Manistee County Sheriff's Office

Water and snow shape much of the work at the Manistee County Sheriff's Office on Michigan's northwest coast. Its Marine Division patrols more than 23 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, including three access ports, one of them a deep-water port with heavy commercial traffic, plus six larger inland lakes and over 60 miles of rivers, enforcing marine law, inspecting liveries and investigating boating accidents. A Dive Team made up of sheriff's deputies, Manistee City police and Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Tribal Police officers handles underwater search and recovery in deep water, currents and under ice. In winter the Snowmobile Division covers more than 45 miles of state-funded trails, investigates crashes and teaches the law enforcement section of local safety classes. Court deputies protect the 19th Circuit, 85th District, probate and Friend of the Court proceedings at the courthouse, and the jail, built in 1989 and expanded in 2009, is attached to the office. The office also runs an animal control division, a Community Emergency Response Team for volunteers, and Get STOPPED!, a teen-driver accountability program developed with the Michigan Sheriffs' Association and AAA of Michigan.