The Sheriff has kicked off the annual "Coats for the Cold" coat drive. This annual coat drive will run through November 30th. The new or clean, used coats collected will be given to several different charitable organizations who will then distribute the coats to those most in need at no cost. There are over 65 drop-off sites around Oakland County.
Holiday Safety Message: We need everyone’s help in keeping this year’s holiday season a safe and healthy one. As family members come together, sometimes traveling long distances on our nation’s highways to enjoy the holidays, there are a number of ways we can ensure the season is safe and joyous.
First, drivers need to take extra precautions during wintery conditions. Clearing snow from your windshields, mirrors, license plate, and headlights, reducing your speed on icy roads, maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles, and only using your cell phone for emergencies are all important ways drivers can protect themselves and others on the road.
Also, everyone needs to support zero tolerance for drinking and driving and underage drinking. Too often, the holiday season is marred by fatal traffic crashes. Sadly, many of these crashes are preventable, especially those involving impaired driving, many involving young men and women, sons and daughters, many home from college, many not of legal age to drink. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) traffic safety statistics show that drivers ages 21 – 24 have the highest level of involvement in alcohol impaired fatalities during the holiday period. It also shows the high representation of impaired operation in the 15 – 20 year old group. Ironically, those 15 – 20 were not old enough to drink legally.
All law enforcement agencies are sworn to protect all citizens and therefore, will not tolerate impaired driving during the holiday season or anytime throughout the year. Please be safe, protect yourselves and others, and best wishes for a joyous holiday season.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office has launched its newest community service program with community partner Home Instead Senior Care, "Operation Medicine Cabinet." Individuals wishing to properly dispose of their unused or expired medications may bring them to three locations of the Sheriff's Office on Wednesdays from 8am-4pm. Collection sites include our locations in Pontiac, Rochester Hills and Commerce Township. For more information on the program, please download our brochure.
Why should we dispose of unused, unneeded or expired medications?
Medication Abuse (family, friends, visitors, etc.): Proper and timely disposal of medications prevents them from entering the streets and black market. An estimated 48 million Americans age 12 and older report using prescription drugs for non-medical purposes.
Environmental Pollution: Studies have found antibiotics, anticonvulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones in American waterways. Researchers have found that even extremely diluted concentrations of drugs harm fish, frogs and other aquatic species.
Medication Safety: Proper disposal will keep the drugs from being used again in the future by you or someone else.
Safety for Children and Pets: Proper disposal will decrease the chances of children and pets getting a hold of medications from drawers, cabinets and garbage receptacles (accidental poisonings).
At our July 15th kickoff event, we collected over 140 pounds of prescription drugs and the response to the program has been very positive. Thanks to all of our sponsors, Home Instead Senior Care, Mercy Home Care & Hospice, Genisys Credit Union, Smith's Disposal and Recycling, Meijer, and Costco for your participation. Also, thanks to all of Oakland County's Community Coalitions who were in attendance as well as the Oakland County Health Division's Office of Substance Abuse Services, whose participation and partnership will help make this program a success and make our community safer.
Getting to School Safely - Is your child's route to school safe? Sheriff Michael Bouchard talks about what parents can do to ensure their child has a safe route to and from school. (podcast)
Protecting Your Child Against Internet Crimes - Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard talks about internet safety and how to protect your children against online predators. (podcast)
Help Keep Young Drivers Safe - Sheriff Michael Bouchard talks about the STOPPED Program and how parents can get involved in this parental notification program to promote safe driving. (podcast)
STOPPED Program(Sheriff Telling Our Parents and Promoting Educated Drivers) - Register your young driver's vehicle here! Protect your loved one and the community by joining STOPPED today. STOPPED is a voluntary parental notification system developed to reduce the number of young drivers who are injured or killed in motor vehicle crashes each year.
Spotlight ON: The RESULTS Program - The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is now providing professional and courteous drug and alcohol testing and the most accurate and reliable test results to our clients, agents, courts, and the general public. Parents, referring agents, and court-ordered clients are all eligible for quick, accurate, convenient RESULTS!
You can help solve serious crimes. If you have information about a crime you want to share anonymously, call Crime Stoppers of Southeast Michigan at 1-800-SPEAK UP.
Oakland County Sheriff's Office CRIME TIPLINE is another way you can share information to help solve crimes. If you have information about any crime in Oakland County, please call 1-888-TURN-1-IN OR 1-888-887-6146.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is proud to be one of only fifteen recipients from across the nation to be honored with the Department of Defense's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve's Freedom Award.
Senior Safety - Listen as Sheriff Bouchard talks about ways you can protect yourself and your loved ones from becoming a scam victim. (podcast) Protecting Yourself from Law Enforcement Impersonators- Sheriff Bouchard is warning citizens to beware of con artists trying to pose as a law enforcement official to gain access to personal information and property.
Oakland County Sheriff's Office Emergency Handbook-If you haven't already done so, please take a moment to sit down with your family and create your plan. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office has available an Emergency Handbook (PDF file size 596k) which will help you in becoming more informed and more prepared. Included are guidelines which will assist you in making your plan, and also local resources you may access in the event of an emergency.
STOPPED Program
