Gina Kaufman and Jim Schaefer

Detroit Free Press Staff Writers

After a Free Press investigation revealed lax oversight of problem officers in Michigan, a state senator has asked the agency overseeing licensing of police whether more can be done to address the issue.

And he has offered to help with legislation to make changes happen, if any are recommended.

As well, the chair of the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards said late last week that the agency’s board will discuss the issues reported in the investigation, published July 9.

The Free Press found that problem officers in Michigan landed new jobs, despite such issues as serious misconduct and criminal histories. Among the findings: police officers are sometimes given second chances despite alarming conduct; disciplinary records are sometimes shielded from release, and background checks, while routinely conducted, are not always effective at discouraging police departments from hiring problem officers.

“Those issues — unfortunately in the current system — there’s no way the commission would ever know about them without self-reporting or reporting by the local department,” said St. Clair County Prosecutor Michael Wendling, who is also the chairman of MCOLES.

“If they hire poor candidates or don’t do background checks appropriately you have that potential to hire people that don’t represent the community well.”

Investigation: Disorderly Conduct: How problem cops stay on the street

About this report: How we found problem cops

Wendling said the commission will take up a discussion of the Free Press findings. The board’s next scheduled meeting is in September.

State Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, said he reached out to MCOLES to offer legislative assistance to address the issue. Any future action would be in addition to a bill Jones — a former Eaton County sheriff — already proposed that is weaving its way through the Legislature. That bill would require police departments to maintain records on why officers leave and give the agencies immunity from civil liability.

Hermina Kramp, who is serving as acting executive director of MCOLES, said recently passed legislation — which added a handful of misdemeanors to the list of offenses that can lead to police license revocation — also gives the commission the ability to set detailed guidelines on what should be included in background investigations.

Still, she said, MCOLES has no authority over decisions made by local departments.

“We don’t have the ability to intervene and make the employment decision on behalf of them,” Kramp said.

The Free Press found cases where agencies overlooked red flags and hired officers anyway. That included an officer who had a sexual relationship with a college student while on duty and one who used a Taser on his partner.

Despite the slight gain in authority, Michigan is still weaker than 25 other states when it comes to decertifying officers, according to a national survey. In those states, law enforcement licenses can be revoked for misconduct that does not rise to the level of a criminal conviction. In Michigan, officers have to be convicted of a felony or those recently added misdemeanor crimes to have their police license revoked.

Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson

While Wendling conceded the state does not know how many problem cops there are in Michigan, he said he believes the majority of officers are good ones committed to serving the public.



He said he expects the commission and state Legislature will discuss whether enough is being done to weed out problem officers. He said there are models in other states, where commissions like MCOLES have more power. If Michigan were to mirror some other states, it could require additional money to build an infrastructure to independently investigate police misconduct.



“Nobody wants a dangerous or unethical officer on the street,” he said.

The Michigan Fraternal Order of Police issued a statement discounting the newspaper’s findings. The organization pointed to the legislation proposed by Jones regarding departments keeping documentation of why officers leave, saying it will help protect officers and agencies.

The organization said it “does not — and has never — supported bad cops. The FOP continues to work daily to protect the overwhelming number of good cops who protect our communities.”

The issue of police-community relations caught the attention of Gov. Rick Snyder, who, last year, directed MCOLES to study and produce recommendations addressing public trust in law enforcement. The Free Press sought a comment from Snyder on the system failures identified in the investigation and Michigan’s limited authority to decertify problem cops.



A spokeswoman for the governor wrote in an e-mail: “Gov. Snyder will continue working closely with MCOLES to identify any issues between law enforcement and the communities they serve and work to resolve them.”

Lisa Carter, chair of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners, said in a statement Thursday that most officers are well-trained and professional.

“They serve selflessly at great personal risk to keep the rest of us safe, and they do not deserve having the badge and uniform tarnished — or discredited — by the type of people featured in the Detroit Free Press report,” she said.

Interactive: How 12 problem officers landed new jobs

The Free Press investigation — which began after the beating of an Inkster motorist by former Officer William Melendez, who was, ultimately, convicted — pinpointed about two dozen officers who jumped from department to department in recent years despite questionable conduct.

Wendling said his response to the Free Press project is: “I’m glad someone is watching. I think the community has a responsibility to ensure that law enforcement and public safety is appropriate.”

Contact Gina Kaufman: 313-223-4526 or gkaufman@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @ReporterGina

Contact Jim Schaefer: 313-223-4542 or jschaefer@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DetroitReporter