State Police Response to False Statements in Anti-BAYANET Advertisement

Statement by D/F/Lt. Jeffery C. Anthony, Michigan State Police, BAYANET Section Commander December 6, 2011

BAYANET is a multijurisdictional task force serving Bay, Saginaw, Midland, Clare, Isabella and Gladwin counties that conducts covert investigations. While BAYANET specializes in narcotics enforcement, the task force investigates a multitude of serious crimes including homicides, armed robberies, home invasions, sexual assaults and fugitive apprehension.

BAYANET does not target medical marijuana users. Investigations focus on mid and upper-level distributors of controlled substances, including individuals who conduct a criminal enterprise under the guise of a legitimate business.

Contrary to the information in the advertisement, Bay County does not provide any financial support to BAYANET. In fact, through federal Byrne JAG funding, BAYANET provides partial wage and benefit packages to employees of Bay County. Specifically, the Bay County Sheriff’s Department budget is augmented by $41,345 to offset the costs for a deputy assigned to BAYANET, and an additional $18,922 goes to the Bay County Prosecutor’s Office budget to assist in the costs of a prosecutor position. In short, BAYANET provides a total of $60,267 to assist the Bay County budget. If Bay County did not participate with BAYANET, that $60,267 would be the responsibility of Bay County taxpayers.

In regards to other participating counties, none of them provide financial support to BAYANET either. Like Bay County, several police agencies provide personnel to BAYANET in exchange for partial wage and fringe benefit reimbursement, including Midland County who voted unanimously on November 1, 2011, to continue participation with BAYANET by providing a Midland County deputy to the team. In return, $44,904 is reimbursed to Midland County through BAYANET’s Byrne JAG funding to offset wage and benefit costs.

The advertisement also states that Gladwin and Saginaw counties “stopped funding” BAYANET, but once again this is inaccurate, as those counties do not provide any financial support to BAYANET. Further, these counties continue to hold a seat on the BAYANET Board.

As commander of BAYANET, I am pleased to represent the brave women and men who put themselves in danger to work undercover in these communities to keep us all safe. I could not be more proud of their professional conduct and dedication.