Nearly 2,000 felony warrants resolved in 2-month sweep - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI

(03/19/13) - Michigan State Police say nearly 2,000 felony warrants have been resolved following a two-month statewide sweep.

The focus was on felons collecting public assistance, like food or cash assistance, which is illegal.

State Police worked with the Department of Human Services' Office of Inspector General to cross check names.

Local, state and federal agencies worked together on to locate the offenders.

It was the first sweep since a new automated system, so MSP and DHS could share information about benefits and warrants, was created.  Laws were signed in 2011.

Only ABC12 was there as the members of the state police Fugitive Team went door to door looking for offenders in Genesee County.

"Warrants for carrying a concealed weapon, warrants for robbery, warrants for breaking and entering - all types of felony warrants," said D/F/Lt. Marvin Jenkins with Michigan State Police's Third District Headquarters.

The state says the sweep was a success.

Almost half of the more than 4,500 matches were cleared. A number of people ended up in jail.

Saginaw County had 29 arrests. Genesee County had more than four times that with 123 arrests.

State Police say Genesee County had the second highest number of felons collecting benefits in the state. The metro Detroit had the most.

Mary Card, of Burton, watched while her neighbor was picked up last month.  

"They need to crack down on this kind of stuff," she said.

DHS says reports will be run monthly to check for new offenders. Police will continue to pursue those people.

Here's a look at some of the numbers around the state as outlined in a news release from MSP:

Law enforcement in the metro Detroit area worked cooperatively to clear 677 of 2,810 felony arrest warrants and to check an additional 615 locations for individuals with arrest warrants.

 In the Bay/Thumb region troopers cleared 214 of 698 felony arrest warrants, visiting a total of 699 locations, resulting in the recovery of two stolen hand guns, two long guns, cocaine and marijuana. 

Troopers from the northern Lower Peninsula cleared 46 of 64 felony arrest warrants. A total of 98 arrests were made during the initiative due to troopers' contact with other individuals who had outstanding warrants. In one incident, a subject was arrested for possessing methamphetamine, which led to several other subsequent arrests, the removal of two children from the home and valuable investigative information about several retailers improperly accepting Bridge Cards.