Crime victims to benefit as Macomb County Prosecutor speeds warrant review with police agency links

Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office
Contact: Dawn Fraylick, Communications Director
Office: +1 (586) 469-5737 
Cell: +1 (586) 842-4421
Email: Dawn.Fraylick@macombgov.org      

 July 18, 2024               

Crime victims to benefit as Macomb County Prosecutor speeds warrant review with police agency links

Mount Clemens, MI - Addressing a decades-old problem of redundant data entry among police and assistant prosecutors, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office received Macomb County Commission approval in June to link computer systems with five local police agencies to speed warrant reviews, provide crime victims with quicker warrant status updates and enhance overall efficiency in the justice system.

After upgrading to a new case management system last year, overall warrant review by the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office has never been more prompt than it is now. But Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido wants to link with police agencies for even better service.

For years, detectives typed data into their police agency computer report writing systems. The Prosecutor’s Office would then retype much of the same information when reviewing warrant requests. When completed by year's end, a computer interface between five police agencies and the Macomb County Prosecutor will reduce repetitive data entry, reduce the risk of errors, and improve the efficiency of warrant requests by transmitting warrant requests and police reports directly from police agencies to the prosecutor’s office system.

Police agencies covering 45% of the county’s population will benefit.  The various Macomb County police agencies use seven different report writing systems. The prosecutor’s plan will initially interface with police agencies using the New World police reporting system.  The New World system was picked first because, although it does not cover a majority of Macomb County communities, it is used by police in communities where a larger number of people live compared to those using other police agency systems.  

“Warrant review will be even speedier thanks to this technology,”  said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido. “ This is another way we are improving service for crime victims and detectives as we continue the Prosecutor’s Office transformation.” 

The integration of police agencies’ New World report writing system with the prosecutor’s system is a big step forward in improved communication among police agencies and assistant prosecutors. The five police agencies to initially benefit from the prosecutor’s interface, using the New World police report writing system are:  Macomb County Sheriff’s Department, Clinton Township Police Department, Sterling Heights Police Department, Chesterfield Police Department, and New Baltimore Police Department.  

Lucido already has plans in the works to continue the efficient warrant review progress with an interface and improved communication for the rest of Macomb County's police agencies who use other systems. 

“The real winners are the people of Macomb County and crime victims, who will benefit from faster and more optimized warrant reviews. Our residents now have a prosecutor’s office they can be proud of,” said Lucido.

Improving the warrant review process by linking computer systems with police agencies is one of many improvements by Prosecutor Lucido since taking office in 2021.  Other progress includes:

• Child Support Collections Increased: intensified efforts to collect child support from parents who owe $5,000 or more, successfully collecting $1 million for Macomb County children since last year under this new initiative, with most collections done while avoiding criminal prosecution.
   
• Mental Health Assessments for Gun Crime Defendants: Started a first-in-Michigan policy requiring mental health assessments as part of bond conditions in all gun crime cases, using existing resources to provide an opportunity for mental health services before a suspect gets a chance to commit another crime with a gun.
   
• Hate Crimes Unit Launched: created a Hate Crimes Unit, securing a vital U.S. Department of Justice grant paying 100% of all its costs, a distinction granted to only 16 organizations nationwide. Appointed Michigan's first and only solely-dedicated hate crimes prosecutor at a county level, ensuring robust enforcement and community education.
   
• Conviction Integrity Unit Exoneration: started this unit to investigate claims of innocence as a result of clear and convincing new evidence that the convicted defendant was not the person who committed the offense, and to review claims of factual innocence based on new evidence such as DNA.  This unit secured an exoneration.
   
• Major Crimes Unit Launched: Prosecutor Lucido organized the top-ranked assistant prosecutors to focus on major crimes, and train more APAs to handle these types of cases.
   
• Warrant Appeals Unit Launched: Established the state’s first formal prosecutor’s office unit allowing victims and law enforcement officials to have a second review of warrant requests where charges were denied.
   
• Digital Evidence Management Platform Implemented: With over 800,000 pieces of digital evidence, police agencies can now upload digital evidence, which the Prosecutor’s Office reviews, and defense lawyers can download directly, resulting in “discovery” information faster than it’s ever been provided.
   
• Increased Internships: Hosted over 200 law school and college interns. Court rules permit law student interns to handle court hearings under supervision, which helps the office serve victims and expedite cases.
   
• Paperless Crime Victim Rights: Implemented the county’s first paperless system for crime victims to request rights and notifications via text message or online through the Prosecutor’s Office website.
   
• Police Training Provided: Regular training sessions by assistant prosecutors are conducted for every police agency in Macomb County, including updates on recent court cases.
   
• Enhanced Auto Theft Unit: Addressed a surge in attacks on car dealerships and manufacturing plants, prosecuting more continuing criminal enterprise cases in the past two years than in the previous decade, resulting in over $800,000 in restitution.

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