Isabella County Enhances 9-1-1 Services and Emergency Notification with Smart911; Replacing CodeRED

Isabella County public safety officials announced Smart911 is now available for free to all residents. Individuals who were previously signed up for CodeRED will need to sign up for Smart911 to receive timely and actionable emergency alerts via email, text or voice message. This should be completed before the CodeRED system is discontinued on December 6, 2021.

Smart911 not only informs citizens of emergencies, but allows individuals to create a Safety Profile for their household, if they wish. These profiles include detailed information citizens want 9-1-1 representatives and response teams to know in the event of an emergency. Profiles can be completed by visiting www.smart911.com or downloading the Smart911 App.

With this new system, when an individual makes an emergency call their Safety Profile is automatically displayed for the 9-1-1 representative, enabling the proper response team(s) to be dispatched to an exact location with detailed information. Examples include fire crews knowing how many people reside in a household, EMS staff being informed of allergies or specific medical conditions, or police having a photo of a missing child in seconds, rather than minutes or hours.

Mt. PLeasANt 2050 – City of Mt. Pleasant begins work on a new Master Plan

Mt. Pleasant, MI – The City of Mt. Pleasant is preparing a new Master Plan, a document which will chart the direction of the City’s development for the next 30 years.

Master plans are critical policy documents. They are the primary way for the community to answer the following questions:

What do we want our community to look like in 2050?
How do we get there?
How can we ensure our community is resilient by avoiding or mitigating risks or threats that we may face?

The new City Master Plan will also include an updated Parks and Recreation Master Plan as well as a subarea plan focused on Mission Street and Pickard Avenue (east of Mission). The plan will specifically address land use, transportation, housing, downtown, economic development, and public safety.

Public Input Needed
Public input is imperative during this planning process and will determine the community’s vision as well as help set specific goals, objectives and policies. The public is invited to participate in a series of events scheduled from April 8-11, 2019. All events will be held at City Hall, 320 W. Broadway Street, unless otherwise noted.

April 8
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Kick-Off Event

April 9
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Open Charrette Studio Hours
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Downtown Pub Crawl (Starting at the Bird Bar & Grill, 223 S. Main Street.)

April 10
1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Open Charrette Studio Hours
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Charrette Open House & Work-In-Progress Presentation

April 11
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Open Charrette Studio Hours
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Charrette Final Presentation Event

Online Survey

Your input is vital to our Master Plan development process. Please take a few minutes to share your ideas and complete the online surveys, which are available until April 28, 2019. Visit: https://www.mtpleasant2050.com/surveys

City of Mt. Pleasant Master Planning History
Major projects and policy changes often result from a master planning process. For instance, the 1965 Master Plan led to the extension of Mosher Street; the development of “Town Center”; and the creation of a new 1971 zoning ordinance. The 1987 Master Plan led to significant investments in park accessibility for individuals with disabilities; facility investments to improve the quality of drinking water; and extensions of Bellows and Preston Streets.

The City adopted its first Master Plan in 1946 with subsequent plans being adopted in 1965, 1987 and 2006. The City’s current Master Plan was an update adopted in 2014. Click here to view our past and current Master Plans. All Michigan cities are required to adopt master plans in accordance with Public Act 33 of 2008.

For more details regarding the Master Plan development process visit www.mtpleasant2050.com.

Police respond to suspicious situation at Island Park, no credible threat found

On June 26, 2018 at approximately 7:51 p.m., Isabella County Central Dispatch received a call that two male subjects, who appeared to be covered in blood, were seen entering a bathroom at Island Park.

Mount Pleasant City Police responded to the area and were approached by a citizen who stated they had seen two subjects in the park and one was carrying a long rifle. The citizen advised that the subjects were dressed in camouflage clothing and were last seen by the Vietnam Memorial within the park.

Mount Pleasant City Police Officers continued to search the park for the two subjects and were then contacted by a second citizen. The citizen advised officers they had also seen the two subjects in camouflage, now in Pickens Fields, walking towards the Post Office. Mount Pleasant Police evacuated both Island Park and Pickens Fields due to the two separate sightings.

Officers from the Mount Pleasant Department, Isabella County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan State Police, Central Michigan University Police, and Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Police continued to search the area. Also assisting in the search was a Michigan State Police K-9.

After a thorough search, no suspects, victims or evidence of a crime were located.

The Mount Pleasant City Police would like to assure the public there is no credible threat to the community.

The Mount Pleasant City Police were assisted by: Isabella County Sheriff’s Deputies, Michigan State Police Troopers, Central Michigan University Police Officers, Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Officers and Isabella County Central Dispatch.

Coneys for a Cause is June 13

The community is invited to feast on their favorite local coney dogs while helping the youth of Isabella County at the 13^th annual Coneys for a Cause on June 13 at the Pixie Restaurant. All net proceeds will benefit the Mt. Pleasant Police Youth Services Unit (YSU) and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Customers can purchase individual coney dogs for $1.19 at the restaurant, or they can pre-order to have the coney dogs delivered by an officer of the YSU or a representative of Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

At 7 p.m., the annual “Pixie Pig Out” contest will begin. Stop by to cheer on the contestants as they compete to consume the most coneys.

The pre-order form is available here, as well as at www.facebook.com/mtppublicsafety and www.mt-pleasant.org. Forms must emailed by 3 p.m. on June 12 to ysu@mt-pleasant.org. Delivery pre-orders must total $18 or more.

Chippewa Street is currently closed to through traffic for construction work, however, both of Pixie’s Chippewa Street driveways will be open for use during the event.

URGENT SAFETY INFORMATION

UPDATE March 3, 12:10 p.m.: Click here to read a message from City Mayor Allison Lents.

UPDATE March 3, 7:47 a.m.: The suspect in yesterday’s incident on the campus of Central Michigan University was apprehended early this morning. We are incredibly grateful to the hundreds of dedicated law enforcement personnel who worked tirelessly throughout the day and night to find the suspect.

The Mt. Pleasant community is safe and no threat from this incident remains. We encourage all of our residents to resume their normal activities.

The Mt. Pleasant Police Department will continue to assist the Central Michigan University Police Department with the ongoing investigation.

Thank you for your cooperation and support throughout this matter!

UPDATE March 3, 12:50 a.m.: The suspect in the shooting on the campus of Central Michigan University has been taken into police custody without incident.

Thank you to the community for your help and cooperation throughout this situation.

UPDATE 6:10 p.m.: Click here for an update from Central Michigan University, confirming the identities of the victims of this morning’s shooting on the campus. The suspect is still at large.

UPDATE 12:25 p.m.: The person of interest is James Eric Davis, Jr. He is a black male, approximately 19 years of age, 5’10” and 135 lbs. He was last see wearing mustard yellow jeans and a blue hoodie. He may have removed the blue hoodie.

The suspect is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not approach the suspect. Call 911 immediately.

Shooter

UPDATE: 10:43 a.m.: Click here for an update from Central Michigan University: https://www.cmich.edu/news/article/Pages/shots-fired-on-campus-march-2018.aspx

UPDATE 10:23 a.m.: The suspect is a 19-year-old black male who is approximately 5 foot 9 inches tall. He is wearing mustard yellow jeans and a blue hoodie. He may have taken off the blue hoodie. He is considered armed and dangerous. If you see the suspect, do not approach him. Call 911 immediately.

There has been a report of a shooting on the campus of Central Michigan University. The suspect is a black male and considered armed and dangerous.

The Mt. Pleasant Police Department is assisting Central Michigan University PD with the situation. The shooter has not yet been apprehended. A CodeRed alert has been sent to the impacted neighborhoods.

Please remain aware of your surroundings and call 911 to report suspicious activity.

All City buildings are currently locked down and not accessible to the general public.

More information will be shared as it is received.

Sytsema named Mt. Pleasant police lieutenant

dsytsem The City recently announced the promotion of Detective Don Sytsema to police lieutenant. Sytsema has dedicated 22 years to the Mt. Pleasant Police Department, serving first as an officer and later as detective.

As lieutenant, Sytsema will oversee day-to-day operations of the road patrol and detective bureau, and will be responsible for duties related to crime analysis and prevention. He will also coordinate special operations with other area law enforcement agencies, among many other tasks.

“We are very confident and pleased with Don’s decision to be a part of the police administration team,” said Police Captain Andy Latham. “Don is a creative and analytical thinker who uses his head and his heart to make decisions. This lends to an inclusive leadership style that is well received and embraced by those around him.”

Sytsema is looking forward to the new challenge. “My vision is that our department will continue to use and explore new technology to support the solving of crime,” he said. Sytsema also envisions continued police engagement with our community and businesses, as he is committed to cultivating positive relationships.

Sytsema will fill the role of lieutenant beginning April 16.

Latham named captain of Mt. Pleasant Police Department

Andy Latham has been named captain of the Mt. Pleasant Police Department. Latham began his career with the City as an officer more than 20 years ago, and has since served as sergeant and lieutenant.

In his new role, Latham is looking forward to the opportunity to connect with community members. “I hope to continue our tradition of excellent police work while making our department more personable and approachable,” said Latham. He hopes this will lead to more interaction between officers and the community on a social level.

As captain, Latham says he also plans to learn new phases of police administration while working with and supporting staff in any way he can.

Latham replaces the department’s former captain, Paul Lauria, who took the helm as the City’s director of public safety/police chief in February.