Board of Police Commissioners

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This is what today’s agenda is looking like!
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dehttps://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitmi.localhost/files/events/2025-04/Draft%20Agenda%20April%2024%2C%202025.pdf

Looks like this meeting is starting 10 minutes late… wow

Oh wow that table is seriously empty- but it seems like this meeting is being called to order at 3:11pm!

A little spat about moving oral communications up to accommodate the chairman who’s running late.

I can’t tell if I made the mistake, or they made the mistake but it seems like the meeting wasn’t formerly called to order ?
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Now they’re doing roll call, but they’re clearly unprepared for this meeting. Most of them don’t even have packets for today’s agenda.

“I just think it’s beyond disrespectful, to us and also to our guests that we have in the public… it’s just completely unprofessional.”
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The chairman returns, and the meeting is now in a 15 minute recess.
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For those of us counting, that’s 25 minutes so far of being unprepared for this.

The chairman tunes back in with an apology for the issues, calling the meeting back to order at 3:29.
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Or, that’s what he said until someone interjects that the media team has not returned from recess, hence the screen still being stagnant on my end.

3:33! Hopefully this is the final time this meeting is called to order 💀💀 the screen is finally back up, and they’re discussing amending the agenda.

The public comment has been moved to the beginning of the meeting, and the agenda is finally approved.
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Miss Williams, the name of the first public commenter, starts out strongly about how a company with llcs from California is regulating officers in Michigan.

She asks a question about how officers can take up beds in homeless women’s facilities- she was here in the last meeting. I’ll remember her name.

The next commenter demands a weekly report on how many officers are suspended, and for how long.
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Saying the union president doesn’t take him seriously, and most of the officers don’t stay suspended for the full amount of time- with full pay. Claiming that these officers are not punished properly.

The final in person commenter takes offense to the chairman saying things are ‘above his pay grade’ and that it’s his responsibility to be an advocate for the people who need him.

Onto zoom! I’m didn’t raise my hand to comment but they said my name anyhow? Odd.

The chairman kind of makes fun of the next commenter, which is interesting. They’re now calling the name of my fellow documenter, and I- which again- is a bit odd.
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I’m not allowed to speak during this meeting and did not sign up for public comment through the official link on the website!

The next commenter suggests that we take stock of how many officers actually live in the city, and contribute to the local economy and community- saying that more and more officers just come from outside to work here.
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Pointing out that not everybody applied to run again next year.

Taura Brown! My personal hero and fellow documenter calls out how disrespectful it is to show up late to a meeting funded by taxpayer money.
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She defends the secretary who could not produce the agenda on time, saying that at least she SHOWED UP, on time. That it’s inappropriate to chastise her.

Another commenter talks about how there should be an adequate number of investigators to officers.
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They called my name again! Rolling my eyes haha, get with the program.

Cheif of Police report finally, I’ll bring the statistics at the end as per usual, but he reports that our violent crimes are going down at a significant rate!
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Community updates: a senior citizen apartment building was searched with a warrant, resulting in the arrest of six people.

Saying that they found fentanyl, cocaine, and handguns. Goodness.

The second deputy chief has resigned. I hope she’s having a good day today!
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The chief is also talking about the recruiting happening in multiple schools, saying that though he’s at a 99% field rate, it’s important to keep recruiting.

The 19 nominees for the women in blue event May 22 2025 are up on the DPD Facebook page!
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https://www.detroitpublicsafety.org/women-in-blue

The chief of police truly wants to build on the success of the department, community engagement and rehabilitation- job opportunities.
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It’s lovely to see positive energy in this somewhat tense meeting!

And now we’re back to talking about the hard stuff, a member of the board says that the officers are taking care of one another, referencing an officer that was suspended without pay who was drunk on duty.
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Suggesting that these people should be protecting their traumatized or addicted peers.

The Chief starts talking about how members also get suspended for THC in their systems, that peer support systems are sometimes not enough to combat how easy it can sometimes be to accidentally get these things in their systems via consumption, cbd, or contact highs.

Linda Bernard talks about the TBerry scholarship for collage age children of officers!
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https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=349911160646215&set=a.157727733197893

Several Sergeants are approved for promotion to lieutenant by the board, with two members being handled separately. A round of applause is in the room.
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After, multiple officers and detectives are promoted to sergeant!

Multiple officers are then promoted to detective, and that seems to be it for the promotions- the rest of the names that weren’t called need to be thoroughly background checked.

“This is an act of service from my heart and soul.”
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The chairman says, that this is his pleasure and he is doing everything he can to address citizen concerns, though it’s not always pretty.

Moving on to a presentation from the department, number 5a on the agenda concerning facial recognition and license plate readers.

In this explanation of facial recognition, they say it’s comparing facial geometry from a database of images using AI.
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Since this is my account, I’ll add a personal note that I hold great concern for the negative potential of such a device. But! They do call it a ‘Human centric process-

Basically assuring that there are trained professionals cross examining the outcomes of the AI to ensure quality.

In talking about the facial recognition policy, the slideshow also says it will not be used for surveillance OR predictive analysis!
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Which was my concern, and I feel much safer knowing that’s already been considered and implemented properly.

A member of the board asks about how qualified these people overseeing the software are, how long they’re trained to identify faces. The response is three days, and that the FBI signs off on them once they complete this training.

She also asks why is it that 90% of the probe photos are black, to which the response is that it’s a majority African American city.

The chief says that the department has one of the most restrictive facial recognition policies, and that it’s only used in the most severe cases- despite citizen complaints.

A board member asks ‘how much is budgeted specifically for facial recognition’ to which they’re told nothing. The state grants us licenses and tokens to use the software through them, rather than spending taxpayer money on it.

Dpd has access to run facial recognition through only processed mugshots, but the state has access to drivers license photos.

Moving on to the presentation on license plate readers, saying that it’s used for real time wanted vehicle alerts and investigative follow ups.

So far there are 566 license plate reader devices total in use, with 328 on intersections, and 235 being used with the freeway camera project.

I really appreciate how often and thoroughly this presentation and presenter go out of their way to talk about how careful and intentional the department is about implementing technology.
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The chief of police talks about his interest in implementing drones, with enough research.

Next is the report from Madam Secretary!

She lets us know when the upcoming meetings are, all of which is stated at the bottom of the agenda, and the report is finished.
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There is no unfinished business. But there is a moment of silence for Pope Francis.

No new business, and with that the meeting is adjourned at 5:28pm!

If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line!! Check out my profile and others on https://documenters.org ❣️