Kent County Sheriff's Office

Summer riding season is well underway, and unfortunately, we’ve already investigated fatal motorcycle crashes and several crashes resulting in serious injuries. With much of the riding season still ahead, now is a good time for all of us to slow down and stay alert.

For motorcycle riders:
• Wear proper safety gear, including a DOT-approved helmet.
• Ride within your abilities and obey speed limits.
• Make yourself visible to other drivers.
• Never ride impaired.

For drivers:
• Look twice before changing lanes or turning.
• Give motorcycles extra space.
• Be especially cautious at intersections.
• Remember that motorcycles can be harder to see and judge for distance and speed.

Whether you’re behind the handlebars or behind the wheel, a few extra seconds of attention can make all the difference. Let’s work together to make this a safe riding season for everyone.

Kentsafetynetwork.org

There is false information being spread about this program. We will NOT be able to access your home cameras in any way. This program is a way to notify us that you have working cameras at your home and we can contact you via text to request the footage. The only way for us to get the footage is if you send us the footage through a secure link.

Home - The Kent Safety Network Your participation will greatly enhance emergency preparedness by enabling police, fire, and public safety professionals to better assess and rapidly respond to criminal activity and emergency situations. It will also enable investigators to easily gather evidence in case of an incident.

Investigators looking into the cause of the home explosion are asking residents in the area to check their home security cameras for anything that may assist with this morning’s explosion and fire investigation.

If you have video footage that may be helpful, please upload it using the secure link below:

https://kentcountyso.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/rollawayplftwpfire

Even footage that may not seem important could help investigators piece together what happened. Thank you to the community for your assistance and patience as this investigation continues.

‼️ UPDATE: He has been located! Thank you everyone for sharing 🚨

Grattan Township Community - please keep a lookout for this missing person, Donald “Skip” McQueen. We have several units and resources in the area looking for him. Please contact us if you see him or spotted him earlier in the afternoon.

He was last seen on Old Belding Rd around 3pm today.

Scam Alert: Mail Theft & Altered Checks

We are seeing reports of checks being stolen from outgoing mail, altered, and fraudulently cashed.

Here’s how it works: someone places a paper check in their mailbox to pay a bill. Suspects steal the outgoing mail, remove the check, change the payee and/or the amount, and attempt to cash it. Business checks sent to utility companies appear to be common targets, but any paper check can be stolen and altered.

If you need to send a paper check, avoid leaving it in your mailbox for pickup. Use a secure USPS blue collection box, drop it off inside a local post office, or consider using online payment options when available. If possible, do transactions online or in person.

A few extra reminders:
• Do not place outgoing checks in your mailbox overnight
• Monitor your bank accounts regularly
• Report stolen mail or suspicious activity
• Contact your bank immediately if a check is missing or altered

Sometimes community engagement is planned… and sometimes you just happen to bump into some familiar faces while on duty.

Great running into the West Michigan Whitecaps and Grand Rapids Gold mascots!

Recently, members of our Corrections Emergency Response Team attended mock riot training to continue sharpening their skills for high-risk incidents inside the Kent County Correctional Facility.

CERT is made up of 26 highly trained members who complete 96 hours of specialized training each year in cell extractions, riot response, and other emergency situations. The team is most commonly activated to help safely secure and relocate non-compliant or violent inmates to a more appropriate housing area within the jail.

In 2025, CERT was activated 58 times with zero injuries to inmates or correctional deputies.

That doesn’t happen by accident. It is the result of training, discipline, teamwork, and a commitment to resolving dangerous situations as safely as possible. We are proud of the professionalism this team brings to our correctional facility every day.