OTSEGO, Mich. (WOOD) — An editorial penned by the Otsego city manager this week has stirred a debate on how small communities address the unhoused community.
Aaron Mitchell said in an open letter penned for Wilcox Newspapers that the city has a handful of individuals who continue to be found trespassing, loitering and in some cases breaking into various structures throughout the area. He added that the police department has had to intervene with the same individual multiple times on the same night.
“We are finding is that oftentimes, the victims of these crimes simply do not pursue charges against the offending individual,” Mitchell wrote. “That allows for the suspects to be instantly released, and it’s not usual for them to immediately offend again moving on down the road.”
Mitchell goes on to propose victims start prosecuting these crimes so that the suspect’s bond is set higher and keep them “retain(ed) in the system and hopefully help them change their behavior eventually.”
But Mary Elzinga, who recently moved to the area, admittedly disagrees with the city manager’s proposal.