Board of Police Commissioners

Detroit Board of Police Commissioners

Criminal Justice

Thursday, March 2, 2023
3:00 p.m. EST

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team

Note-taking by Mi'Joy Reed-Nash

$105K offer for chief investigator rescinded; BOPC avoids openly discussing the IG's seizure of OCI’s citizen complaint files.

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Live reporting by Alex Klaus

$105K offer for chief investigator rescinded; BOPC avoids openly discussing the IG's seizure of OCI’s citizen complaint files.

Alex @mostlikelyalex

Good afternoon! Today at 3 pm, I’ll be live-tweeting today's Board of Police Commissioners meeting for #DETdocumenters. @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @media_outlier @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit

01:52 PM Mar 2, 2023 CST

Alex @mostlikelyalex 2/56

Agenda: detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm…
Documenters Coverage: detroit.documenters.org/assignments/bo…
BOPC Meeting Documents: detroitmi.gov/events/board-p… https://t.co/2K4gLOAxo3

Alex @mostlikelyalex 3/56

According to the agenda, today’s meeting will include two recommendations from Chief White for an executive appointment to the ranks of Commander and Captain and a recommendation to promote to the ranks of Lieutenant and Sergeant.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 4/56

The website says the meeting topic is “Office of Chief Investigator & Policy Presentation (Public Hearing)” but I don’t see this reflected in the agenda.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 5/56

Last week’s coverage by @CivicDetroitDan twitter.com/civicdetroitda…

Alex @mostlikelyalex 6/56

A quick summary of the last two BOPC meetings from the @DetDocumenters Newsletter: mailchi.mp/outliermedia/w… https://t.co/rpsl4pZMT4

Alex @mostlikelyalex 7/56

Chair Brian Ferguson called the meeting to order at 3:01.

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Currently introducing all the commissioners. Just went through invocation.

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Commissioner Willie Bell and Ricardo Moore asked for an excused absence. Moore is on zoom.

Commissioners Burton and Carter are currently absent.

There is a quorum.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 10/56

Chair Ferguson wants to change this week’s agenda, he says it doesn’t show they will be having a committee report from a committee chairperson.

He suggests they add it after line item 5

All in favor, no oppositions.

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Commissioner Hernandez is talking about Victoria Shaw, who was recently recommended as the candidate for Board Secretary. He says they sent her a job offer with a $115,000 salary, and Shaw accepted the offer.

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He says they provided Warfield, recommended Chief Investigator, an offer letter. After “further negotiation and thoughtful consideration,” Hernandez recommends they “walk away from this process as it relates to candidate Warfield”
6 yes votes, motion passed

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Hernandez made a motion to recind their previous motion that asked them to provide an offer letter with a salary of $105,000

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I didn’t hear any explanation as to why he want’s to rescind the offer.

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Additional motion to refer this matter back to the Personnel Training Committee to provide a new recommendation to the board by Thursday, March 16, 2023.
The motion passed.

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Commissioner Burton entered at 3:12

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Chair Ferguson is apologizing about an “outburst” amongst the commissioners last week.

“We are professionals and thats how we should act.”

Alex @mostlikelyalex 18/56

Now Chief White is giving his crime report.

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Feb 27th Daily response crime report: detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm… https://t.co/PnE2aK6wfn

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Feb 28th Daily response crime report: detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm… https://t.co/Hc8jsNqKyM

Alex @mostlikelyalex 21/56

Weekly crime stats: detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm… https://t.co/uzq0TxPk3p

Alex @mostlikelyalex 22/56

Mental health calls for service: detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm… https://t.co/qmGtjK3TgI

Alex @mostlikelyalex 23/56

Shotspotter report: detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm… https://t.co/Ek1Hb5BVye

Alex @mostlikelyalex 24/56

Weekly facial recognition report: detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm… https://t.co/J7xa05WZQL

Alex @mostlikelyalex 25/56

Commissioner Hernandez is asking if Chief White will be releasing an updated version of his “five point plan” that he released last spring. White says they’re going to add some resources but they aren’t going to change the plan.

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He also says the numbers (crime stats?) are not as strong as they were when they released the plan.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 27/56

The “five point plan” is outlined in a 244 page report called the “Community Safety Strategy.” It talks about what strategies they’re implementing in each precinct. detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm…

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Commissioner Pressley is asking about nonlethal equipment the department received and is asking if there’s policy development around the new equipment.

Chief White says they will make policy recommendations and currently, only a small number of officers have them at the moment

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He says the mental health team has access to the non lethal weapons.

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Chief White says these are not a replacement for lethal force but only a non-lethal option “when it applies.”

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Chief White is thanking the board for approving their budget increase. He says this money will go to improvements in the 7th and 9th precinct, officer raises, uniforms, and anticipated overtime, to give a few examples.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 32/56

We’re moving into officer promotions.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 33/56

My twitter won’t post my tweets following this. Saved to my draft but when I try to post it says I already posted it which isn’t true. Not the first time this has happened. Here are screenshots. https://t.co/PJ9Nre7DrY

Alex @mostlikelyalex 34/56

A commenter’s purse was stolen. She says the suspect was caught and she hasn’t gotten her money back yet. Someone said they would take her contact information to find a solution.

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Bob Carmack is asking the board to investigate an alleged false charge against him.

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A woman who worked at the OCI for 10 years, she says the workload became insurmountable, and the work environment was no longer a present place to work. She says they were not offered overtime.

She also says the employees did not create the backlog in citizens complaint cases.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 37/56

I didn’t completely catch what this next commenter said, but she is looking for an answer to her question. Bernard tried to answer her, Ferguson has been trying to remove her from the podium since her 2 minutes ran out.

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President of the Detroit Police Citizen Academy Alumni association is telling the board when they meet (every second Wednesday).

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Next commenter is asking the department to pay more attention to drag racing and running red lights.

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Next commenter doesn’t understand the issue with the OCI. She also says the department needs to fix the backlog.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 41/56

Former Commissioner William Davis is talking about an event which signed people up for the affordability connectivity program and were also giving out free laptops. He wishes an officer could’ve been there to help sign people up.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 42/56

Next commenter is concerned about ATVs and safety.

Commissioner Burton is pointing out that she is a community organizer for disability rights. He wants to know what area she’s referring to where she’s having problems.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 43/56

Burton is also suggesting they extend the comment time for people with speech impediments. He says he has been trying to advocate for this for quite a while. I’ve heard him trying to suggest this while documenting BOPC meetings in the past.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 44/56

Next commenter is saying the new mental health crisis center being built looks like a jail.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 45/56

Next commenter is talking about a case with Mayor Duggan involving taking out loans, I think this is the case he’s referring to (he gave the case number) courts.michigan.gov/c/courts/coa/c…

Alex @mostlikelyalex 46/56

Minister Blount says that Warfield walked away from the OCI job and says he isn’t surprised due to the corruption of the board.

Mentions that last week, the inspector seized thousands or BOPC records related to complaint files.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 47/56

So I’m wondering if it was Warfield who walked away from the offer. I’m still unclear on why he’s no longer becoming the Chief Investigator.

Alex @mostlikelyalex 48/56

Public comment is over. Onto announcing the next meeting and giving other announcements.

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Vice Chair Holt is promoting an event that teaches people how to behave when they encounter law enforcement.

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Commissioner Banks asked about the OCI backlog and Chair Ferguson said he couldn’t answer because he says all the records have been taken.

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Commissioner Burton wants to make a motion for the board to accept the offer that Warfield accepted. He arrived after the board voted to rescind the offer.

The parliamentarian says this can’t be brought up during this meeting because there was already a motion to rescind.

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Burton says the committee did not come together to decide to rescind. The parliamentarian says the committee could not vote for this, only the board.

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Ferguson said the whole board voted for this.
Burton, in response, said “this is preposterous”

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Then immediately after, Chair Ferguson adjourned the meeting at 5:07.

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If you find anything inaccurate, please email documenters@outliermedia.org with the subject “Correction Request”

Alex @mostlikelyalex 56/56

For more coverage, visit detroit.documenters.org !

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Attachments

Transcript and recording

By Noah Kincade 3/2/2023

Agency Information

Detroit Board of Police Commissioners

www.detroitmi.gov

(313) 596-1830

bopc@detroitmi.gov

See Documenters reporting

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