GLADWIN COUNTY Sergeant and Detective Steve Townsend of the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Department was recent recipient of Shelterhouse’s 2023 Healing the Hurt Award. The annual award is given to a community leader who impacts survivors of domestic and sexual violence, someone that has undertaken innovative practices to improve the response to domestic and sexual violence, helped prevent violence in the community, provides compassion and care to survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, and has made a significant impact improving safety for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse.
On October 4, 2023, the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to an accident involving a vehicle that had hit a tree. When the Sheriff’s Department arrived, it was discovered that the vehicle was empty. The vehicle was reported stolen by the owner.
Deputies from the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Department investigated a shooting on October 21 around 12:45 a.m., at a private residence located in Grout Township. When they arrived, deputies located a 53-year-old, male, suspect, Terry Lee Verhelle, waiting in front of the home.
GLADWIN COUNTY In mid June of 2023, Deputies from the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Department and an investigator from the Michigan Lottery began investigating reports of lottery tickets which may have been tampered with at Sukh 21 Liquor store, located in Buckeye Township. Deputies recovered multiple lottery tickets that were tampered with and found that several were missing from inventory.
GLADWIN COUNTY Evan Bussell, a Deputy at the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Department discussed what the Public Safety Millage means to him as a Deputy, and what the most important part of the funding might be from a citizens perspective. Deputy Bussell explained that a lack of funding has put a strain on the Sheriff’s Department.