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 details logged by law enforcement dispatchers from April 29 – May 5. WTIP asked for further information on a number of calls.

A caller reported a burglary at 11 p.m. on May 3 in Grand Marais. The party said a person was in their home. Deputies responded and the person in the home was gone on arrival.

The Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting drug plants in front of SuperAmerica on April 30. It was determined that the plants were not drugs.

Law Enforcement received a traffic complaint call at 7:20 a.m. on May 1. A motorist was cited for school bus stop arm violation.
An “unknown trouble” call in Grand Marais on April 29 was a call from a parent needing advice for a child with anger issues.

There were two calls of vehicles in the ditch on April 29, first Arthur Havlina-Madsen, of Minneapolis, who pulled over too far at 5:58 p.m. Law Enforcement dispatchers contacted a tow for him. A second call came in at 6:33 p.m. after Ronald Davis of Grand Portage pulled over too far as well and slid into the ditch. A tow truck was called.

On May 4, there was another report of a vehicle in the ditch. Dustin Soukup of Fairbault, Minnesota was stuck in the Devil Track campground.

There was a report of harassment on East Highway 61. The Sheriff’s Office determined it was a former employee harassing an owner and that it was nothing criminal.

A report of a personal injury accident came in on May 4. A party had been rear-ended the day before and was at the hospital for treatment.

There were two car/deer accidents, one on East Highway 61 and one on West Highway 61 on May 4.

On May 4, a party called from Devil Track Road in Grand Marais reporting a camper at the Seaplane dock. A deputy spoke with the owner.

A party called in a traffic complaint on May 4 of kids driving at Artist’s Point in Grand Marais. The vehicle was gone on arrival.

There was a disturbance call from the Ski Hill Road at 12:42 a.m. on May 5. It turned out to be an intoxicated person in a wrong room. The party was helped to the correct room.

The public was assisted in a variety of ways, with a disabled vehicle on West Highway 61 at 9:48 p.m. on April 29; with a report of outdoor lighting “strobing” on the Gunflint Trail on April 30; and with advice regarding an Order for Protection on May 5.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office assisted other agencies throughout the week—with two phone calls for the Minnesota State Patrol on April 29 and by stopping a vehicle for State Patrol on West Highway 61 on April 30. The sheriff’s office answered calls from School District 166 about student behavior. The sheriff’s office also referred a matter to Grand Portage Human Services.

The Sheriff’s Office referred a death notification to St. Louis County.

There were two hazard calls about trees in the roadway on East Highway 61 at 2:05 p.m. and West Highway 61 at 3:58 p.m. on April 29. There was another tree in the road on County Road 60 on May 2. That tree was referred to the Cook County Highway Department.

A call reporting a chimney fire on Tofte Park Road came in at 5:18 p.m. on May 1. Law Enforcement dispatchers advised parties to leave the house and paged the Tofte Fire Department and First Responders. The parties waited outside. The fire department arrived to find the woodstove and 12-foot chimney hot, but no flames. The house doors were opened and the smoke alarm stopped. Responders left the scene at 5:45 p.m.

A party asked the Sheriff’s Office to check the welfare of a neighbor in Schroeder. A deputy responded and the person was fine. There was another check welfare call for a party in Grand Marais on May 3. The deputy found that there was a mental health issue.

There was another check welfare on East Highway 61 on May 5. There was a vehicle with its lights on. The owner was notified.

A party reported a fraud phone call on April 29 and there was a report of a Publisher’s Clearinghouse scam on April 30. Also on April 30, a caller from Grand Marais reported that scammers had gained access to a computer. There was no monetary loss.
There was another phone scam in Grand Portage on May 3. There was no loss.

This week’s law enforcement call included numerous calls involving animals, wild and tame, starting with a call reporting a missing dog on the Arrowhead Trail on April 29. Other loose dog calls came in from West Highway 61 on April 30; on County Road 7 on May 1; again on County Road 7 on May 2; on West Highway 61 on May 3 and on North Broadway in Grand Marais on May 5.

On May 5, a party called law enforcement to report a dog inside a vehicle on Ski Hill Road. The owner arrived while the caller was there.

A call reporting a dead deer in the lake on South Broadway in Grand Marais also came in on May 5.

A loose peacock was reported on West Highway 61 at 9:16 a.m. on April 30; again on May 3, May 4 and May 5. The owner of Grand Marais Putt n’ Pets was contacted as he has a peacock at the mini-golf course.

There was a call of a lost dog on Brandon Lane in Grand Marais on May 2.

A caller reported a sick raccoon at their residence on Evergreen Road. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources was called.

There was a report of an injured deer on West Highway 61 on April 30 and another on May 5. Both calls was referred to Minnesota State Patrol.

There was a report of a calf outside a fence on County Road 7 on May 3. The owner was notified.

 A party dropped off some food at the Law Enforcement Center on April 29.

The Sheriff’s Office visited the school to present “911 for Kids” to students on April 30.

There was a miscellaneous fire call on May 1 which was a monthly pager test.

A party called law enforcement to report a possible vehicle following caller. The Sheriff’s Office was unable to locate the vehicle.

A “drug incident” on May 1 was the emptying of the drug take back container in the lobby.

On May 1, a trespass letter was delivered to a party in Grand Marais.

A call came in on May 2 about a lost trailer ramp on East Highway 61.

On May 5, a party turned in a set of keys to the Law Enforcement Center at 3:46. A party reported lost keys at 5:09 p.m. It was the same set of keys.

The sheriff’s office reported suspicious activity at the Cook County Community Center on May 5. A vehicle was parked there with three juveniles.

During this time period, 13 burn permits were issued and 12 crank or misdialed 9-1-1 calls were received. There were seven medical calls. There were 13 traffic stops with reprimands or warnings; six with citations.

Anyone needing emergency assistance should call 9-1-1. For non-emergency questions, contact the Cook County Sheriff's Office at 218-387-3030.