Twenty-five alleged deadbeat parents found themselves cuffed and booked in Macomb County last week, following a five-day dragnet by the sheriff's office aimed at those dodging child support payments, officials say. The operation, running from April 8 to 12, was designed to corner parents who either failed to comply with payment orders or skipped out on mandatory court appearances, rounding up individuals responsible for a collective $1.27 million in unpaid support, as Macomb Daily reported.
Describing the child support enforcement as a persistent issue in the county, Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham affirmed the crackdown's necessity, stating "The goal of these sweeps is simple – make life better for children by getting them the money they need to grow up healthy and happy," as obtained by CBS Detroit. The sweep involved attempts to contact 146 parents in total over the course of the five days with the investigative efforts spearheaded by the Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau, a move heralded by Thomas Blohm, the director of the Friend of the Court who, while preferring resolution without incarceration underscored the necessity of the Sheriff's intervention for those avoiding their fiscal parental responsibilities.
Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido, highlighted in October 2023 that around 7,500 individuals in the county faced at least $5,000 backlog each, totaling up to a staggering $37 million in unpaid child support, according to CBS Detroit. This sweep managed to resolve 60 warrants and is part of an increased push by Lucido to address the chronic issue of child support evasion.
The law enforcement figures expressed their preference for voluntary compliance, but made it clear they're not averse to tightening the cuffs on delinquents who turn a blind eye, Blohm communicated the interest in peaceful resolutions but asserted that "if an individual chooses to not come to us, the Sheriff’s Department will go to them," as told to WWJ Newsradio. The ongoing efforts signal a continued commitment by Macomb County's law enforcement and judicial entities to ensure children's welfare is not compromised by parental neglect.
