LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has asked the Diocese of Lansing and its six counterparts across the state to stop self-policing.

And she told Michigan residents not to rely on the church to handle any allegations of sexual misconduct.

"If an investigator comes to your door and asks to speak with you, please ask to see their badge and not their rosary," Nessel said during a Thursday morning press conference. "Victims may believe that they cannot or should not report abuse to us because the church is going to handle it. That's simply not true."

Anyone can report abuse to the attorney general's office online or by calling an investigation hotline at 844-324-3374. Reports can be made anonymously.

More than 300 tips received

The office has received more than 300 tips of clergy abuse through that hotline, Nessel said.

And she encouraged people to continue sending in tips as her office continues reviewing hundreds of thousands of documents seized from dioceses during an October raid of the state's seven dioceses.

That includes clergy files from the Diocese of Lansing.

Nessel said Thursday that it may take as long as two years to wrap up the investigation because of how many files there are — and how many victims there likely are.

Bishop Earl Boyea said in September that the diocese would name priests with credible child sexual abuse allegations following a review from an external agency.

In October, the attorney general's office served a search warrant for the Lansing diocese's offices and took possession of all its clergy files.

That put the diocese's own review on hold, Boyea said in November.

And Nessel asked that those internal reviews remain on hold until her office wraps up its investigation.

Diocese of Lansing spokesman Michael Diebold said the diocese will cooperate with the request and with the ongoing investigation.

Diebold said the diocese does still plan to eventually conduct its own review once Nessel's investigation wraps up.

He said that's the case "regardless of the time frame."

In a statement released after Nessel's press conference, the diocese said its general counsel, who was recently hired following seven years with the attorney general's office, "promptly reports alleged crimes to the Attorney General and local prosecutors" when people report to the diocese rather than to legal authorities.

The Archdiocese of Detroit also weighed in, saying it too encourages victims to report abuse directly to law enforcement.

As Nessel's office continues investigating, it will tell each diocese when there's a priest with credible allegations of sexual abuse against them. Nessel implored bishops to act when that happens.

Diocese of Lansing has taken action

The Diocese of Lansing diocese has taken action when people have come forward about abuse.

Boyea's office removed duties from or accepted resignations of five priests in 2018, according to news releases:

Rev. Mathew Joseph, a priest of the Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in India who served one month as parochial vicar for St. John the Evangelist Parish in Fenton — Boyea removed him from the position and Rev. Joseph returned to India following several complaints that included a credible allegation of sexual harassment of an adult female

Rev. Mark Inglot, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church and St. John Student Center, East Lansing — Placed on administrative leave after claims of sexual harassment from a co-worker, submitted his resignation in October in order to continue with therapy and was moved to senior priest status in February

Rev. Patrick Egan, senior priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster in London who was living in Washtenaw County — Boyea removed priestly duties in September due to a credible allegation of inappropriate sexual behavior with an adult male

Rev. Robert Gerl, senior priest of the Diocese of Lansing — Boyea removed priestly faculties following a credible allegation of a sexual assault of an adult male that occurred decades ago

Rev. Joseph Aubin, senior priest of the Diocese of Lansing — Boyea revoked priestly permissions due to a credible allegation of inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature involving a minor from decades ago

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Contact reporter Megan Banta at (517) 377-1261 or mbanta@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @MeganBanta_1.