PLYMOUTH, Mich. — Reporting a crime to the Plymouth Police Department starts a process that can take a case from a detective’s desk to a courtroom. Paths differ and many never reach a trial, but the department lays out the usual steps.
Investigation: The assigned detective keeps working the investigation until it is resolved, either because a suspect is identified and prosecuted or because every workable lead has run out. Detectives take charge of any misdemeanor or felony that goes to a prosecutor.
Warrant request: When the detective believes a crime happened and knows who did it, the detective asks the prosecutor’s office to approve an arrest warrant. Here, the request goes to the Wayne County prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor decides whether to charge the person and with what.
Warrant and arraignment: The detective then takes the request before a district court judge. At a short hearing, the court must find probable cause before it issues the warrant. After an arrest, the defendant is arraigned in district court, where the person hears the charges and is told of their constitutional rights, bond is set and a date is scheduled for a preliminary exam.
The court: Charges from the city go to the 35th District Court in Plymouth, which also serves Canton, Plymouth Township and Northville city and township. Michigan has 107 district courts in all.
The department: City police have 16 sworn officers and two civilian staff members, with detective, records and crime prevention units. Calls are handled by a dispatch center run by Plymouth Township.
Section: More Plymouth MI crime news
Filed under: Plymouth MI Crime News
