BERRIEN COUNTY — The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department was awarded by the Assisted Patrol June 5, during an Innovation Contest.

The contest called for law enforcement officers to create ideas for new investigative techniques, which cannot be revealed to the public. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department submitted two entries for review.

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department was awarded first place and third place for its submissions. The department’s first place award was $750 to donate to a law enforcement charity organization. The award for winning third place was a $100 donation to a law enforcement charity organization.

Berrien County Sheriff L. Paul Bailey and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Administration chose MI-COPS (Michigan Concerns of Police Survivors), a 501(C)(3) charitable organization as the recipient of the $850 prize.

MI-COPS provides resources to assist in rebuilding the lives of surviving families and co-workers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. MI-COPS also provides training to law enforcement agencies on survivor victimization issues and educates the public of the need to support the law enforcement profession and its survivors.