A look at the Law Enforcement Log

Each week the Cook County Sheriff’s Office provides a brief report of calls made to the Cook County Law Enforcement Center in the past week. This week’s report provides information logged by law enforcement dispatchers from Tuesday, February 5 to Sunday, February 10.

WTIP Community Radio asked for more details on a number of calls, such a report of an explosion in Tofte on February 6. The Sheriff’s Office explains it was an issue with an air handling unit at Bluefin Bay Resort. There were no injuries.

There was a call reporting suspicious activity on February 5 which turned out to be a maintenance person in the Border Patrol building.

There was a call of an unwanted person at a residence in Grand Portage. The person left peacefully and there were no charges.
There was a “check welfare” call for a person with mental health issues. The matter was referred to Cook County Public Health and Human Services.

Deputies assisted with traffic control at an accident on Highway 61 on February 6 and responded to a vehicle in the ditch on 5th Avenue West in Grand Marais on February 7. The vehicle was gone on arrival.

There were two calls for vehicles in the ditch on February 8. The first one hit a pole on West 5th Street in Grand Marais. The vehicle was gone when the deputy arrived. The second slid into the ditch on Kelly’s Hill Road. The vehicle needed a tow.

A caller near Cascade River on Highway 61 reported a swerving vehicle on February 8.

Sheriff deputies checked on a broken down semi. A caller reported a car parked on County Road 7 in Grand Marais that had been plowed around several times.

There were a few items lost and found: a wallet lost at the Gunflint Tavern, a set of keys somewhere on the Gunflint Trail, and a debit card. The debit card owner was located.

Cook County deputies were asked to check on a dog tied up outside at a residence in Grand Marais. The dog was gone when the caller checked again. There was another report of a loose dog on February 8.

Another animal call was a report of a car-killed wolf on Highway 61 on February 9.

Law enforcement handled a number of “public assist” calls ranging from a party needing to contact someone in another county to someone needing to contact someone in Kansas. Another caller needed a phone number for a furnace repair person.

A domestic disturbance call was received from Grand Portage on February 7. It was a case of two juveniles arguing. There were no charges.
 
Heavy snow led to several calls on February 8 on Wahlstrom Road, County Road 60 and Creechville Road. Vehicles parked there were possible hazards to plows. Deputies spoke with owners.

On February 9, a vehicle stuck in the ditch on County Road 7 requested a tow. Later that day, deputies assisted with pulling a U.S. Forest Service vehicle out of the snow. On February 10, deputies responded to a report of a possible drunk driver. The party was not found when the deputy arrived in the area.

There was a call reporting trouble with a juvenile who left home. The party was found at a relative’s home and was going to stay there.

Deputies responded to a disturbance on Ski Hill Road in Lutsen for a loud party in a room. The deputy spoke to tenants and they said they will quiet down.

On February 10, law enforcement dispatchers fielded a complaint about the fog horn in the harbor.

Deputies assisted with a snowmobile traffic stop on February 10 and also responded to a call from a snowmobiler running out of gas.

Cook County assisted the U.S. Forest Service by providing license plate and driver’s license information.

The log included 11 medical calls. There were 10 traffic stops that resulted in warnings and one ticket was issued.

Law Enforcement Center dispatchers handled seven misdialed or crank 9-1-1 calls.

Deputies participated in Operation Stone Garden, assisting the U.S. Border Patrol on February 7 and 10.

This week’s law enforcement log also included over 35 business and residence checks. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Valerie Marasco explained that some of those checks are requested by property owners. Others are part of deputy foot patrols, during which deputies check for open doors. All of the checks are conducted randomly.