Board of Police Commissioners

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The agenda for this meeting can be found here:

https://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitmi.localhost/files/events/2025-04/Draft%20Agenda%20May%201%2C%202025.pdf

We’ve got some milling around on the feed. I’ll let you know when the meeting starts.

The meeting has been called to order and they don’t have a quorum, so after the invocation they’ll go straight to public comment

First comment is a (police?) lieutenant and is defending himself against accusations of laughing at something. I’m not sure the background, but I’ll try to find out

Next commenter claims her landlord is watching them through hidden cameras, and is asking the commission if this is allowed.

The commenter was referred to a Neighborhood Police Officer for further action

They have a quorum and the roll was as follows

Bell
Bernard
Burton
Dewaelsh
Hernandez all present

Now the chief of Police report by deputy chief Bliss

Murder and robbery are both down double digit percentages.

DPD raided a gentleman’s club ironically named Sting. It’s alleged they served minors.

https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/detroit-police-shut-down-legendary-sting-strip-club

Comm’r Bernard asked a relevant question: some dancers bring their kids to work because child care can be prohibitive, what about those cases?

Deputy Chief: we’ll look into it

Back to public comment, the next commenter denigrated women who make their money through dancing and have children at work. She voiced her support for the police department and urged stronger enforcement

“We don’t need whatever those things are, this is a decent city”

Next, Minister Eric Blount also criticized Comm’r Bernard for advocating for sex workers who have children.

One could say that this misidentifies the problem, blaming the victim of systemic problems for the results of their own penury

Comm’r Bernard responded that she merely asked a question and is tired of being targeted at meetings

Next commenter claimed that Commissioners don’t live in the districts they represnt

Public comment is over, and now the Commission is moving on to unfinished business

The commission is moving to approve a police officer promotion to lieutenant. Approved

Another promotion approved

Another promotion approved

Comm’r Bernard is troubled by the promotion of an officer with several sustained complaints of misconduct

The promotion was approved over the objections of Bernard and Woods

Meeting was adjourned at 4pm.

Well folks, this closes my coverage of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners meeting for May 1st. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings at https://documenters.org

‼️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