Keweenaw, Baraga sheriffs attend conference

All new sheriffs participated in a conference downstate, including the top cops in Keweenaw and Baraga Counties. The gathering was hosted by the Michigan Sheriff’s Association, with Curt Pennala and Joe Brogan in attendance. Pennala says it was very informative and got him thinking about some issues that weren’t initially on his radar.

The Keweenaw County jail is a 72-hour lockup facility that has to transfer inmates to nearby prisons after that. There used to be a contract with Houghton County to guarantee access to a specified number of cells, but overcrowding there led both parties to move to a new arrangement. Instead, Keweenaw County makes a phone call to Houghton first, then Baraga if needed, to house someone.

Pennala says budgeting and learning how to use the office to spotlight issues affecting the community were also covered.