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Kent County deputies brief Cascade Charter Township on crime trends and hotel licensing
Summary
Deputies Omar Dieppa and Kate Chase Oppoff told the Cascade Charter Township board that the East Precinct handled about 7,300 calls for service in the past year, with hotels accounting for roughly 6–7% of those calls; deputies described crime trends, a 39% clearance metric for cases with identified suspects, and progress on a new hotel licensing program.
Deputy Kate Chase Oppoff and Deputy Omar Dieppa of the Kent County Sheriff’s Office gave the Cascade Charter Township board an update on public-safety activity and the township’s hotel-licensing effort, saying about 7,300 calls for service came from the township in the past year.
"About 7,300 calls for service," Deputy Kate Chase Oppoff said, explaining the figure includes broadcasts, medical and fire calls, and proactive policing activity rather than only criminal complaints. Deputies said proactive work accounts for about 36% of those calls in some corridors and that 552 of the calls were tied to hotels along the 28th Street corridor.
Why it matters: the 28th Street corridor contains dense retail and several hotels that deputies said generate disproportionate service demands. The deputies told the board that retail fraud is the single largest criminal complaint category, followed by assaults (including domestic incidents) and proactive warrant apprehensions during stops.
Deputy Omar Dieppa described case outcomes and investigative limitations. "Of all of the crimes this past year ... our agency was able to clear 39," he said, explaining that clearance here means identifying a suspect and securing criminal charges. He noted many property and fraud cases are difficult to solve when suspects are not local or when surveillance is limited.
The deputies outlined the East Precinct staffing model, which pools dedicated funding from Ada Township, Grand Rapids Township and Cascade to provide community policing officers who rotate among the three townships while district vehicles offer supplemental patrols. Deputies said the model raises visible patrols beyond the county baseline.
On hotels and licensing, deputies and Manager Smith said Cascade has issued one hotel license so far and has completed inspections; larger hotels with more amenities generally require more corrective work to meet safety and site-plan requirements. Manager Smith told the board the township is working toward compliance rather than immediate punishment: applications had an initial deadline to apply and the township issues compliance letters with due dates and reinspections; fines are available if reinspections fail.
Resident Ken Vandercock praised the added patrols and asked whether there is a firm deadline for hotels to hold licenses. Manager Smith replied that the township will continue working with hotel owners who show progress and that fines and enforcement remain an option if properties do not remedy identified violations.
The board also heard park- and community-related public comments asking for continued investment in park safety and for the township to consider alternatives to chemical herbicides for invasive-plant control. Manager Smith said the township is coordinating with MSU Extension and Kent Conservation Club on natural approaches where feasible.
What's next: deputies said they will continue targeted patrols, pursue video surveillance for problem sites such as Rec Park, and work with township staff on hotel inspections and compliance schedules. Manager Smith said the township expects the licensing ordinance may face legal challenge and therefore is proceeding cautiously to document inspections, timelines and corrective steps.
