Board of Police Commissioners

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I’m here in the zoom room - it’s a webinar and I have the ability to raise hand, chat, and do emoji reactions.

It’s 3:00 pm and the meeting is called to order. Unfortunately there is a echo in the audio making it a bit difficult to hear. Detroit Police Chaplain Powell is starting the meeting off with a prayer.

There is an ASL interpreter! There is no quorum - they are diving right into public comment.
1st speaker is in a shirt with the DPD logo on it- he is talking about contracts and says that officers face uncertainty every day. Says that officers/ his colleagues are often judged harshly.

2nd speaker is a reverend. Says that we don’t need bad cops, we need good cops. Says the bad ones need to be getting rid of but how? Asks what other type of contract in the country allows for the type of leniency, that it seems that the only way to get rid of bad cops is for them to have a felony.

3rd speaker and the last speaker is an elderly woman, starts off greeting commissioners and expressing love for the police. In 1970 there was a committee that she was on called “crime committee” Says when officers put that uniform on they are looking out for the everyone in the city.

They now have a quorum. It’s 3:11 pm and they are starting with the regular agenda items. There is some back and forth about postponing one of the motions. They said they can’t discuss anything about the postponing “out here” so they need to go through the process.
Not totally sure what that was…

I’m having a hard time finding the agenda on their site making this a bit hard to follow… FYI

Chief of Police report happening now:
Down 9% in homicides
Down 16% in robberies
Down 32% in car jacking
Community updates: Had a one day hiring fair, more than 100 people applied to become DET police.
Had a Youth advisory panel event. More Info- https://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitmi.localhost/files/2024-08/Youth%20Advisory%20Panel%20Application_2024-2025.pdf

BOPC member Hernandez asking about an incident at Clark Park and asking when Detroit Police summer intel will be started. Speaker for Chief says that it is starting this week to address concerns like drag racing and more for summer.
Full board names, photos, bios here- https://detroitmi.gov/government/boards/board-police-commissioners

BOPC District 2 Rep. Bernard thanking a leader of the youth program for her work educating and engaging youth in the city. I didn’t catch this leaders name.

Going back to public comment - each is given 2 minutes. 1st speaker says if people did their job than those 2 kids would be living (referencing this tragic situation from February 2025) Here’s our @bridgedet313.bsky.social recent reporting on the situation https://www.bridgedetroit.com/wayne-county-prosecutors-office-receives-warrant-request-for-kids-deaths-in-casino-garage/

2nd speaker says he’s a long time resident (of 3rd precinct) of Detroit and has been being harassed by a neighbor across the street. Says that he’s made police reports and nothing has been done. There is some back and forth between the resident and rep of Deputy Chief Hayes about next steps.

cont.- Rep of Deputy Chief Hayes says that he will reply to the board within 7 days about the process. Resident says he’s been dealing with this for 17 years. Someone on board shares that they do have a senior investigator assigned. The board is assuring the speaker that they will support.

Zoom comments- 1st speaker asks about the back log of cases. Encourages the board to start doing more with the back log. Says that Detroit will be more responsible to house its prisoners. Board member responds about the dashboard on the site which will be presented 1st week of April

2nd speaker gives shoutout to BOPC staff. Shoutout to the youth advisory council program. Names some issues with members.
Asks for an apology from Officer Brennan Cole who has “sneakily” gotten bad on the force. Wants him to do DEI training. Says that man said racist comments to him at a protest.

Next speaker tells board to be mindful of their attendance. Asks them to pay attention to the cases other speakers shared re. the resident being harassed for 17 years by a neighbor and the previous speaker’s issue with office Brennan Cole.

Next speaker says he is disappointed that Brennan Cole is back on the force. Says he is traumatized from the behaviors which included Cole putting racist imagery of the speaker in a discord chat for white supremacists. Names other issues and says that he is a “traumatized victim” of the Det. police

Correction! Lt. Brandon Cole “The Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability (CPTA) said his return ‘is an affront to the principles of accountability and… (indicates) DPD leadership is unwilling to address systemic misconduct in its ranks,’” https://www.metrotimes.com/news/suspended-detroit-cop-who-told-gaza-protester-to-go-back-to-mexico-returns-to-duty-sparking-outrage-38891264

A little hard to hear because of the echo but someone is giving an HR report (a believe) including the employment vacancies within the department, graduates, tests, new hires, suspensions, and more.

Someone is talking about a young man shot in January ‘25 on St. Mary’s st. and his mother’s pain. Asking for a video cam on this issue to make sure that the police followed procedures. Speaker for Chief Hayes that he has to get familiarized then will make the video available for the body’s review.

Here is some reporting on what was being references https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2025/01/28/mother-questions-detroit-polices-actions-in-shooting-of-teen/

Board is asking the public to share and apply for positions within the department. They will be sending out information after they are reviewed to be sent out to universities and other community groups.

Check out The Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability (CPTA) who I quoted earlier from the reporting on Lt. Brandon Cole’s return to work : https://detroitcpta.org/home/

They are referencing specific items on the agenda but unfortunately I haven’t been able to find it on the site still. They have gone into a 3 minute recess for a closed session.

3 minutes!

Boop it’s been 20 minutes… no return yet

In the meantime- check out past Documenter’s reporting on the BOPC https://www.documenters.org/reporting/?agency=17

And we’re back!
They are voting to suspend Officer Sterling Lacy leave without pay but with medical benefits. Motioned, seconded, no discussion. Role call vote - 8 yes, 3 no, 1 abstain. It’s approved.
Another suspension to consider, another 3 minute closed session recess.

Searched Steling Lacy, found May 19, 2022 BOPC agenda states: ” Chief of Police James White’s recommendation to place.. Officer Sterling Lacy, Badge 1718, assigned to the Third Precinct on Administrative Leave Without Pay.” It was approved according to minutes draft.
dehttps://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitmi.localhost/files/events/2022-05/Agenda%20May%2019%2C%202022.pdf

Wow! I finally found today’s agenda on the BOPC’s Facebook, score ! https://www.facebook.com/DetroitBoardofPoliceCommissioners/posts/pfbid06TuvpAf8ivok1sRMjooCgB2ieufjPY1HTgnw8rNvHqM7zp51uKSS3fTY9buNF32ol

This lead me to find a much more accessible agenda on the Detroit gov’t website. Yay me ! https://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitmi.localhost/files/events/2025-03/Draft%20Agenda%20March%2020%2C%202025.pdf

Back from recess to vote on what they just held closed session on to “consider Administrative Leave Without Pay but with Medical Benefits for Police Officer Salahadin Alawie, Badge 28, assigned to the Fourth Precinct.” There is some back and forth around protocol to go forward with a motion

Motion, seconded, no discussion. Member Bernard starts off saying I think it’s inappropriate to… and then chair says “be careful” Bernard proceeds and says it’s inappropriate to take the motion because the officer is injured. Chair says “no, no, no.” and asks for the lawyer.

Someone says that this was mentioned in the closed session and therefore can’t be shared. Bernard apologizes. Role call vote on the motion is taken: 10 yay, 1 nay, approved.

They go into a closed session to discuss next agenda item 8-D “consider Administrative Leave Without Pay but with Medical Benefits for Police Officer Ariana Lewis, Badge 2657, assigned to the Eleventh Precinct.”

Researching during recess… Did you know about the Detroit Police Officers Association? I didn’t.
I looked at the FAQs on the site wondering, what is the DPOA?
The 1st q&a is from DPOA attorneys “THE SIX “NEVERS” IF THERE’S A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INVOLVING YOURSELF”
www.dehttps://www.detroitpoa.com/

They’re back! Motion to put Police Officer Ariana Lewis, Badge 2657 on Administrative Leave Without Pay but with Medical Benefits, seconded, no discussion. Role call vote: 10 yay, 1 nay (Commissioner Bernard)

Meeting is adjourned at 5:14, the zoom room closes.

This concludes my live reporting of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners meeting on March 20th. For more meeting coverage, check out https://documenters.org.

‼️ Important! If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, email documenters@outliermedia.org with “Correction Request” subject line. Thank you in advance!