Fall of the Detroit Police Department
The Various discrepancies within the police Department can be traced back to the late 1960's. From then on, the department has been in the spotlight for various issues.
Detroit Riots
In 1967, the city was caught off guard when police raided an after hours bar. Multiple people witnessed the raid and how the officers treated the patrons. Soon after, there was protest and people went to the streets and started one of the most destructive riots in the history of the United States. The riot was so destructive, that President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the Michigan National Guard and the army to control the chaos. Overall, the riot lasted 5 days, and 43 people were killed, including one Detroit Police Officer. After the riot, tensions were high as African Americans accused the mostly white police force of discriminatory acts.
Towing Scandal
Two Detroit Police officers were suspended after allegedly taking bribes from collision shops and towing companies who paid the officers money in exchange for giving them work when they found stolen vehicles. This wasn't the first scandal involving the Detroit Police, but it caught the medias attention. Soon after the department was put under the spotlight.
|
Tow truck companies take turns helping out the department to ensure fairness. However, that list got smaller once companies started bribing them.
|
Bribery Allegations
Two Detroit Police officers were found guilty of conspiracy to interfere with commerce, by extortion and robbery on July 11 2016. The two officers of the now disbanded narcotics unit, would use their status as police officers to fake arrests, traffic stops, and drug busts to scare drug dealers off their properties. Once the drug dealers left or were taken away, the two officers would take the drugs and sell them, splitting the money between themselves.
|
Wait times
Residents in the city experience the worse of it. Watch this video to see how long it takes for police to respond to Fox 2's Charlie Leduff.
|
In 2013 Kevyn Orr, Detroits Emergency Financial Planner revealed baffling statistics to the federal bankruptcy court. On average, it took police officers 58 minuets to respond to the highest priority calls, like murder. This in turn allowed Detroit to file for bankruptcy. Shortly after, mayor Mike Duggan bragged that police wait times lowered from 58 minuets to 16. This sharp decrease over a short period of time revealed left some puzzled. As a result, the claim was investigated and in actuality the department had dropped numerous call categories that they considered previously to be top priority calls. These calls include hold up alarms, bank alarms, and homicide reports, which in turn, lowered the response times.
|