Humboldt Reaction to Crime Lab Move

A few months ago, several Marquette County communities were trying to have the State Police move the Marquette crime lab to them.

Word came out earlier this week that it’ll stay in the City of Marquette.

And the community whose efforts attracted the most visible, and highest-profile, public support is very disappointed.

The U.S. Navy used to have a submarine communication post in Humboldt Township.

Township officials and residents were trying hard to bring the crime lab there.

About 90 of them met with Governor Jennifer Granholm during a visit she made to Marquette in April.

One of them feels political pressure from State Representative Steve Lindberg and State Senator Mike Prusi helped sink that effort.

Township Supervisor Joe Derocha says in his view, the two’s efforts had a great deal to do with the decision to keep the lab in the city instead of moving it to the west end of Marquette County.

He even said that when he and the dozens of residents met with the governor, her response was, in his words, “Great! Where do I sign?”

The Marquette County Board also repeatedly endorsed Humboldt Township’s effort.

In spite of being passed over, Derocha says he’s still pleased the lab will stay open and stay in the U.P.

The township also isn’t giving up on plans to re-use the Extremely Low Frequency station, or ELF station for short.

Derocha says they’re looking into converting it into a multi-use emergency service center that area fire departments and EMT groups could use.

They would need to get clearance from FEMA.

But before that, the township has to obtain the land from the U.S. General Services Administration.

It’s that group’s job to dispose of military surplus property.