On the evening of May 21, Michigan City’s City Council assembled in its city hall chambers for the monthly session. At the meeting’s start, Michigan City Police Department (MCPD) Chief Marty Corley presented the department’s 2023 crime report to the council. Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch, along with several community members, were in attendance as well.
Corley believes that the annual crime report presentation to the City Council is a vital event for the community.
“I think it's important for us to be transparent and keep the public informed,” he said. “We want to tell them about both the good and the bad things going on in their community. However, the report isn’t just about sharing crime numbers. It’s also a chance for us to show what we as a police department are doing to connect with the community, reduce crime, and increase our visibility. Our police department has worked hard at being more transparent and accessible to the public over the years. We know we aren’t perfect, but we’d like the public to have faith that we are always trying to do the right thing.”
Corley’s presentation included statistics for arrests, drug and firearm seizures, and a variety of ongoing investigations. He also shared some insight into how the MCPD has been implementing cutting-edge Utility-brand body cameras. Corley went on to describe how Flock Safety gunshot detection technology has helped MCPD officers track vehicles and pinpoint the source of gunshots throughout 2023.
Don Przybylinski, president of the Michigan City city council, views the crime report as the most effective way to convey this information to the community.
“The annual crime report is very informative for both the public and the city council,” Przybylinski said. “It gives us the opportunity to ask our questions and engage meaningfully with Chief Corley. I prefer hearing about the recent crime statistics and the police department activity in-person rather than in an email. Everyone wants to live in a safe city, and we are committed to making Michigan City safe for its first responders and the rest of its residents.”
Corley’s report also listed some of the public outreach activities that the MCPD has been involved in over the past year. These include an Easter egg hunt, a charity lip sync battle, and the Play for Jake Foundation 5K. Corley also announced that the MCPD had welcomed Ork and Donny to the K9 division last year.
Corley shared that the MCPD had hired Social Worker Jocelyn Colburn to lend officers emotional support whenever they might need it. Officer Daniel Revoir was also awarded the Officer Chris Smith Award in honor of his exemplary service. Corley, along with the rest of the MCPD, is committed to ensuring the safety of all of Michigan City’s citizens.
“I'm proud to serve alongside my fellow officers in the Michigan City Police Department,” Corley said. “I grew up in this community, and I love it tremendously. I want to give a big shout out to the men and women of the police department for the work that they do every day to make sure that this community is protected and served properly.”
Upon completing his presentation, Corley fielded the various questions posed to him by the council members. The councilors were vocal in their praise of the MCPD’s activity this past year and offered to lend whatever support they could in 2024. The crime report listed the MCPD’s successes and provided attendees with a vision for how things can be improved even more this year.
You can learn more information about the Michigan City Police Department by visiting emichigancity.com/160/Police.
