safety Rodeo and hope to see you here with your bicycle! Helmets recommended.


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City-Wide Spring Cleanup tomorrow!

Category : Community

The Bangor Police Department would like to remind everyone that tomorrow May 13th the City of Bangor will be picking up items set near the road for disposal.

This is part of our City-Wide Spring Cleanup program.

Items need to be out at the road by tomorrow morning.

For a detailed list of what items are accepted and more details please visit: http://bangormi.org


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Meet our newest Officers!

Category : Community

Matthew Mistretta (Featured Above)

Officer Mistretta formerly served as a US Marine. He has also worked as a firefighter and an EMT. His wife is also a police officer in another community. Officer Mistretta began serving the City of Bangor on Saturday, April 29.

And

Wyatt Taylor

Officer Taylor graduated from the WMU Police Academy in Fall, 2016. He also works as the JV Football Coach at Bangor Public Schools. “I want to get the youth more involved in the community,” Taylor said. Officer Taylor began serving the City of Bangor about three months ago.


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**Update**Cleveland murder suspect Steve Stephens kills himself after pursuit

Category : Wanted

Update: 4/18/17 12:00pm

Cleveland (CNN)[Breaking news update at 11:52 a.m. ET]

Steve Stephens, the Cleveland murder suspect accused of posting video of the killing on Facebook, was found Tuesday in Erie County, Pennsylvania, state police said on Twitter.
“After a brief pursuit, Stephens shot and killed himself,” Pennsylvania State Police said.

Associated Press Article

CLEVELAND (AP) — In a rambling video, Steve Stephens said, “I snapped, I just snapped.” But as the manhunt dragged on Monday for the man accused of posting Facebook footage of himself killing a retiree, police were unable to explain what set him off.

“Only Steve knows that,” Cleveland police Chief Calvin Williams said as authorities posted a $50,000 reward for Stephens’ capture in the shooting of Robert Godwin Sr., a 74-year-old former foundry worker.

“He could be nearby. He could be far away or anywhere in between,” FBI agent Stephen Anthony said on Day 2 of the manhunt for Steve Stephens, a 37-year-old job counselor for teens and young adults.

Police said Stephens killed Robert Godwin Sr., a 74-year-old former foundry worker, on Sunday.

Investigators said that Godwin was the only victim so far linked to Stephens, despite the suspect’s claim in a separate video on Facebook that he killed over a dozen people.

Officers searched dozens of places around the city and spoke with the suspect by cellphone, police said.

In the video, Stephens blamed a former girlfriend he had lived with, saying he woke up last week and “couldn’t take it anymore.” But in a statement Monday, the woman shed little light on what might have gone wrong and said Stephens was good to her and her children.

As for the shooting victim, Godwin appeared to have been selected at random, gunned down while picking up aluminum cans Sunday afternoon after spending Easter with some of his children.

A manhunt that started in Cleveland’s gritty east side expanded rapidly into a nationwide search for Stephens, a 37-year-old job counselor who worked with teens and young adults, police said.

“He could be nearby. He could be far away or anywhere in between,” FBI agent Stephen Anthony said.

Authorities also warned people in Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana and Michigan to be alert for Stephens. Law enforcement officials said his cellphone signal was last detected on Sunday afternoon in Erie, Pennsylvania, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Cleveland.
Police reported getting dozens and dozens of tips, and nine schools in Philadelphia were locked down Monday while authorities investigated possible sightings of Stephens. But they said there was no sign he was actually there.

Some of those who know Stephens described him as pleasant and kind, while some said he had a gambling problem. He filed for bankruptcy two years ago.

In another video posted to Facebook, Stephens said that he gambled away everything and that he and his girlfriend had planned to marry but didn’t, without saying why.

“He got along with everybody, so it’s just unbelievable what happened,” said Alexis Lee, a friend who saw Stephens last week.

The police chief said: “We are not going to pinpoint a specific thing and say this is what triggered this, because we don’t know.”

Godwin’s daughter said he was killed while collecting cans in a plastic shopping bag.

“Not because he needed the money, it was just something he did,” said 52-year-old Debbie Godwin. “That’s all he was doing. He wasn’t harming anyone.”

She said her father, who had 10 children, was a gentle man with nothing mean about him.

Dozens of family, friends and community members gathered Monday evening in Cleveland for a vigil to remember Godwin. They hugged and comforted each other, while urging an end to the violence on their city streets.

In the shooting video, Stephens told Godwin a woman’s name and said, “She’s the reason that this is about to happen to you.” The victim did not seem to recognize the woman’s name. The gunman then pointed a weapon at Godwin, who shielded his face with the plastic bag.

The woman Stephens spoke of, Joy Lane, said in a text to CBS that “we had been in a relationship for several years. I am sorry that all of this has happened.” She said Stephens was “a nice guy” who was generous to everyone.

The video of the killing was on Facebook for about three hours before it was taken down.

Investigators said that Godwin was the only victim so far linked to Stephens, despite his claim in a separate video on Facebook that he killed more than a dozen people.

Detectives spoke with Stephens on Sunday by cellphone and tried to persuade him to surrender, police said.

Stephens worked at Beech Brook, a social services agency in suburban Cleveland that deals with vulnerable young people. He helped them gain job skills and find employment, said Beech Brook spokeswoman Nancy Kortemeyer.

An extensive background check before he was hired turned up nothing worrisome, she said.

Stephens filed for bankruptcy in January 2015. His attorney at the time, Trent Binger, said Monday that he remembered Stephens discussing gambling problems.

“He was an easy client to deal with,” Binger said. “Always respectful to me … well-mannered.”

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Associated Press reporters Dake Kang and Delano Massey in Cleveland and John Seewer in Toledo contributed to this report.