CAUTION Program Comes to Alpena to Build Relationship Between MSP and Faith Groups

The Michigan State Police is creating a statewide program to encourage a better relationship between police and different faith groups. The program has made it’s way to our very own MSP Alpena Post.

It’s called the “CAUTION Program” which stands for Community Action United Team in our Neighborhood. Troopers will be helping different faith groups increase trust between law enforcement, faith leaders, and clergy’s to build up ways to work together when it comes to a crisis, support based need, or with detailed personal information.

“So with the CAUTION team we’re going to have a training that basically gives the clergy members and faith based organizations a little bit of guidance on what they’re expected to do. There’s going to be regular meetings where we will meet to talk about things. There’s going to be programs that we put in place that we have them in the public doing with us. We may ask them to respond to maybe a critical incident, or maybe a large incident where we need some extra people there to help with some of the discussions or with some of the people at the scene, and then we may also ask them to help with some programs for juveniles,” Simpson explained.

No one has signed up yet for the CAUTION program in the area, but Trooper Simpson said the goal is to spread the word to spark interest.

“With the CAUTION team starting here in Alpena at the Alpena State Post we are encouraging any member of the clergy or any faith based organization interested to please come forward, contact me at the MSP Post, and we will be holding the training in the future. There’s no commitment at this time, just if you’re interested we can pass along further information,” she said.

The program was founded back in 2012 by the Flint Post. CAUTION has currently has over 100 volunteers throughout the state of Michigan.