News Photo by Reagan Voetberg From left to right, Assistant Director Michelle Styma, Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) program coordinator Jana Shupert, Executive Director Valerie Williams, and Community Response Manager Adrianna Gumtow discuss programs and advocacy efforts at Hope Shores Alliance on Thursday.

ALPENA — In the wake of Alpena County’s high drug and rape crime rates, Hope Shores Alliance and the Huron Undercover Narcotics Team (HUNT) hope to support victims and prosecute offenders.

According to the most recent stats from the Michigan Incident Crime Reporting and the Michigan State Police, Alpena County’s rape crime rate in 2023 was 12 crimes per 10,000 people, whereas the statewide rate was 5.6 crimes per 10,000.

The drug crime rate in Alpena County was 52 crimes per 10,000 people in 2023. The statewide rate was 25 crimes per 10,000. These rates come from crimes including violation of controlled substances and narcotics equipment violations

“That is one thing I would say is a huge issue here and everywhere, is the drug problem we have and the varying crimes that are associated with it,” said MSP Alpena Post Commander Anthony Utt.

Utt stated that other crimes people are arrested for, such as larceny and murder, are often related to drugs. It’s not just drug-specific crimes that account for the drug crisis.

HUNT, the team working to combat illegal drug trafficking and illegal drug use in Northeast Michigan, is comprised of officers from the MSP as well as officers from local police departments in Alpena, Alcona, Montmorency, and Presque Isle counties, according to their website. Since the team’s founding in 1990, they have arrested over 3,800 criminals and removed over $10 million worth of illegal drugs from the streets.

Each year, HUNT releases a report detailing the data from their investigations. Their most recent report from 2023 shows similar numbers to the 2022 report with 87 arrests and approximately $54,000 worth of drugs. In 2022, HUNT reported 81 arrests and just over $53,000 worth of drugs.

Most arrests were made in Alpena County and the city of Alpena, at 77% of total arrests.

One program offered by the MSP to help those struggling with substance abuse is the Angel program. Anyone can walk into the Alpena Post’s office and request enrollment, said Utt.

The Angel program is a nationally renowned program that provides a path to treatment and rehabilitation for people struggling with substance abuse, according to MSP’s website. Rather than facing incarceration, individuals can apply for this program and receive the help they need.

Hope Shores Alliance provides support and shelter for those experiencing domestic and/or sexual violence in Northeast Michigan. In 2023, they served 610 domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking survivors, according to their annual report. Out of that 610, 173 were reported sexual assault survivors.

Hope Shores Alliance provides services like counseling and support groups, emergency shelter, long-term shelter, and a 24-hour help and support line. They have 35 active staff members, ranging from counselors and shelter staff to advocates and program coordinators, Valerie Williams, executive director, said.

Williams clarified that the data from the Michigan Incident Crime Reporting does not include all cases of sexual assault and rape. Only a third of cases come to the attention of law enforcement, she said.

Reasons for the discrepancy in data reported by law enforcement and actual cases can range from fears of victim blaming to past negative experiences with law enforcement, said Adrianna Gumtow, community response manager.

Williams explained that while Hope Shores Alliance has a great partnership with local law enforcement, the gap between reported cases and actual cases exists everywhere.

“I think survivors are the only people who can speak to why they are not reporting,” she said.

Hope Shores Alliance supports all survivors, regardless of whether they have reported to the police or not. Reporting to law enforcement and using the justice system is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to the well-being and safety of a survivor, Williams said.

Williams said that the number of sexual assaults reported to them has increased every year, but whether that increase comes from more sexual assaults, the effectiveness of Hope Shores Alliance’s advocacy, or a combination of both, is difficult to say.

Hope Shores Alliance has come a long way from their start in 1978 when it first operated out of a church basement, Williams said. It began as a team of women answering phone calls and providing shelter for survivors by having them stay in a trusted person’s home.

Now, Hope Shores Alliance is beginning to implement its Sexual Assault Forensic Exam program, where they will be able to provide survivors with a 24/7 on-call Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner team, according to a Jan. 15 press release.

The project will also build a partnership with MyMichigan Medical Center in Alpena to establish a service suite where survivors can access forensic medical exams, advocacy, and other critical services in a centralized location.

For more information about HUNT, the Angel program, or Hope Shores Alliance, visit the website links below.

∫ huntteam.net

∫ michigan.gov/msp/divisions/grantscommunityservices/angel

∫ hopeshores.org/

Call 1-800-396-9129 to access Hope Shores Alliance’s 24/7 support line.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.