Meridian Township

Low crime rates contribute to Meridian's quality of life

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By Chris Hung
The Meridian Times Staff Reporter

Despite having slightly above average violent crime rates compared to townships of similar population, Meridian Township residents report above average living conditions and quality of life. In the 2015 National Citizen Survey on Meridian Township, in which 331 residents were polled, 98 percent of respondents reported feeling safe in the neighborhoods. In downtown or commercial areas, 96 percent of residents felt safe. 92 percent of residents responded that their overall security was rated positively. An integral part to the township’s safety and security are the 39 sworn officers that make up both Meridian’s police force.

Holt-Delhi Township

Crime freeze: Delhi Township sees less crime in wintertime

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By Courtney Kendler
Holt Journal staff reporter

With winter right around the corner, crime may be one less thing Delhi Township residents need to worry about. With the expectations of another bitterly-cold winter, crime rates may drop, along with temperatures. According to an April 2015 monthly report for Delhi Township, the number of calls for service from January to April of 2013 was 1,384. That number decreased to 708 calls between January and April of 2014. The number of citations issued in Delhi Township also decreased during the same period, from 993 in 2013, to 783 in 2014.

Bath-DeWitt

Which comes first: safety or an armed populace?

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By Skyler Ashley
Bath-DeWitt Connection staff reporter

DEWITT — Upon entering DeWitt, one the first things you can find is the Clark Corners, a shopping plaza not too far from downtown. While it appears mostly barren, one store definitely grabs attention and that is Capital Area Tactical. Upon meeting the staff there was a sense of community to be felt. The staff felt strongly in their support of guns, so it raised the question: what exactly is the current gun climate like in DeWitt? While Americans debates gun crime on a national scale, how is DeWitt affected? Is it lowering crime or causing it?

Grand Ledge

What you’d gain and lose by disbanding the Grand Ledge Police Department (not that it’s likely)

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By Peter Nuttall
Living In The Ledge staff reporter
Ruth Creyts, Grand Ledge resident and owner of an antique store in downtown Grand Ledge, said that she would be very upset if the Grand Ledge Police Department was ever disbanded. About 20 years ago that possibility actually almost became a reality. “Some of the city council had talked to the sheriff’s office, just to see what it would cost,” Grand Ledge police officer Lt. Chris Blievernicht said. “Just solely as a peer cost saving measure.”
Blievernicht has been on the force for 17 years, all while serving the citizens of Grand Ledge. He said that the plan never went through because the city council realized it wouldn’t of saved Grand Ledge any money.

Community News

Crime in Lansing: An Every-Day Reality

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By Emma-Jean Bedford
Listen Up, Lansing

LANSING-Armed robberies. Break-ins. Aggravated assault. These are, unfortunately, common terms that Lansing residents deal with everyday. According to a report by Neighborhood Scout compiled from government records, Lansing is safer than just 10 percent of cities in the U.S. with 142 crimes per square mile, compared with the national rate of 37.9 crimes per square mile. Map provided by Neighborhood Scout report and FBI data. 

Adelina Joslin is originally from Guatemala City, but relocated to the Lansing area two years ago after moving from Florida.

Education

Trustee Jon Harmon creates public safety scholarship

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By Miranda Chavez
Holt Journal staff writer

Among the normal township business at the March meeting of the Delhi Township Board of Trustees, Trustee Jon Harmon gave a report on a scholarship fund he is planning to start. The scholarship is geared toward higher education for public safety workers. Harmon said that when he was elected as a township trustee he had no idea the position was paid, so when a raise for trustees was voted through he decided to give back to the community. Harmon said he wanted to do something constructive with the raise and thought that a scholarship would be a good idea. “How do I create something that will benefit people long after I have been voted out of office,” Harmon asked.

Community News

Meridian awarded safety grant

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By Justin Polk
Meridian Times staff writer

School safety has been a very important topic in government. Meridian township has taken that a step further. In a press release by Meridian Township the state of Michigan awarded Meridian more than $19,000 for school safety. One way safety can be attained is by reducing response times of emergency officials. According to the press release, that is where the money of this grant will go.

Business & Economy

Lansing Township was happy and healthy during its St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

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By Katy Barth
Alex Wisney, manager at Claddagh Irish Pub, said the pub quadrupled its sales compared to other Sundays and increased its St. Patrick’s Day sales by 25 percent compared to last year. The increase in profits was a great surprise since St. Patrick’s Day was on Sunday instead of Saturday like last year, he said
“It’s our Super Bowl,” said Wisney. “We put a lot of time and effort into it every year.”
Wisney said they had better advertising this year by putting the pub’s St.

Government

Officials split over proposal for more cops

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By PATRICK HOWARD
Capital News Service
LANSING – Local officials are divided over a proposal to use $140 million of the state’s budget surplus to put 1,000 new cops and deputies on the street. Mason County Undersheriff Tom Trenner said the addition of officers is a positive thing, especially in such tough economic times. Trenner also said that with local departments depleted, there is a demand for more officers. He said the cuts to revenue sharing have slowed officers’ response time to reported crimes, making the public less safe. However, Attorney Gen. Bill Schuette’s initiative — $140 million investment for 1,000 cops over a two-year span — has its critics as well.