# Drummond Island - True or False...Lack of police and fire protection plus alot of out



## garryd451 (Jun 15, 2005)

I was thinking about buying or building a house on Drummond Island. But now I been told by a couple different people that live in detour there is a lot of break-in's, robberies, poaching, trespassing and destroying of property by ATV'S because there are is not a Drummond Island Police Department, No State Police on Drummond Island, No Conservation Officers on Diamond Island and a very small fire department with no Hydrants and no large tankers. Is any or all of this true?


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## bucko12pt (Dec 9, 2004)

garryd451 said:


> I was thinking about buying or building a house on Drummond Island. But now I been told by a couple different people that live in detour there is a lot of break-in's, robberies, poaching, trespassing and destroying of property by ATV'S because there are is not a Drummond Island Police Department, No State Police on Drummond Island, No Conservation Officers on Diamond Island and a very small fire department with no Hydrants and no large tankers. Is any or all of this true?


I have some friends that have a camp on Drummond and have never been broken into in over 30 years. I think there are problems like everwhere, but the locals look out for each other and non residents. 
Most non resident camp owners know a lot of the locals and have the locals watch their camps.

Personally, I think there may be less problems than on the mainland.

There is no fulltime LEO, or CO presence on the island.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

garryd451 said:


> ........... Is any or all of this true?


In a word, yes.

Drummond is a very rural area with rural amenities that growing numbers of people seem to find attractive in spite of the fact there are no hydrants. 

I doubt trespassing there is any different than anywhere else where there is a lot of the private land checker boarded with state holdings. Not sure where the info came from about break-ins and robberies. Being from the area, knowing a number of folks on the island, and having been on the island literally hundreds and hundreds of times over the years I seldom hear of break-ins. DI is a small place and everybody knows everybody (and their business!). If someone is causing problems the whole community finds out pretty quickly so all the authorities have to do is ask around a bit to find the guilty party. 

Come to think of it there was an issue with a rash of cabin break-ins several years ago on one side of the island. A local decided for whatever reason, to smash windows or doors and once inside would destroy various possessions and often trash the place. If memory serves me the perpetrator was taken care of, in bear season I believe. 

ATV cowboys were a real issue in the past but over the years it has been improving. The Island ORV Club and DI Tourist Association have been working hard with the DNR to keep "jeeps" and quads on the designated trails. IMO the local CO has been instrumental in curbing illegal activity and deserves a big "atta boy" for being so proactive. Tickets get issued to those freelancing off the trails and there are motel and resort owners who have "asked" renegades to leave and not come back.

Poaching? That happens too, I am sure, but bucks are still not as scarce on DI as they are in most of the rest of the EUP. 

DI has good hunting and fishing, plenty of public land to roam along with lots of ORV and snowmobile trails and it is legal to ride quads on the shoulder of the county roads. The people are generally friendly and willing to help their neighbors too. Bottom line: IMO the island is not a bad place to relax or retire if ballet and the theater are not your cup of tea. FM


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

I would bet that a lack of protection is not a problem only on Drummond Island, but anywhere in northern lower Michigan or the UP. There's no money in these areas to afford these things. 

Yes, the neighbors do try to look out for each other, but there's only so much a neighbor can do-mostly call the cops when they notice your door is swinging wide open...and usually it's way too late by the time that happens. 

So the best thing you can do is try to set up your property so this doesn't happen at all. 

Try not to buy very isolated property with easy access...try to have your driveway plowed often enough in the winter to make it look as if people are driving back and forth. Try to get someone to check your mailbox frequently and walk around the property once in a while, making it look occupied. Lots of us up here would love a $50 donation for doing so, don't expect us to be real diligent otherwise. We can't afford to be diligent, at least, most of us can't. We have to try to make a living.
Keep your curtains drawn and don't leave ANYTHING of value in the house or garage-TVs, computers, tools, ATVs, sleds, even firewood or oil in your oil tank. And make sure that anything you do leave that can be seen through the window is either too large to steal or of little value. 
Leave a light on a timer inside on all the time. Don't buy expensive locks and doors that will be expensive to replace when you do get broken into. 
And get there yourself as often as you can.


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