Board of Police Commissioners
Detroit Board of Police Commissioners
Criminal Justice
Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024
3:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m. EDT
1301 Third Street South Detroit, MI 48226 (Directions)
Suite 767
Join meeting on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81981390642
Check the source website for additional information
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Note-taking by
Linh Truong
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy urged the public and some commissioners to be patient for the release of bodycam footage in active investigations. She said releasing the footage prematurely can poison the jury pool and interfere with a fair and just trial.
Live reporting by
Meghan Rutigliano
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy urged the public and some commissioners to be patient for the release of bodycam footage in active investigations. She said releasing the footage prematurely can poison the jury pool and interfere with a fair and just trial.
MotorCityMegs
@MotorCityMegs8
Happy Halloween, Detroit🎃👻🎃! I’ll be live-tweeting the Board of Police Commissioners at 3:00PM on behalf of #DETdocumenters. @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @metrotimes @michigan_public @media_outlier @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
01:48 PM Oct 31, 2024 CDT
The public is invited to attend in person, via Zoom or via phone. The in person meeting is taking place in person at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters 1301 Third St., Detroit, Michigan 48226 Skylar Herbert Room.
For Zoom and phone instructions and to view the agenda, visit detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm…
detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm…
There will be time allotted for public comment. Please use the following link to sign up for public comments: (Limit Comments to Two Minutes) app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d26fa38…
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IMPORTANT: If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line.
At last week’s meeting, they talked about kicking off the national search for a new Police Chief. Let’s see if we get an update about that.
I'm chilling in the Zoom Room. Also reminds me that the meeting is also viewable on Channel 21.
Meeting called to order at 3:00pm on the dot. No quorum. Quorum is going to be reached shortly says Chairman Woods.
Secretary: Weekly OCI Report Filed with Board Members Announcements: Next BOPC meeting at 3pm next Thursday (I'll share that again later), Next Community Meeting 11/14 @ 6:30pm at Butzel Community Center. Quorum is reached!
Roll call: Woods, Bernard, Banks, Bell, Burton, Dewaelsche, Smith are present. Invocation Motion to accept meeting minutes carries.
Female elected official speaking. Sorry I didn't catch her name. Public Integrity Unit which steps in when Police Officers are shot or killed or when Police Officers shoot and kill others. 43 cities in Wayne County. She's sharing about investigations and the processes involved.
She's talking about her role as a Prosecutor. Says it's not helpful to criticize the work that they're doing on high profile cases. They think what they've seen in media and want decisions made quickly and prove cases beyond a reasonable doubt. Dr. Hoover case, for example.
She's saying that the cases that get all the attention are the ones where white people are killed or mutilated. Wants the public to respect the time it takes to get to their decision and to take action. She understands impatience but please honor the process.
Has exonerated or given new trials to 35 different men. All of the African American except for one. She is from Wayne County Prosecutors unit. She is not a proponent of releasing evidence before a trial. She's discouraging calls for body cam footage release.
She's saying it's not helpful when people in positions of authority call upon her and her office to release body cam footage. Believes in second chances. Wants to make sure that people have full and fair opportunity to get their lives in order before a criminal conviction.
She's saying that making the right decision takes time. Prosecutors represent the people of Michigan. Have a responsibility towards each defendant. Make sure that due process and justice are carried out.
Kim Worthy is the speaker. She is the prosecutor of Wayne County.
Bernard asking about release of body cam footage. Worthy saying other cities APAs Association of Prosecutor Attorneys. She's interested in hearing from other cities.
Bernard is talking about Chicago releasing body cam footage within 30 days. Chief White is saying that he made a policy decision outside involving officer shootings. White: I will no longer release body cam footage in officer INVOLVED body cam footage within 45 days.
Worthy is saying Bailiff Case 36th district court is one who did the shooting allegedly. It was not on DPD to release body cam footage. Bernard: If an officers body cam captures a crime, footage should be of interest to community and to court. She's asking what the point is.
Worthy says she believes in privacy rights of officers. There are certain things that are NOT relevant to cases.
Worthy says there are usually a lot of cameras and material (body cam, ring cam, jail calls, surveillance cams). Trial prosecutor has to go through everything, exhaustively. Technology is a good thing, she says.
Worthy: We don't need other peoples opinions. "We have to stand tall and make sure that justice is done." Chairman Woods thanking her for her many years of courageous work. Smith: Thank you, Madame Prosecutor.
They're now talking about the Bailiff in 36th District Court. Worthy says they are nearing a decision. Urges the BOPC not to base opinions on what is portrayed in the media.
Malice Green being brought up. Police Officers are not above the law. She did the case without video, relied on witnesses who were not afraid to come forward. Worthy says she wishes they had the tech tools then that are available now. "Have we really come that far from there?"
They have switched topics completely. OCI investigators salaries. Drew Fries is speaking.
Looking at FY 2025-2026. They are building the budget for next year.
Going into this year, Fries is working with Nazarko to make sure they receive budget on their timeline at Mayors office.
Bernard: What is yours (Fries') projection of what's going to happen to cashflow/hiring processes etc.?
Fries: When we look at budget of 5 years, it's been underfunded. Last year was increased by 21%. That got them back to whole. Less funds available. Give priority of what's most important, ask for the necessary funds, any leftover funds, use them in fiscal year.
Bernard is saying they should actively pursue federal and state grants.
Woods says they'll work with chair of citizen complaint team to update on where they are with the backlog of cases.
Kids hurt by firearms. Rouge Park monument was defaced. Community outraged by the disrespect. Made an arrest where person confessed.
Correction: It was stolen. White House came to audit the DPD's budget. Halloween in the D is happening! detroitmi.gov/departments/de…
detroitmi.gov/departments/de…
Here's more about statue from Outlier's media partner, WXYZ: wxyz.com/news/600-pound…
wxyz.com/news/600-pound…
Here's more of the backstory about what Worthy's comments might have been contextualized within: Detroit police Chief James White denies ‘Special treatment’ in Jameson Williams incident. freep.com/story/news/loc…
freep.com/story/news/loc…
Burton asking about another officer involved shooting: When will that video be made available and the 911 calls? Hayes: within the 30 day timeframe committed to by the chief.
Public comment. Male speaker saying Woods should not have let Kim Worthy have a one-sided diatribe about the Prosecutors office. What about having a wrongfully convicted person also speaking to the board? Once again Woods is back talking to the speakers.
Same speaker: "This is a sick and corrupted system and you've got to get it right."
Tuskegee Airmen Spokesperson/Rep thanking them for their work. Presenting hats and commemorative items to Chief White.
Woods is calling someone out for being disruptive. Burton is telling him that is NOT disruptive to clap. I can't tell from the Zoom what's what. Burton is moving to remove Woods as chair. Burton is calling him a distrupter.
That motion did not carry. LOL. My little Live tweeting cliff hanger. ;)
Woods is saying he's "baffled" by the comments being made by the public.
End of public comments. Human Resource Bureau Report: Staffing filled at 90%.
Says they've come a long way on filling vacancies. Asks the BOPC to help promote the open roles. Bernard: Have you done a salary comparison between Detroit versus other cities in Wayne county?
Written examination, only less than half passed. Why is it so difficult?
Dewaelsche: What are we doing to recruit from Detroit schools into the department? HR: We go to High School events and any invites we're given we take. We heavily recruit inside and outside of Detroit. Dewaelsche: We need to be in front of recruiting and approaching orgs.
Woods is asking about a SUSPENSION WITHOUT PAY that's lasted since 2020. HR can't answer. She'll get back to them with an answer.
Dewaelsche is reporting out from Budget Committee: Asking BOPC to share their feedback and give ideas to build the budget. They will reconvene on Friday next week. Submit input by Thursday 11/7. She's totally rocking it and (IMO) will help get this group working together!
Bernard: How can people who have 1-2 cases make as much as someone handling 200+ cases? How can we get rid of the number 593 in backlog of cases? A: We will get through it. The officers are in training who can help us.
A: We are closing 45-60 cases/month. Some new investigators are doing a great job on cases. Can't be gimmicky on closing cases. Have to follow SOPs. They ARE making their way through at a "good clip." Average case size per officer is 110 or less.
OH MAN. Woods says they will report out to City Council and city about the fine job being done by OCI.
Meeting adjourned at 5:14pm. The next meeting will be held Thursday, November 7, 2024 @ 3:00 p.m.
This concludes my coverage of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners Meeting for Detroit Documenters.
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Agency Information
Detroit Board of Police Commissioners
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
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