Edited and summarized by the
Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Live reporting byNathaniel Eichenhorn
The board flexed its charter-mandated oversight of the Detroit Police Department by denying promotions for officers with records they found “alarming,” requesting body cam footage of the Sherman Butler incident, and authorizing a subpoena for a file on an open case.
@DetDocumenters They lost a quorum because a board member left, prompting Chairperson Woods to describe them as "derelict in their duty" not sure what the story is, but I'll try to find out. In the meantime, they're going to hear public comment
@DetDocumenters They took roll and Woods, Bell, Dewaelsche, Moore and Pressley were present and Bernard is expected presently. They approved the minutes and agenda at once
@DetDocumenters Chief White also reported, as has become sadly regular for these reports, that a dead body was found with an ostensibly fatal wound to the head.
@DetDocumenters Comm'r Pressley brought up continuing reports of officers, particularly detectives, failing to keep in regular contact, and even failing to return multiple phone calls to citizens involved in cases.
@DetDocumenters Chief White says the Department is working on this issue and asked the board to help developing strategies to improve the situation. White: "it's not working" regarding DPD returning phone calls
@DetDocumenters Comm'r Burton asked why it took so long for DPD to respond to the recent mass shooting over the Independence Day weekend. White directly contradicted that assertion and said that it is not true that the Department took a long time.
@DetDocumenters Comm'r Smith asked White for an update on the Na'Ziyah Harris. Chief White said an announcement would be made soon, and strongly implied a tragic outcome.
@DetDocumenters The board was going to bundle all the appointments into one vote, but Pressley has asked that those who are being promoted to sergeant be voted on separately
@DetDocumenters Chief White brought another name for promotion and made very clear he was doing so due to the collective bargaining agreement with the police union, and not because he thinks it's a good idea. He said he has very serious concerns.
@DetDocumenters The vote was as follows: Woods no Bernard abstains Bell yes Hernandez no Dewaelsche no Smith no Burton no Moore no Pressley no The motion having failed, the matter will likely go to arbitration
@DetDocumenters Some more recommendations were approved, and two were taken out. The vote for all except those two was: Woods yes Bernard yes Bell yes Hernandez yes DeWalt yes Smith yes Burton abstain Moore abstain Pressley yes
@DetDocumenters White is obviously trying to avoid saying anything explicit about the candidates he did NOT recommend. He is hinting at things however; for example pointing out that an officers conduct at home is as important as his conduct on duty, and other such legally opaque observations
@DetDocumenters Both officers that were removed from the list received no motion, and so they automatically fail and will also go to arbitration under the collective bargaining agreement.
@DetDocumenters You may ask "if a police chief that has no power to deny bad officers' promotions is forced by the police union to present these promotions before a Commission that can do no more than briefly delay those promotions?"
@DetDocumenters The next caller asked the Commission to release the body cam footage from the officers involved in the killing on Sherman Butler detroitnews.com/story/news/loc…
@DetDocumenters The next caller made an identical demand of the Board, namely, that a Commissioner should move to release the footage, and another commissioner should second it
@DetDocumenters The same caller thanked the Board for voting no on an officer's promotion, and said that the DPD keeps hiring suburban officers who have no investment in the community
@DetDocumenters The board is concerned that the DPD has not categorized the killing as an officer-involved shooting in order to exploit a loophole and not release the footage in a timely manner
@DetDocumenters Burton is holding up the vote on the raises, asking for comprehensive evaluations of each employee's performance. The promotions passed without a roll call.
@DetDocumenters Two separate board members have heard reports of DPD officers harassing people stopped at gas stations and hassling them about guns, specifically CCW holders. DPD Deputy chief said she hasn't heard anything about it
@DetDocumenters Bernard made a motion to authorize a subpoena for the file of an open case. Woods responded that such a motion was premature. Bernard went in to comment on the case, and Woods shut her down
@DetDocumenters Well folks, this closes my coverage of the Detroit BOPC meeting for August 15th. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings at documenters.org
@DetDocumenters If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line
The board flexed its charter-mandated oversight of the Detroit Police Department by denying promotions for officers with records they found “alarming,” requesting bodycam footage of the Sherman Butler incident, and authorizing a subpoena for a file on an open case.
The Board of Police Commissioners has supervisory control and oversight of the Police Department, including plenary authority over citizen complaints and the power to appoint fact finders, subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony, and require the production of evidence. The Board also appoints a civilian as Director of Police Personnel and approves all promotions made by the Chief. The 11 member board is comprised of 7 elected members from each city council district and 4 members appointed by the Mayor. https://detroitmi.gov/government/boards/board-police-commissioners