IRON MOUNTAIN — A citizen is criticizing Dickinson County’s decision in January to use opioid settlement funds to acquire a body scanner for its correctional center, while county officials maintain the purchase was appropriate.

Liz Murray of Iron Mountain claims the county could face legal trouble over its purchase, which she says is not an allowable use of settlement funds. While some counties in Michigan have also used opioid funds for this purpose, others have reached different conclusions.

Dickinson’s scanner, which can be used to screen inmates, has allowed the county to resume a work release program that was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 27 to approve Sheriff Aaron Rochon’s request to acquire a Tek84 Intercept whole body security scann

See Full Page