Police remind citizens: ‘If you see something, say something’

NEGAUNEE — Michigan State Police are reminding Michigan residents about the critical role they play in keeping the state safe.

Troopers are encouraging citizens to report suspicious activity to help keep their neighborhoods, schools, and work places safe. Police say indicators of suspicious activity can include – among other things – unattended objects that appear out of place, especially in crowded or public areas, or individuals behaving strangely.

For non-emergency situations, you can report suspicious activity to the Michigan Intelligence Operations Center by phone at 1-888-MICH-TIP or online. In an emergency, you should dial 9-1-1.

State Police list the following as possible indicators of suspicious activity:

  • An unattended object or one that appears out of place, especially in crowded or public areas.
  • Individuals exhibiting strange or abnormal behavior.
  • A strong odor coming from a building or vehicle.
  • Someone entering or exiting blocked or unauthorized areas.
  • Individuals who quickly leave when seen or approached.
  • Someone tampering or interfering with surveillance cameras.
  • An overloaded vehicle or one that seems out of place.
  • Someone taking photos, videos or drawings of high-profile or highly populated buildings or structures.
  • Exposed wiring or other abnormalities.

Citizens are also reminded to be aware of the seven signs of terrorism, which are surveillance, elicitation, tests of security, acquiring supplies, suspicious persons out of place, dry run/trial run, and deploying assets. The video below, provided by the Michigan State Police, further explains these signs.