WATERVLIET FIREFIGHTERS… had another training opportunity thanks to the continued partnership with Orchard Hill Landfill. Saturday morning, the fire department used this structure on Dan Smith Road for search and rescue training as well as conducting vertical ventilation exercises as shown here on the roof. Chief Dan Jones said that all went well and the firefighters were provided with real world training and experience in a controlled actual residential set-ting. Jones expressed his appreciation to Orchard Hill Land-fill for this and other training opportunities made possible by the use of their properties prior to demolition. (TCR photo by Annette Christie)

Police Reports

By Annette Christie

Schools and police work to keep students safe

Social media was all a buzz on Monday as reports spilled out of multiple police cars at and around Watervliet High School.  Turns out the increased police activity was an exercise in public safety.

Watervliet Police Chief Tim Sutherland said that an active shooter surprise lock down drill was held to test the staff and student response.

As long as they were there, the Berrien County Sheriff’s K-9 unit and the New Buffalo City K-9 unit teamed up to perform locker and vehicle searches at the middle and the high school.  Sutherland said he likes to have this done a couple of times throughout the school year.

“All went well and no narcotics were found,” Chief Sutherland said.

Tip leads to arrest of wanted man

Coloma Township police officers received credible information that a wanted subject would be traveling in a vehicle along Red Arrow Highway. At approximately 9:30 p.m., officers observed the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.  The suspect, a 26-year-old Benton Harbor man was taken into custody on outstanding warrants without incident.  The suspect was lodged in the Berrien County Jail.

Traffic violation leads to arrest

Coloma Township police officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a loud exhaust on Friday Road near Ryno Road in Coloma Township on March 3, 2017.

After making contact with the occupants, the driver, a 37-year-old Coloma woman was arrested for driving while license suspended, 2nd offense.

The passenger, a 26-year-old Coloma man was arrested on an outstanding felony warrant out of Kalamazoo County.  Both suspects were lodged at the Berrien County Jail without incident.

Suspended license doesn’t keep driver from driving

On March 4, 2017 at approximately 10:32 a.m., a Coloma Township police officer stopped a vehicle on Paw Paw Lake Road near Johnson Road because he knew the driver to have a suspended license.

After stopping the vehicle, the driver, a 31-year-old Coloma woman, was issued a misdemeanor appearance citation for driving while the license was suspended.  The woman was released.