Board of Police Commissioners
Detroit Board of Police Commissioners
Criminal Justice
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024
3:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m. EDT
Remote
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
Laila Hamdan
During a presentation on the Detroit Police Department’s budget, commissioners questioned an increase in overtime payments from $37 million budgeted to roughly $60 million spent to date in FY 2024. The department’s CFO Nevrus Nezarko was unable to provide an answer.
Live reporting by
Colleen Cirocco
During a presentation on the Detroit Police Department’s budget, commissioners questioned an increase in overtime payments from $37 million budgeted to roughly $60 million spent to date in FY 2024. The department’s CFO Nevrus Nezarko was unable to provide an answer.
Colleen Cirocco
@colleencirocco
Hey Detroit! Today at 3:00 PM I’ll be live-tweeting the Board of Police Commissioners meeting for #DETdocumenters @DetDocumenters Media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @metrotimes @Michigan_public @media_outlier @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
10:57 AM Sep 5, 2024 CDT
You can join today's meeting either in person or online - for information on how to attend the meeting visit the event page on the BOPC's website: detroitmi.gov/events/board-p…
detroitmi.gov/events/board-p…
Get caught up with what happened at the last meeting with @MotorCityMegs8's twitter thread from 8/22/24 https://x.com/MotorCityMegs8/status/1826687347108512058
@MotorCityMegs8 The Board of Police Commissioners is the civilian oversight board of the Detroit Police Department, with 11 members. They meet at on Thursdays at 3pm, and once a month at 6pm for a community meeting. They receive reports, statistics, and public comments.
They have faced criticism of being overly supportive of DPD by spending time during meetings giving out awards and honors to officers.
I haven't covered a BOPC in a little while so there are some new voices I'll be getting used to (depending on the attendance). I work 9-5 so I can only usually attend after hours meetings, which most Detroit government agencies do not have.
The BOPC 6pm community meetings are usually pretty well attended by community members during public comment, this will be my first time covering one of the 3pm meetings.
3:00 PM - clicked the Zoom link, the meeting hasn't been started yet by the host.
In the meeting now, they have a quorum, and have voted to approve today's agenda and the minutes from the last meeting.
After introductions, moving on to the Chief of Police report (the chairperson didn't have a report)
Statistics: Robberies declined - 997 last year, 761 this year. 278 more calls for non violent mental health crises. 10 less calls for armed mental health crises. Significant events: Fatal shooting on 8/29 at 9pm - Evergreen. Gunshot wound. Officers unable to locate the suspect.
Stream just changed view to show the speaker, and now the sign language interpreter is visible.
Request from the Chair for the chief to slow down so the ASL interpreter can keep up (also me! this is going pretty fast). Fatal shooting, 2 victims of gunshot wounds. No more information.
Responding to an article in Bridge Detroit re: towing fees. The Police Department does not assess fees. The department may waive fees to individuals with economic hardship - this is a case by case basis. Individuals need to complete a form.
The Dept has not been given sufficient information to investigate the claims by the Bridge Detroit article per the chief.
Upcoming events: 9/7 - 5k walk at the DMC Heart Hospital, participants will receive an award and a t shirt. 9/7 - free gun lock event, free resources, bounce house for families, a barber.
Board member Ricardo Moore asks how to get the towing information to residents, what is the purpose of the purpose of the 45 day body cam policy?
Response - doesn't know why it's 45 days, says that some jurisdictions never release body cam footage in officer involved shootings. Moore - why can't we be more transparent, I wish we could expedite the process for the Sherman Lee Butler (sp). Folks think it's a cover up.
Response - Butler shooting was not officer involved shooting. Moore thinks it was an officer involved shooting, officers were on the scene, had used tasers. His next question is about the former homicide detective, in 2010 caused citizens to be falsely arrested. (metro times)
Response - this was over a decade ago, with staff turnover, it's DPD's policy and standard that the facts are brought out. We support the Innocence Project. We support the prosecutor's office in investigating these cases.
Commissioner Burton asks what steps DPD is taking in the case of a complaint - asks Warfield to respond as well. They aren't aware, need to look into this and get back to him. Won't talk about an ongoing investigation. No one seems to know about this one.
Commissioner Bernard says there should be a task force regarding an issue that she considers a major civil rights issue - about former detector, Barbara Simon. metrotimes.com/news/a-detroit…
metrotimes.com/news/a-detroit…
Chair asks if they have jurisdiction on a case from 10 years ago (as BOPC) "from a criminal perspective we would not have any jurisdiction." - Jerome Warfield needs to be handed to an agency that has better ability to handle it. Chair wants to clarify what they can and can't do.
"I don't want to be pretend that we have powers that we do not have." He shares sentiments of colleagues that someone that has that power needs to address them, we can send letter encouraging it. Bernard suggests forming task force to investigate.
Woods moves the conversation to the next section - Oral Communications
1. It is diabolical that a simple request can be denied by DPD - "just release the video." 45 day trick should not be accepted on any level. This is not a crime reporting board, this is about police officer misconduct. Look at the HR reports - which officers are suspended.
2. Please release the bodycam video. Other states do it. White woman kidnapped four Black children in her car after, was going to traffic them, she is going to be charged soon. Justice should be done for these kids.
3. Defines the meaning of justice, treating people fairly by the law and arbitrators of the law. Hold people accountable. Part of social justice is to self police. Calls out officer Morningstar for sexual misconduct, lying. Wants people held accountable.
4. Wayne State police officer assisted her. Advocate for officers to live where they serve.
5. (on zoom) Questions about policies, wants to know if charter is being followed. 1. Legal observers - when was this policy approved? 2. Policy about releasing bodycam footage in 45 days.
6. Criminal vs non criminal cases - charter gives BOPC ability to look into non criminal cases. Bernard was on point bringing up powers of what you can do, you can investigate situations. Maybe some collaborators are still working in the department, even if Barbara Simon is out.
7. DPD and BOPC should be tracking wrongful arrests in Detroit. Should be tracking lawsuits associated with wrongful arrests. This board can should be doing more than what it's been doing. Disappointed that they aren't pushing the envelope more.
8. Has issues with the Homicide department. How much contact Homicide should have with family members of the victims of homicide, asked the chief but got a 'politician's answer.'
Moore responds - the board voted from a 21 day reduction from the 45 day policy for bodycam footage release.
Over $32mil revenue brought in Q4 2024 Spent $126,551614 in Q4. City's fiscal year ends on 6/30. CFO believes these numbers represent a healthy and well run police department, did not go over budget.
More information on the 2024 revenue and expenses of DPD. They will be putting together next year's budget starting next month.
Moore wants to know about legal settlement dollars. CFO: DPD's budget doesn't allocate dollars for legal settlements, comes out of the general fund. Moore: asks if anyone has gotten their house or car payments paid through the city. CFO: Not through DPD funds
Bernard: Can you provide a report about how much of the litigation costs for the city of Detroit is allocable to DPD. Question about overtime - why has this amount doubled? Was it related to the draft? CFO: simple answer is no. Needs to forward the question on why it was spent.
CFO: Hard to calculate but $300-400k in expenses for the entire draft, but the city made millions.
Commissioner Burton - have any dollars went to any military grade equipment. CFO - not sure on definition of military grade equipment, in the budget, doesn't believe there was military equipment. Chief - asks for a list of what he is looking for specifically.
Commissioner Dewaelsche - asks about discrepancy in expected vs spent in benefits. CFO - needs to look into.
They discuss having more time next year to review the budget so they can go line by line and submit specific inquiries.
Chair suggests going after more grants and partnerships in the community moving forward, to bring in more staff to deal with the backlog.
Okay I guess no report from the secretary! Moving on to announcements. She is reading them from the agenda.
Policy Committee Memorandum: -Unmanned arial drones will be used for search and rescue, accident scenes, search and rescues. Need to discuss with the whole board. -Bomb disposal unit, digital radiography technology will enhance ability to investigate suspicious packages.
Policy Committee Memorandum cont - -Cameras will be used to investigate illegal dumping. Bernard expressed concern over number of cameras on the constant element of surveillance. Report will be deferred. Next meeting of policy committee will be 9/17
Commissioner Moore asks if the dept can provide a monthly update to them about the cameras. The board passes something, and then we never hear about it again, there needs to be checks and balances. Bernard - motion to adopt these reports. "By direction of the policy committee..
The woman in the photo in the previous tweet was advising Bernard on how to make this motion, since it is through the committee and not a personal motion. Basically, they are wanting reports on two separate pieces of technology that were described a couple tweets ago.
There is a motion on the floor for these reports, no oppositions. The motion carries. "She gets us together, we pay her a lot of money for it too."
News of an officer resigning is on the floor - I have no idea who they are mentioning though. There will be an investigation.
They skipped the closed session this week. Motion to adjourn, passes at 4:35 PM
If you find anything inaccurate in my tweets, please email documenters@outliermedia.org with the subject “Correction Request.”
Meeting adjourned at 4:35 PM. This concludes the Board of Police Commissioners meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for September 19. For more meeting coverage, check out . documenters.org
documenters.org
Just for comparison, here is a slightly outdated budget for the Detroit Public Library, compared to the Detroit Police Department. DPL's total budget (proposed FY2024): $35,191637 DPD's total budget (FY2024): $389,914,989
Attachments
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
Documents
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