Board of Police Commissioners

media partners:
@bridgedet313.bsky.social
@freep.com
@metrotimes.com
@michiganpublic.bsky.social
@outliermedia.org
@planetdetroit.org
@wdet.bsky.social
@wxyzdetroit.bsky.social

The public is invited to join in-person, via Zoom, or via phone.

To join In Person: Head to Detroit Public Safety Headquarters - Skylar Herbert Room, 1301 Third St, Detroit, MI, 48226

To Join remotely, visit this link to view Zoom info and phone number: https://detroitmi.gov/events/board-police-commissioners-meeting-april-17-2025

All I see officially on the agenda online is this:
Presenter/Topic:
DPD HR Report (March)
But this body typically has standing items like Chief of Police Report, etc.

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.

I’ll “see” you back in 10 mins. I’ll be joining via Zoom.

Aha! I found an agenda: https://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitmi.localhost/files/events/2025-04/Agenda%20April%2017%2C%202025.pdf

Meeting called to order at 3:02pm.

Wait a minute…they’re still waiting for quorum. False start. ;)

They also do not yet have their camera enabled. So, it’s a lil wonky at the moment.

There WILL be time, as always, allotted for public comment. Here’s more about the process: To sign up online to speak for two minutes during Oral Communications, go to
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d26fa38cc5e94a018836d065000714ce

Called to order at 3:05pm. Invocation.

Chief of Police Report was asked for. Clerk saying that the Chief of Police report cannot be done without quorum because it’s not a staff report. They can take public comments. They can also hear regular staff reports.

HR Report is happening now.

They’re accepting applications from students for summer training sessions sessions. Net gain of 12 officers overall.
No questions.

Quorum reached! 7 commissioners present. 3:13pm.
Minutes approved from last meeting.
No discussion.

They’re talking about the Urgent need to address backlog of citizen complaints. Temporary staffing solution is being proposed is to hire two staff members.
Burton is abstaining. Matter passed.

Chief of Police report:
29% fewer car jackings compared to last year
Castle Cleanup Eastside
Recruiting efforts happening across the City

Significant Incidents:
Non-fatal shooting, 5th Precinct, Victim accidentally dropped at location by a rideshare. Was shot by the suspect. April 15th, the suspect turned himself in. Detectives prepared a warrant which is under review.
4/11 Fatal Shooting 8500 block Piedmont. Wound to the head.

!! ESCAPE PRISONER, escaped at 4200 St. Antoine. Was captured thanks to the aviation unit. Reflects strength of partnership. Assaulted officer and managed to get away from them.

Bernard: Why are our stats down? Not trending well? What is going on with the officers who are embedded in communities. Wants a report to understand what they’re going to do better or differently? Chief says he will get a report to board but explains that they are down in big areas.

NEWSWORTHY: Prisoner Escape was this MORNING 4/17/25 He was arrested for weapons. Took him to hospital for medical clearance. He evaded officers. When a prisoner is being transported, why able to run? Says He ran quickly. They apprehended him. They’ll provide more information (says the media rep).

Comms Report
6 Speakers in in-person audience total.
1. How are officers doing? They are heroes. School shootings, political overload affect the officers. They are displaying empathy, commitment, understanding, & patience. Saw DPD do amazing things. Eric Blunt speaker.

Drama happening Right NOW. Burton saying Union President being shut down in BOPC meeting.
Burton attacking chair for closing down Blunt after 2 minutes.
2. Female speaker: Bernard had asked what are they doing to help the churches? This woman is saying that immigrants should not become officers

WOW. That was a moment.
OK, moving on.
3rd speaker, Male: This commission was created because bad cops were beating and killing ppl in city. Why can’t this board concentrate on the actual issues? Cop who killed Patrick Loyola is going on trial. Body-worn cameras could have helped trial.

3rd speaker: “Pretexual stops” Why should residents be lied to during traffic stops? Pursuits: Let’s face it. Immigrants are going to run.
4th speaker: Just passing info to Bernard. Female speaker. Upset that so much crime is running rampant. Channel 2 news this morning. Men mistreating women.

5th speaker: Female. Passing hand out around. Calls the BOPC meetings an “absence of humanity”. She’s being abused by DPD, says. DPD won’t prosecute the offender/her assailant. Calling out a female officer. Make DPD do their jobs. Has recording saying officer threatened to kill her 10 months ago

Bernard is responding to the previous woman. Tells her to get a Protection Order. Woman is leaving. Walking out of meeting. Chief is telling board that this matter has been the subject of MANY complaints to the city. It was reviewed. Wants to reassure the board that it’s been investigated.

6th Speaker: Her nephew was killed in May 2021, can’t reach appropriate people. Her sister’s eldest son was also killed. Bad cops outnumber the good cops. Tired of getting the run around. Case has been passed from officer to officer. No resolution. Seeking closure for her family and Justice.

They’re now on Phone/Zoom Public Comments:
Male speaker: We have uninvestigated complaints going back as far as 2022. How can this be so? Is board considering prioritizing staffing the office of complaints sufficiently.

Male speaker: Retired city worker, water dept. Officers need to be honest and NOT falsify records. Board should look to reduce the number of lawsuits filed against the City. Make a greater effort to ensure real Detroiters are on the force.
----Burton is replying that officers DO want to be here

(My own aside: Try as I might, I really have no idea what Burton’s end game is. He’s all over the place. ALWAYS.)
I’m not sure who’s speaking right now. I can’t see on camera but their clock not running Male speaker: There are great officers out there who have walked in integrity. Stands by them.

Taura Brown: Calling Burton out over his drama. Bell too. She’s calling everyone out. Who is doing what and WHY? Why aren’t the residents’ complaints being follow up on? Get numbers about officers moving back to the city. There are way too many police officers living outside Detroit.

Male speaker: Commissioners are making complaints and not addressing the real issues. How could you not be helping the woman who is the murder victim. Family Love Unit is not working. Hundreds, thousands of cases NOT being solved. Family Love Unit is dysfunctional. Board do actual WORK!

Same guy: Don’t shut down Banks. He’s always trying to call for transparency. Commends Banks for trying so hard to make the right things happen. He’s fighting for justice. The rest of you are putting a face on and would rather be somewhere else.
Mic drop.

Next agenda Item:
Civil Rights Division: Body Worn Camera Review

THIS IS IMPORTANT
Who is required to wear them? Activate during ALL significant encounters. Detectives. On scene, when interviewing witnesses, during interrogations, special response teams, narcotics, vice.
POLICY: Shall remain on until event is complete. Calls for service, vehicle stops

Continued
Officers are required to sync to in-car dashboard. Once camera is synced, can activate through in-car dashboard monitor. Go through all events and review them! Sampled by Body Worn Camera Team. Supervisor reviews ANY potential policy violations.

They look for profanity, incomplete captures, failure of proper process. There’s a team that reviews the footage and the total compliance rate is 99%. The 1% of command officers receive notifications of issues flagged by review team.
Question: How many violations is that 1%? Exactly 36 this year.

Dr. Martin is name of speaker: says First Quarter, use of force down, complaints down, officers conduct own body worn camera audits. Events captured are down.
He’s reporting out on number of events audited, reviewed, and flagged. These are a random sample.

Question about how do they sample? How do they ensure that this is not marred by human error. Does the sample include correlation with OCI and complaints. Martin: Go by events, precincts, interrogations, categories. Doesn’t currently know. Martin will connect with OCI after this meeting.

Board is pressing Martin on why they don’t see the correlation between body worn compliance and the citizens complaints. Answer: Associated with officer complaints as it pertains to conduct violations.

Bernard moves to adapt Duty to Intervene POLICY.
Passed.
Bernard motions to adopt Directive Performance Evaluation Ratings. Passed.
(I missed one important policy that was just passed through recs of policy committee).
Seems like they are ACTUALLY getting work done. Passing policies!?!? WOW.

CORRECTION! I found the 3 policies and details about what was passed!
THESE!
A. Motion to adopt as policy, Directive 102.12 Duty to Intervene
B. Motion to adopt as policy, Directive 201.2 Patrol Related Reports
C. Motion to adopt as policy, Directive 401.1 Performance Evaluation Rating
ALL PASSED.

They’re now in closed session.

NEWSWORTHY: Back from Closed Session. This motion passes! Pursuant to Section 8(f) of the Open Meetings Act, MCL 15.268(f) Candidate Sean Martin for the Board to
consider disqualified applicant appeal from DPD hiring process. (Reconvene Public Meeting to vote – majority vote required.) 9.

Meeting adjourned at 5:04pm.

The next Detroit Board of Police Commissioners is on Thursday, April 24th at 3pm. More information about that meeting and the agenda is here: https://detroitmi.gov/events/board-police-commissioners-meeting-april-24-2025.

This concludes my coverage of the April 17, 2025 Detroit Board of Police Commissioners Mtg.

For more meeting coverage, head to https://detroit.documenters.org/.