Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office Sets Record for National Good Government Awards

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                        

June 10, 2024

Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office Sets Record for National Good Government Awards

Mount Clemens, MI -  Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido’s office set another record for national good government awards received.  The office racked up 12 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo).  This sets a record for the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office and may mark the highest number of national good government awards ever received by any Michigan county prosecutor’s office in a single year. 

The NACo Achievement Awards recognize innovative and effective county government programs that enhance services for residents. Lucido’s office continues a three-year streak of excellence, first setting the office record after Lucido’s first year in office.  Lucido’s office previously set the office record by earning 7 national achievement awards in 2022, then tied that record in 2023. 

“This national recognition signals the dedication, integrity, and commitment of the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office to restore trust and excellence and positively move things forward for Macomb County,” said Macomb County Commissioner Joe Sabatini, who chairs the Finance/Audit/Budget Committee that oversees the county budget.

"I congratulate Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido and his team for receiving several National Association of Counties achievement awards.  Great things are happening in Michigan prosecutor’s offices across our state.  These awards recognize some of the work being done by Prosecutor Lucido,” said Jeffrey S. Getting, Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan President and Kalamazoo County Prosecutor.

Among this year’s highlights is an award for enhancing child support collection, which has seen significant progress under Lucido's leadership. Thanks to support from the County Commission, the office started a new program and collected $1 million in child support to directly benefit county children and families.

“With our support, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office made more progress with felony child support collection in the last two years than over the last two decades, and it’s rewarding to get national recognition for it,” said Macomb County Commissioner Harold Haugh, Vice Chair of the County Commission and Chair of the Child Support Payment Collection Workgroup. 

“These national awards show our county prosecutor is on the right track, and his team has made incredible progress. It’s clear that taxpayer money for law enforcement was well-spent here,” said County Commissioner Joseph V. Romano, Chair of the Records and Public Safety Committee, which considers many county prosecutor projects. 

“The real winners are the residents of Macomb County, who now have a prosecutor’s office they can truly be proud of. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our county commissioners, whose support for law enforcement was the key in turning our office around and steering us towards excellence and progress,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido. 

Since its inception in 1970, NACo's annual Achievement Awards program has been dedicated to recognizing county government innovations. Each nominee is judged on its own merits, emphasizing the individual impact and significance of their initiatives. The awards show the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office exemplifies the spirit of innovation, service, and dedication.

This year the prosecutor’s office received National Association of Counties Achievement awards in the category of Criminal Justice and Public Safety for the following:

1. Case Tracking Innovation for Conviction Integrity Unit
2. Combating Hate - Macomb County's New Hate Crimes Unit
3. Empowering crime victims with text-based access to victim rights
4. Conviction Integrity Unit: A Beacon of Justice and Fairness in Macomb County
5. Effortless Access: Streamlining Witness Fee Requests
6. Empowering Crime Victims Through the Warrant Appeal Unit Initiative
7. Enhancing Child Support Collections - Prosecutor's Initiative
8. Prosecutor subpoena with tear-off boosts efficiency
9. Prosecutor’s Secure Staff Portal Enhances Operational Efficiency
10. Safeguarding Against Senior Scams
11. SMS-Based Criminal Case Discovery Access
12. Streamlining Leave Management

The programs recognized by the NACo Achievement Awards are not the only improvements Prosecutor Lucido has made since January 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.
   
• 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.