Wednesday, February 22, 2012

DETROIT POLICE - LOITERING TICKETS...

WXYZ CHANNEL 7 - INTERVIEW, ROSS JONES - INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER

Today, Feb 22, I was interviewed by IR - Ross Jones, of WXYZ, about a continuing investigation into - loitering tickets (with notations inferring narcotics and prostitution related) being issued improperly by Detroit Police Officers....The interview should run the week of February 26th...

I explained how 'loitering tickets' when pro...perly and lawfully issued, are a good crime fighting tool, that helps to reduce narcotic users and prostitutes - and can have an effect on felony crimes, like: murder, robbery, home invasions and rape.

Detroit PC Godbee in a press release, not an interview, said "...we are not in a position...to respond to claims that cases are mishandled"...I say Why not??? This appears to be an 'abuse of power' that residents complained of under PC Warren Evans, and the officers tickets to seemingly lawful citizens deserve to be discussed.

Maybe, Judge Cook should order the Department of Justice, under the Consent Decrees, to investigate. Maybe PC Godbee would discuss the issue then.

ps: There may be more complaints from residents under Godbee's 'broken window' enforcement policy, that lacks enough officers to be effective and will generate 'civil rights' violation complaints, like there was when PC Evans, who ordered increased enforcement in high crime areas.

I have long advocated for a national search for the 'best and brightest' police chief -and it should be a priority.

I said weeks ago, while a guest on the Michael Schwartz Show, on WADL Channel 38, that I thought the Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon had intentions of taking over the DPD and adding it to the WCS Department. What do you think???

pps: Does Detroit still have a Gang Squad??? I advocated that all DPD officers be trained about gangs in Detroit, and that they have a central 'Gang Intelligence Unit' and eliminate Gang Squad - that way every DPD officer could have gang information and be able to use it - and to collect information that could be shared with all officers, not just a few.

pps: Sgt Stephens of the Detroit Police Public Information Office - told me that the DPD made a statement about the above matter, only a small line of response was put in Jones' Report...READ below: COMMENT -- to see the entire text of the Department's response...
(from me) - all residents of Detroit or visitors who feel that a DPD officer has not properly performed their job - should make a citizens complaint..I have always encouraged that, but I have also, advocated that people who make FALSE COMPLAINTS against officers, should face criminal and civil penalties. Law Enforcement officers due a critical, dangerous job for which they can lose their lives and careers, with a bad decision - so those who make false or unecessary complaint should be punished.

1 comment:

DAVID MALHALAB said...

Detroit Police response to Ross Jones report....on WXYZ TV.

Please review the Detroit Police Department's entire response to Channel 7's investigative story on "Metro Detroiters slapped with flimsy tickets linking them to hookers and drug dealers" that aired on Monday, February 6, 2011:

We appreciate your recent inquiry and the opportunity to look into this. As you can appreciate, over the course of a year thousands of individuals are arrested by officers of the Detroit Police Department and many more individual receive citations. Based on the limited information in your email we are not in a position to comment on the specific facts of past or pending cases or to respond to claims that cases were mishandled. It is important to emphasize that the Detroit Police Department has a citizen complaint process that affords any individual who believes that an officer has acted improperly or unprofessionally to file a complaint that will result in a thorough investigation that is ultimately reviewed by the Board of Police Commissioners. Substantiated complaints result in appropriate corrective action that can include disciplinary action, retraining, or revisions in department policy. Without the benefit of an investigation to reliably ascertain the facts it is inappropriate and unfair to all concerned to comment on allegations outside the complaint process.