Board of Police Commissioners

Detroit Board of Police Commissioners

Criminal Justice

Thursday, June 20, 2024
3:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m. EDT

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team

Note-taking by Shaheda Jenkins

The board passed a motion to draft a policy governing interactions between police and legal observers. The meeting ended abruptly due to a loss of a quorum.

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Live reporting by Nathaniel Eichenhorn

The board passed a motion to draft a policy governing interactions between police and legal observers. The meeting ended abruptly due to a loss of a quorum.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit

Good afternoon #Detroit !
I will be live tweeting the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners meeting today at 3pm for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit

01:36 PM Jun 20, 2024 CDT

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 2/29

A copy of the agenda for today's meeting can be found here:

detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm…

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 3/29

They are opening with the invocation

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 4/29

Since they're not able to form a quorum at the moment, they are just going to start with a report from Acting Board Secretary Robert Brown

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 5/29

All this info can be found in the agenda

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 6/29

They are moving on to public comment

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 7/29

They just got a quorum together, but before taking roll they're going to continue with our blic comment

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 8/29

The present commenter is praising those ministers who did not choose to host Donald Trump during his recent visit to Michigan.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 9/29

The next commenter is concerned with police officers remaining on the force after misconduct without consequences. He mentioned the BRADY/GIGLIO list and repeat offending officers

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 10/29

The next commenter is concerned about a number of legal observers who were arrested and charged with crimes despite protests by Congresswoman R. Tlaib

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 11/29

In response to questions from Bernard the rep for the DPD says he would need time to bring more relevant info to the board

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 12/29

The next caller is exiting some concerns about officer accountability. They say that there is not enough follow-up when DPD says they'll get back to the Board.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 13/29

A former commissioner called to say the arrest of legal observers is unacceptable, and goes on to echo others' concerns regarding the board failing to follow up on complaints and processes

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 14/29

The next caller is inaudible

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 15/29

They fixed it. The caller is making references to commissioner Woods's criminal records, and says his specific crimes should cause the board more pause in appointing him chair

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 16/29

The next caller says that the DPD can dictate terms to the board, and that the board's lack of action, especially in the case of legal observers, allows the DPD to act with impunity

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 17/29

Comm'r Bell moved to draft a letter to the state Attorney General regarding legal observers

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 18/29

Excuse me, Burton

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 19/29

Bernard suggests an amendment to draft the letter within 2 weeks and then have it voted on by the board before being published

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 20/29

There's some parliamentary confusion, I'll let you know when any action is actually taken

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 21/29

The motion fails

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 22/29

I'm concerned they're voting without having officially called the meeting to order and called the roll. I'm no expert, but it seems irregular to me

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 23/29

Comm'r Bernard is making a motion to order the policy committee to draft a POLICY regarding legal observers within 2 weeks.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 24/29

The motion passed without a roll call

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 25/29

Burton tried to move to draft a letter to the US Attorney but the motion was settled and therefore out of order

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 26/29

Woods had the roll called finally:
Woods present
More present
Burden present
Banks present
Smith absent
Hernandez absent
Carter absent
Bell present but has to leave at once
Bernard present
Pressley absent
Still no quorum, it seems, so I wonder about that motion that passed

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 27/29

The meeting was abruptly adjourned at 3:53pm

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 28/29

This closes my coverage of the Detroit BOPC meeting for June 20th. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings at

documenters.org

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 29/29

If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line

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Attachments

Transcript and recording

By Noah Kincade 6/20/2024

Agency Information

Detroit Board of Police Commissioners

www.detroitmi.gov

(313) 596-1830

bopc@detroitmi.gov

See Documenters reporting

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