A look at the Law Enforcement Log, Feb. 25 – Mar. 9

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office shared a brief report of calls made to the Cook County Law Enforcement Center from February 25 – March 9, 2020. WTIP requested more information on a number of the incidents logged by law enforcement dispatchers.

February 25
8:07 a.m. – A party called to report hitting a deer the night before and wanted to report damage to her 2019 Chevy Silverado.
9:11 a.m. –Grand Portage Human Service requested assistance for a party who has been having people entering his house and taking food, toilet paper and other items. The sheriff’s office told the parties that they are not to visit the residence. Human Services will write a trespass letter for the party.
11:03 a.m. – A party called to let law enforcement dispatchers know they were going to test to see if their Alexa device will call 911. The party called back and said it did not work.

February 26
3:52 p.m. – A party called to request a deer possession permit on West Highway 61.
4:21 p.m. – A party called to report a man driving with children not in car seats.
4:41 p.m. – A party reported that a juvenile wearing a puffy blue coat had broken into a vehicle in Grand Marais. The party caught up with the youth and was able to get the items back. The party did not want to file charges.
8:36 p.m. – A juvenile was supposed to go home and wanted to stay with cousins. A deputy found the juvenile and dropped the minor off with her grandmother.
9:07 p.m. – A party reported that a 14-year-old had run off and gave some suggestions on where the youth could be. A deputy located the juvenile with another young person. The deputy dropped one youth off at a grandmother’s house and took the other home.

February 27
6:57 a.m. – A female in a gray GMC Yukon went into the ditch and hit a mailbox on Country Road 60 in Grand Marais. The road was slippery. The vehicle was pulled out, there was minor damage to the mailbox. Owner was contacted and said there was no permanent damage; he was able to knock out the dents.
9:33 a.m. – A party wanted to speak with a deputy about someone that may cause problems for their family due to court matters.
10:51 p.m. – A party reported that an unknown person hijacked his account in a Facebook pool game application. Party is concerned they may hijack his Facebook account, and gain access to his financial information. Party advised to contact Facebook and financial assistance.

February 28
9:00 a.m. – The sheriff’s office assisted with a Public Health and Human Services home visit in Grand Marais.
11:30 a.m. – A party found a license plate at the clinic and left it at the front desk. The registered owner of the plate was contacted.
1:34 p.m. – A party called from Grand Portage reported a possibly abandoned snowmobile, an orange Arctic Cat.
4:48 p.m. – Cook County Public Services called for help with a client. The client did not want to talk to a deputy, but will reach out to the sheriff’s office if they want to talk later.
4:54 p.m. – A party called to report a dead deer in the northbound lane of Highway 61 near mile marker 66, causing a hazard. Cook County referred the call to Lake County and the Minnesota State Patrol.

February 29
12:14 p.m. – A party in Tofte said people are trespassing on a trail they put in for their own use. Cook County advised the party on the requirements for posting of “no trespassing” signs.
5:40 p.m. – A party called to report a car stuck in the snow on Firebox Road. Cook County contacted the vehicle owner. They will be going in with a loose track vehicle tomorrow to get the car out.
5:57 p.m. – There was a call reporting a vehicle in the ditch between mile marker 144 and the Canadian border. No medical help is needed, but a tow is needed. Cook County shared the information with the Minnesota State Patrol.

March 1
8:51 – A party on Cascade Beach Road called to report a drone pausing in the front window of the cabin they are staying in. The drone left and did not return.
11:39 a.m. – A caller asked for sheriff’s office assistance in locating a possibly missing 37-year-old male. person. The caller said the party was ill during a recent trip to the North Shore and is now not answering his phone. Cook County contacted and visited Grand Marais and Silver Bay hotels. Cook County contacted U.S. Customs and they had no information on the man. The reporting party called back at 7:45 a.m. on March 2 stating that a text had been received from the missing person.
11:54 a.m. – A motorist from Ontario hit a deer on West Highway 61. There were no injuries, and the vehicle was drivable. The dead deer was moved off of the road.
2:50 p.m. There was a hit and run accident.
3:08 p.m. A party called to report a silver-blue Ford SUV parked on the side of the road, south of Cascade State Park. It seemed to be unoccupied. The reporting party said it is an odd place to park.
3:19 p.m. – Cook County provided information to the U.S. Forest Service on a dump truck with old tabs.
4:22 p.m. – A party reported a scam call allegedly from DIRECTV. They asked for a credit card number so she hung up.

March 3
8:18 a.m. – A Grand Marais business reported that a Grand Marais man had written three checks, totally approximately $900 that were returned by the bank.
10:46 a.m. – There was a report of a disabled vehicle on Highway 61. Assistance in getting a tow was requested. North Coast Towing will respond and will be there in ten minutes.
12:08 p.m. – A driver backed into another vehicle in the Gene’s Foods parking lot. Small damage to a rear fender was reported. Parties exchange insurance information but wanted it on record.
5:07 p.m. – A green 4-door Fiat went down the unplowed Murmur Creek Road and got stuck in snow. Assistance was requested. There were two adults in the vehicle and they are able to stay warm until a tow truck responds. Cook County Towing responded. Cook County dispatch checked back at 7:20 p.m. Cook County Towing was still working to get the vehicle pulled out. The towing company called to let the sheriff’s office know the vehicle was out at 9:09 p.m.
5:40 p.m. A woman called to request a welfare check for her son with mental health issues who might be in Cook County. The sheriff’s office checked local campgrounds and Lutsen Resort, where he had stayed in the past, but could not locate the man. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office was given the information. The woman called back at 7 p.m. to say her son’s car had been located in Hennepin County, where someone had seen him.

March 4
7:21 a.m. – A party reported a yellow lab at the east doors of the Cook County courthouse, just sitting there and shaking. Cook County located the owner who will come pick up the dog. Cedar was reunited with the owner.
11:55 a.m. – A monthly countywide emergency pager test was completed.
12:48 p.m. – A party contacted the sheriff’s office to report a sexual assault that occurred several months ago. A time and place to talk to a deputy was arranged. The matter is under investigation.
2:11 p.m. – Cook County Public Health & Human Services requested assistance on gaining access to a property for possible removal of a child from a home. Based on the evidence provided, the child was not removed from the home. There will be follow up.
2:40 p.m. – A party in Grand Marais said an ex-girlfriend in Ely has been sending threatening text messages to his family.
6:50 p.m. – A party on east Highway 61 called for his neighbor to report a black truck with the lights out sitting at his address for the past 45 minutes. The truck is running with the lights on. No one should be there at this time. Cook County located the truck owner who was visiting someone in the area. They did not realize they left the truck running. Cook County informed the reporting party and they said they are okay with the truck being there.

March 5
3:42 a.m. – The sheriff’s office received a report of a 2002 blue Ford Escape in the ditch on County Road 7. No damage to the vehicle, but it is partially blocking the road so a tow is needed. Cook County called the registered owner, who said he swerved to miss a small animal and the road was slicker than he thought. Cook County Towing will respond.
8:29 a.m. – There was a report of a 2009 Saturn Vue on fire in a parking lot on Ski Hill Road. No one is inside. Three fire extinguishers were used with no luck putting the fire out. Lutsen Fire Department, Lutsen First Responders, and North Shore Health ambulance were paged. The Fire Department responded and at 8:59 p.m. reported the fire was out. The fire department remained on the scene to monitor until 9:20 a.m.
12:11 p.m. – A party in Grand Marais wanted to report that their neighbor has been singing and screaming at the top of his lungs the last few nights. The sheriff’s office asked the party to call when the party is causing a disturbance so a deputy can respond.
3:53 p.m. – Cook County assisted with the transport of a juvenile to Omegon Residential Treatment Center in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
4:43 p.m. – A party in Grand Marais requested a welfare check for her mother in Silver Bay. Cook County transferred the party to Lake County for assistance.
5:24 p.m. – A deputy moved a 10-12 foot 2×4 board from the middle of the road near the tennis courts in Grand Marais to the shoulder of the road as it would not fit in the squad car. It looks as though it fell off of a truck.
6:08 p.m. – A party in Grand Marais reports that it is really slippery. They did a quick stop and then had trouble getting started again. The sheriff’s office contacted the Cook County Highway Department who said that the wind keeps blowing everything they lay down there.
9:03 p.m. – A big, black dog with a white chest and white, right paw is loose in Grand Marais. He has a collar on, but the phone number on it is disconnected. The dog was placed in the pound and Animal Advocates was contacted. Cook County tried contacting known Bernese Mountain dog owners in town and all dogs were accounted for. The owner learned that her dog had been found. It is a Pyrenees Newfoundland. Her husband will come to claim the dog.
11:28 p.m. – A caller reported that a possibly intoxicated person had just left a location in Grand Marais, possibly toward Silver Bay. A deputy drove from Tofte to Grand Marais and did not encounter any vehicles similar to the suspect vehicle.

March 6
7:13 a.m. – A deer with a broken leg was reported on the highway by Grand Marais Pharmacy. Deputies could not locate the deer.
7:54 a.m. – A party in Grand Marais has a delivery coming by semi and asked if the sheriff’s office had someone that could be in the area to help slow down traffic. Deputy was informed, but may not be available at that time.
8:07 a.m. – A county employee reported that County Road 7 is glare ice.
8:41 a.m. – Several callers reported two deer injured on Highway 61 near Tofte, needing to be dispatched. On deputy’s arrival, one deer was dead; the other was dispatched.
9:52 a.m. – A call came in from Sag Lake Trail of a 60-year-old male possibly having a cardiac episode. He collapsed in the Sag Lake Corridor, about four miles southeast of Camper Island. Gunflint First Responders and Search and Rescue headed to the scene via snowmobile. At 10 a.m., a call came in that the incident may not be a cardiac event. Responders continued with a 7-foot Otter sled behind the snowmobile and reached Camper Island at 10:10 a.m. Emergency responders had the patient out to the Gunflint Ambulance at 10:30 a.m. The patient was alert and conscious.
12:43 p.m. – A party on West Highway 61 reported receiving a nonsufficient check for $44.00. The individual’s bank accounts have been closed. They are not able to collect the funds. The sheriff’s office will email documents for worthless checks.
2:04 p.m. – Deputies changed and tested the battery in a Project Live Saver bracelet for an individual in Grand Marais.
2:20 p.m. – A party in Grand Marais said her neighbor yelled at her in the parking lot about 45 minutes ago. She had to calm down before calling. The party thought she had complained about his dog.
3:00 p.m. – A party called from the Gunflint Trail, saying his brother is running away from his mom. The party was from Barron County, Wisconsin, so Cook County offered to give him contact number for that police department. The party declined.
3:33 p.m. – A party in Schroeder reported a small, white, Chihuahua mix running into the woods near Sugarloaf Cove. The reporting party couldn’t catch it.
10:44 p.m. – A party called with concerns about a 14-year-old at a Grand Portage residence where there was alcohol and no adults. A deputy located the youth at 11:59 p.m., walking back to the reporting party’s house.

March 7
12:24 a.m. – A party asked for help locating his wife, who was driving from Ely to Grand Marais in a black Ford Ranger, pulling a dog sled trailer. Party was heading to Dog Days on the Gunflint Trail. Calls are going directly to her voice mail. Deputies checked back roads, area hotels, parking areas, etc. At 3:26 a.m., they located her vehicle parked on Hungry Jack Road. Party said the hotel she was going to stay at had sled dogs already and they were being loud, so she moved to be considerate of other guests. She tried texting her husband, but lost service. Cook County will relay that information to her husband.
12:11 p.m. – A party reported that a gray Saturn sedan, half-covered in snow, has been parked on a Grand Marais street for several days. The sheriff’s office contacted the registered owner who said he had sold the car 6-8 months ago. He had asked the party to transfer the title, but he hadn’t gotten around to it. It appears to be broken down. The sheriff’s office noted that the party had a suspended driver’s license.
1:08 p.m. – A party in Tofte reported snowmobiles trespassing on their property. Party has posted signs and they were ripped own. The party reports three sleds, a combination of red, white and black colors with all riders dressed in black suits and helmets. They were arrogant and showing off. Party just wanted it on record.
1:44 p.m. – A party called requesting a tow for a Jeep stuck a road near Grand Stable Overlook. Unaware of that location, Cook County requested that the party call back on 911 to get a better location. The party called back to apologize, they were trying to reach law enforcement in Grand Marais, Michigan.
1:52 p.m. – There was a call of a missing 92-year-old female on North Pike Lake Road. The female’s husband dozed off and the women went outside and cannot be found. She is in good health physically and strong enough to walk a ways, but has dementia. This is not the first time she wandered off. Last summer she was found on a dead-end road west of their house, but that road is not plowed. A neighbor joined the search and found her on the dead-end road, which has been plowed. Both parties were back at the residence at 4:19 p.m. A deputy spoke with the husband about the Project Lifesaver program. They will look into it.
6:05 p.m. – A small black and white dog, possibly a pit bull mix was seen running loose in the library area in Grand Marais. Party is worried it will get hit. Deputy caught the dog and took it to the pound. The owner called to see if anyone had found her dog. She paid the fee and was reunited with the dog.
7:06 p.m. – A party said they were driving north and almost hit a black and white dog by the State Park. Party was unable to catch the dog.
9:51 p.m. – A party on the Ski Hill Road in Lutsen called to report an intoxicated person refusing to leave Papa Charlie’s.
10:05 p.m. – A party called from a residence east of Grand Marais reporting either shots fired or fireworks for the second night. The sound is in rapid-fire, like a semi-automatic weapon.
11:35 p.m. – A party at Papa Charlie’s reported another intoxicated party who threw up twice. He was kicked out but snuck back in. Deputies responded and the party was told not to go back to Papa Charlies for the night or he will be arrested.

March 8
3:09 a.m. – A wallet was found in the alley behind Gunflint Tavern. The sheriff’s office contacted the owner and he will come to pick it up.
7:43 a.m. – A deputy got out to dispatch a deer on east Highway 61, but the deer took off.
9:24 a.m. – A party reported that a silver Chevy Volt was plugged into a city power outlet across from the Trading Post. A deputy checked with Bluewater Café and the owner was not there, but was told the vehicle had been there since early morning. The deputy left a card on the vehicle dash advising the owner to call the sheriff’s office. The party called back and was told they need to get permission before using electricity for his vehicle.
9:38 a.m. – Cook County received a request to be on the lookout for a possibly suicidal 44-year-old female in a gray/silver 2007 Mazda. Her destination was unknown, but her husband said she shared photos of what looked like Palisade Head. Lake County contacted Cook County at 10:15 a.m. to report that the woman had been found.
9:47 a.m. – A party east of Grand Marais reported the sound of shots again. A deputy responded but was unable to find anyone shooting.

March 9
8:01 a.m. – A little white dog, about 10-15 pounds, was seen running on the Gunflint Trail. The caller will try to catch him. Deputy went through the area, but saw no sign of the dog.

Miscellaneous other calls
During this time period, Cook County Sheriff’s Office deputies had 43 traffic stops, resulting in one warning, 33 reprimands and nine citations. There were 55 business or residence checks.
Deputies also participated in Operation Stonegarden, a joint sheriff’s office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection patrol effort.
There were 17 medical calls and 12 crank or misdialed 911 calls. The Sheriff’s Office issued six burn permits and one permit to acquire a firearm.

If you need to contact the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, call 218-387-3040. For emergencies, dial 9-1-1.

WTIP Staff March 16, 2020