Special Units/Divisions
Victim’s Rights Unit
In 1985 the State of Michigan enacted the Crime Victim’s Rights Act. As a
result, victims of crime have the statutory right to representation in the
criminal justice system. To better protect these rights of victims, our office
has established the Victim's Rights Unit to assist victims in understanding and
exercising these rights. The attorneys and staff of the St. Clair County
Prosecutor’s Office are committed to the public safety of our community and the
pursuit of justice in our court system. The staff of the Victim's Rights Unit
serve as an
independent advocate for crime victims in our county, providing information and
services to assure these rights are protected. Please review the following
information and contact the Victim’s Rights Unit to take advantage of your
rights.
Witness Unit
The Witness Unit coordinates and assists witnesses by maintaining up to date
contact information, informing witnesses of appearance dates, making necessary
accommodations to facilitate a witness’s appearance and answering questions a
witness may have.
Criminal Sexual Conduct Unit
The Criminal Sexual Conduct Unit (CSC Unit) prosecutes those criminal cases that
involve victims requiring special attention. Victims of abuse who are under the
age of 16, elderly, or have special characteristics exploited by a
suspect/defendant are matched with prosecution staff who can best prosecute
their case. The CSC unit advocates for these special victims throughout the
court system on a one-on-one basis to minimize the stress and anxiety that can
be felt by a victim of an assaultive crime. Staff members assigned to the CSC
Unit are selected based upon their training, experience, and ability to
effectively represent our most vulnerable victims.
Drug Task Force
The Drug Task Force (DTF) is a unit
that specializes in the investigation and enforcement of drug activity in St.
Clair County in an effort to detect and eliminate drug trafficking within the
county. It also serves to assist local departments with surveillance and
information gathering by taking a proactive approach to law enforcement in
attempts to eliminate the crime that surrounds drug use and trafficking in St.
Clair County. The unit has a dedicated assistant prosecutor who handles DTF
cases from the initial stages of the investigation through trial. The DTF
assistant prosecutor is available 24/7 for assistance to the unit and works
closely with the unit to ensure its goal to effectively eliminate drug
trafficking in St. Clair County.
Neighborhood Enforcement Team
The Neighborhood Enforcement Team is a joint initiative between the St. Clair County
Sheriff’s Department, the Port Huron Police Department, and the St. Clair County
Prosecutor’s Office in an effort to respond to major violent crimes. It utilizes
both proactive and reactive enforcement tactics in an effort toward the
suppression and solution of serious violent crimes anywhere within St. Clair
County. It is composed of experienced police officers from both law enforcement
departments which work closely with a designated assistant prosecutor from the
onset of an investigation through the final stages of prosecution. This “team”
approach has proven very successful relating to the many violent crimes which
have been solved and successfully prosecuted due to the efforts of this unit.
Mental Health Court
The St. Clair County Prosecutor’s Office participates in the review and
determination of individuals who are charged with crimes and who also have
serious mental health concerns. These individuals are considered for placement
in a Mental Health Court program in
which intensive terms of probation are mandated, including but not limited to
counseling and drug testing. Only those individuals who have a serious mental
health illness and are convicted of a misdemeanor are eligible for this program.
Child Abuse/Parental Neglect
The St. Clair County Prosecutor’s Office has a contract with the
Michigan Department of Human Services
to represent the agency and prosecute cases of child abuse and parental neglect.
This includes petitions to terminate parental rights where the abuse or neglect
is serious and/or long standing.
Cooperative Reimbursement Program (CRP)
The St. Clair County Prosecutor’s Office has a contract with the
Michigan Department of Human Services
to enforce child support obligations and to establish paternity in those cases
in which public assistance is received by the custodial parent or cases that are
referred by the State of Michigan to our office. Once paternity has been
established, cases are then handled primarily by
St. Clair County Friend of Court to determine
issues involving custody and support.
Contact Information
St. Clair County Prosecuting Attorney
201 McMorran Blvd., Suite 3300
Port Huron, MI 48060
|
Photos courtesy of the Port Huron Times Herald and St. Clair County Sheriff's Department