Vernal45
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3 Detroit cops are suspended
BY AMBER HUNT MARTIN
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
June 9, 2005
One is accused of pointing a gun at a man who had poured pop on his car. Another was allegedly smoking crack cocaine. A third tested positive for marijuana use -- for the third time, police said.
All three are Detroit cops.
Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings recommended May 26 that the officers be suspended without pay on allegations that each broke the law. The Board of Police Commissioners concurred on the officers accused of the gun pointing and the marijuana use. The third, Officer Vicki Bailey, has been suspended with pay while police consider filing another allegation against her -- drunken driving.
"We set our goals and principles very high in this department," said police spokesman James Tate. "If someone within our personnel violates the policies of the Detroit Police Department or commits behavior that could be interpreted as illegal, then appropriate action must be taken.
"We have hundreds of dedicated men and women who go out every day and provide first-rate service. These are definitely anomalies."
John Goldpaugh, a lawyer for the Detroit Police Officers Association, said the punishments are premature.
"This has nothing to do with getting rid of bad officers," Goldpaugh said Wednesday. "This is more of a battle on what has to occur and what these officers' rights are. They do have rights."
Former Police Chief Jerry Oliver changed how officers suspected of crimes are disciplined. When Oliver took over in 2002, he began suspending officers for accusations that previously wouldn't have resulted in immediate discipline.
"I don't think that anybody wants to have a bad officer on this department," Goldpaugh said, "but now we have a system in place where just unilaterally we're taking away due-process rights."
So far, just one of the officers, Douglas McDonald, has been criminally charged. According to a report presented to the commissioners, McDonald was off duty and driving in the 16800 block of Monica on Nov. 8 of last year when someone dumped a can of pop on his personal vehicle.
Police say McDonald got out of the car, flashed his badge, then pulled an automatic handgun from his waistband and ordered the person to clean his car. The person refused and contacted authorities.
After an investigation by the department's internal affairs section, McDonald was arraigned May 24 on charges of felonious assault and using a firearm to commit a felony. He could face up to four years in prison if convicted.
McDonald didn't return phone calls seeking comment Wednesday.
Goldpaugh said the union won't contest the suspension, at least until the case works its way through the court system.
Bully-Cummings also recommended that Bailey be suspended without pay on allegations she was caught smoking crack in her car by Inkster police May 24.
During a search of Bailey's car, police alleged they found a brown paper bag with crack and crack paraphernalia.
Bailey's mother, Ella Bailey, said Wednesday that her daughter is being railroaded.
"She worked for that department for three years in narcotics," Ella Bailey said. "They used her, then they dumped her."
Officer James Sheely, who is accused of testing positive for marijuana in a May 5 departmental drug screening, was suspended without pay.
The union is fighting his suspension.
Contact AMBER HUNT MARTIN at 313-222-2708 or [email protected].
BY AMBER HUNT MARTIN
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
June 9, 2005
One is accused of pointing a gun at a man who had poured pop on his car. Another was allegedly smoking crack cocaine. A third tested positive for marijuana use -- for the third time, police said.
All three are Detroit cops.
Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings recommended May 26 that the officers be suspended without pay on allegations that each broke the law. The Board of Police Commissioners concurred on the officers accused of the gun pointing and the marijuana use. The third, Officer Vicki Bailey, has been suspended with pay while police consider filing another allegation against her -- drunken driving.
"We set our goals and principles very high in this department," said police spokesman James Tate. "If someone within our personnel violates the policies of the Detroit Police Department or commits behavior that could be interpreted as illegal, then appropriate action must be taken.
"We have hundreds of dedicated men and women who go out every day and provide first-rate service. These are definitely anomalies."
John Goldpaugh, a lawyer for the Detroit Police Officers Association, said the punishments are premature.
"This has nothing to do with getting rid of bad officers," Goldpaugh said Wednesday. "This is more of a battle on what has to occur and what these officers' rights are. They do have rights."
Former Police Chief Jerry Oliver changed how officers suspected of crimes are disciplined. When Oliver took over in 2002, he began suspending officers for accusations that previously wouldn't have resulted in immediate discipline.
"I don't think that anybody wants to have a bad officer on this department," Goldpaugh said, "but now we have a system in place where just unilaterally we're taking away due-process rights."
So far, just one of the officers, Douglas McDonald, has been criminally charged. According to a report presented to the commissioners, McDonald was off duty and driving in the 16800 block of Monica on Nov. 8 of last year when someone dumped a can of pop on his personal vehicle.
Police say McDonald got out of the car, flashed his badge, then pulled an automatic handgun from his waistband and ordered the person to clean his car. The person refused and contacted authorities.
After an investigation by the department's internal affairs section, McDonald was arraigned May 24 on charges of felonious assault and using a firearm to commit a felony. He could face up to four years in prison if convicted.
McDonald didn't return phone calls seeking comment Wednesday.
Goldpaugh said the union won't contest the suspension, at least until the case works its way through the court system.
Bully-Cummings also recommended that Bailey be suspended without pay on allegations she was caught smoking crack in her car by Inkster police May 24.
During a search of Bailey's car, police alleged they found a brown paper bag with crack and crack paraphernalia.
Bailey's mother, Ella Bailey, said Wednesday that her daughter is being railroaded.
"She worked for that department for three years in narcotics," Ella Bailey said. "They used her, then they dumped her."
Officer James Sheely, who is accused of testing positive for marijuana in a May 5 departmental drug screening, was suspended without pay.
The union is fighting his suspension.
Contact AMBER HUNT MARTIN at 313-222-2708 or [email protected].
