News Photo by Reagan Voetberg Alpena County Deputy Mitch Noble stands next to the row of flags and blue pinwheels at Mich-e-ke-wis Park, commemorating Child Abuse Prevention Month.

ALPENA — If you’ve been around town at all this April, you’ll have seen the flags and pinwheels lining Mich-e-ke-wis and Washington Avenue Park, and the banner hanging from the District Court stairs, all proclaiming April as Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month.

According to data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count Data Center, in 2024, there were 11.4 cases per 1,000 people of confirmed victims of abuse and/or neglect of children ages birth to 17 in Michigan. In Alpena County, there were 18.5 cases per 1,000 people.

Of the four counties covered by The News, Montmorency had the highest rate of confirmed victims of abuse/neglect in 2024 at 20.4 per 1,000 people. Alcona was the lowest at 15.7 per 1,000, and Presque Isle had 16.2 cases per 1,000 people.

Alpena County Sheriff Erik Smith commented on the importance of reporting suspected child abuse situations, even by those who are not mandatory reporters.

“We investigate every complaint that would come through,” Smith said. “If you suspect child abuse, you can go on to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services website, and you can make a referral. There is a way to stay anonymous with that. You can always call central dispatch, also.”

“We owe it to our community and our children to make reports,” Smith said.

The Alpena County Sheriff’s Office has placed bumper stickers of blue ribbons on their vehicles to also bring awareness to child abuse prevention.

Educators and school staff members are also tasked with keeping children safe from abuse.

Alcona Community Schools Superintendent Dan O’Connor said that all staff at schools are mandatory reporters. If a student tells a staff member that they are experiencing abuse or neglect at home, that must be reported to the proper officials.

“Our staff is legally obligated to make sure that they communicate that to stakeholders,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor said that staff, including non-educators such as bus drivers and custodians, are in tune with what’s going on with students.

“They are here to try to be able to help the kids,” he said.

“There’s no better example than that, probably, than our CLAW Academy… and the small classroom set up… they know those students so well and their relationships are so strong that they are able to react and support those students, no matter where they’re coming from or what’s happening,” O’Connor continued.

According to the CLAW Academy website, the academy is an alternative program designed for 11th and 12th grade students who have not been successful in a traditional school environment or are looking for another option to fit their life circumstances. CLAW Academy students have full schedules just like face-to-face students. The bulk of students’ classes are online classes; however, opportunities to earn credit are also available through work-based learning and Career and Technical Education.

CLAW Academy students graduate with their peers at Alcona Community High School and can participate in the same sports and clubs.

Teachers have mandatory training before the start of each school year that reminds them of their responsibilities in regards to noticing potential signs of abuse or neglect.

“It’s a lot of responsibility, and I think everybody who goes into education, whether again, no matter what their role, they understand that, and we reinforce it and are trying to keep an eye out for it,” O’Connor said.

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