03042008 - Officer Gary Steele - Detroit PD - Facing Life In Prison For OIDV Assault Against Ex-Girlfriend [Torture; Assault w/intent to commit murder; Assault w/intent to do great bodily harm less than murder; 2 counts felonious assault w/a dangerous weapon; weapons / firearm discharge in or at a building; Felony firearm]
06232009 - Officer Gary Steele - Sentenced - Formerly Facing Possible Life Sentence For Domestic Violence Assault - Sentenced To 1 Year Probation [Misdemeanor reckless use of firearms] AND Then Put Back On Duty - Detroit PD
05312018 - Officer Gary Steele - Video Of Steele Breaking Arm of Elaine Murriel During Arrest - Detroit PD
01312019 - Officer Gary Steele - Detroit PD - Posted Racist Video On SnapChat Mocking Ariel Moore After Traffic Stop
02272019 - Officer Gary Steele - Fired For Posting Racial Video Of Traffic Stop - Detroit PD
04252019 - Officer Gary Steele - Lawsuit Filed Against Steele/Detroit PD - Racist SnapChat Video Of Ariel Moore During Traffic Stop
04252019 - Officer Gary Steele - Lawsuit Filed Against Steele/Detroit PD - Elaine Murriel's Arm Broken During Arrest
Lawsuits filed against former Detroit police officers over racist Snapchat post
WXYZ News - Detroit
April 26, 2019
Attorney Geoffrey Fieger to discuss two lawsuits filed against former officer Gary Steele
DETROIT (WXYZ) — Two lawsuits were filed against former Detroit police officers regarding a racist Snapchat video.
Corporal Gary Steele and Officer Michael Garrison have been fired after Steele posted a video to his Snapchat account.
In the video, Steele and Garrison are heard making racist jokes as a woman walked home in freezing temperatures after her car was impounded.
Attorney Geoffrey Fieger is holding a news conference Friday morning at 10 a.m. to discuss the lawsuits:
Plaintiff's Complaint and Jury Demand (TC) (00699462xA9307)
PLEAD. Complaint and Jury Demand - WCCC (TC) (00699588xA9307)
Former Detroit police officer facing lawsuits for alleged police brutality, racism
Click On Detroit
April 26, 2019
Lawyer shows video showing ex-Detroit police officer allegedly breaking woman's arm
Body cam: Detroit officer allegedly breaks woman's arm [05312018]
Officer Gary Steele pointing finger like gun at squad car where Elaine Murriel was seated after Steele broke her arm
DETROIT – A former Detroit police officer is facing two new lawsuits, one of them involving allegations of police brutality.
It’s round two of the former Detroit police Officer Gary Steele’s soap opera. A video recorded May 31, 2018 allegedly showed Steele, who is accused of breaking Elaine Murriel’s arm while trying to arrest her, after she got into an argument with the girlfriend of her son’s father.
Attorney Geoffrey Fieger said officers arrived and handled the situation. Fieger said Steele showed up later allegedly arrested his client and broke her arm in the process, “Elaine’s arm was fractured. She had an operation,” said Attorney Geoffrey Fieger.
Almost a year later, Fieger and his team of attorneys are suing the city of Detroit and Steele for his involvement in this case and the infamous Snapchat video. That video showed Steele using racial slurs to describe his client Ariel Moore.
“What happened here was a gross violation of not only the state civil rights and negligence, that we alleged in these complaints,” said Fieger.
Friday morning, Fieger released both lawsuits. Moore is suing for $75,000, and Murriel is suing for $25,000.
“When it costs them money, then they start making changes and that’s the purpose of these lawsuits,” said Fieger.
Chief James Craig addressed the lawsuits Friday.
“We are aware of it. As you know, as it relates to the first lawsuit, we did an investigation and the officers were terminated. As it comes to the second lawsuit, that is being investigated by the Internal Affairs.”
Fieger also accused DPD of hiding the 2018 incident. Craig said that’s not true.
Ex-Detroit Police officers accused of misconduct in new lawsuits
Detroit Free Press
April 26, 2019
Two separate civil complaints have been filed in the Wayne County Circuit Court linked to accusations of police misconduct and allegedly racially motivated attacks, trial attorney Geoffrey Fieger announced at a news conference Friday.
Both lawsuits name the City of Detroit, the Detroit Police Department and former Detroit Police Officer Gary Steele. One also names former Detroit Police Officer Michael Garrison.
The lawsuits have been filed nearly a year after plaintiff Elaine Murriel alleged Steele broke her arm during an incident on May 31, 2018, and months after WXYZ-TV first aired a derogatory Snapchat video of a woman, Ariel Moore, walking home after officers seized her car.
The video uses filters that say "Celebrating Black History Month" and "What Black Girl Magic Looks Like," as two officers — identified as Steele and Garrison — appear to taunt the "walk of shame."
In a video of the news conference streamed by WXYZ-TV, Fieger said the lawsuits are "a result of intolerable, invidious, racially motivated assaults and other attacks upon my clients."
A Detroit Police spokesperson told the paper that the department does not comment on pending litigation.
Detroit's corporation counsel, Lawrence Garcia, issued a statement: “As Chief Craig announced last month, the two officers involved in this incident were terminated and are no longer with the Detroit Police Department. Beyond that, I can only say that as a matter of general policy, the city does not comment on pending litigation.”
Ariel Moore
Widely circulated Snapchat video from Jan. 30, 2019, shows how officers filmed Moore as she began walking home on a cold night.
"Priceless," one officer can be heard saying.
According to the lawsuit filed Friday, Steele and Garrison pulled Moore over because she didn't have a proper registration tab, issued her a ticket and confiscated the keys. She was allegedly fearful of the officers, so she began to walk home.
Steele recorded the video and posted it to his Snapchat account.
"Bye Felicia," a voice says on tape.
The lawsuit states that Craig and Mayor Mike Duggan have both decried the video, and both officers have since been removed from the police force.
Yet, the lawsuit said, the city and the police department had been aware of Steele's "propensity for racism and violence, especially toward women."
Additionally, the suit notes that Craig has said a former officer came forward and said there's another video Steele made in 2017, after impounding a car during Christmas. The video reportedly also records Steele saying "walk of shame' and other racially insensitive remarks.
As for a review of Garrison, the suit said he was suspended for 60 days in 2015 for shooting deer in Rouge Park while on duty, and he was also among a group of officers sued in 2006 and accused of wrongfully stopping and harassing a 15-year-old boy — the city settled the case.
Represented by attorney Gregory Wix, the lawsuit filed on behalf of Moore calls for the following charges:
- Gross negligence (Steele and Garrison)
- Gross negligence (City of Detroit and DPD)
- Intentional Infliction of emotional distress (Steele and Garrison)
- Defamation (Steele)
- False Light (Steele)
- Violation of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (All defendants)
Elaine Murriel
Represented by attorney Todd Weglarz, Murriel alleges that Steele broke her arm during an incident in 2018.
Murriel was dropping her infant son off at his father's house when an altercation ensued between her and the girlfriend of the father of her child. Murriel had a personal protection order against her, but it is alleged that the girlfriend attempted to run Murriel over with a vehicle.
The lawsuit says Murriel defended herself by discharging her licensed firearm in the direction of the girlfriend's car, and Detroit police responded. Murriel told officers she had a concealed weapons permit and was acting in defense of herself.
Among other officers responding to the scene, the lawsuit said Steele decided to arrest Murriel "suddenly and physically." She was holding her son in her arms and was told to put her hands behind her back.
The lawsuit alleges Steele told another officer to hold Murriel's arms, while another officer took the child away. Steele then allegedly pushed Murriel up against the vehicle, grabbed her arms and forced her left arm to "bend backward, in an abnormal manner, and against the natural range of motion allowed by the elbow joint."
Police body camera video of the incident was shown at the news conference.
Weglarz said Murriel was taken to the hospital before being taken to jail, and an exam showed that her arm was broken. He said Murriel was given a sling, and stayed in jail for four days until she was released with no charges.
Fieger added that Murriel continues to have difficulty with her arm, and has had surgery to repair the damage.
"(Steele) should never have been on the force at the time that he was engaging in the activities that resulted in this lawsuit, which resulted in the breaking of Elaine Murriel's arm. ... An incident that never should have resulted in an arrest in the first place," Fieger said.
Both lawsuits mention that Steele faced numerous felony charges after reportedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend in March 2008. One of the suits describes the incident, stating Steele hit her with a baseball bat, choked her, put a loaded gun inside of her mouth, pointed the gun to her head, threatened to kill her and fired three shots near the side of her head. Steele entered a no-contest plea.
"Notwithstanding the disturbing and grossly violent acts committed by Defendant Steele, the City of Detroit and DPD, permitted/allowed Steele to remain on its police force as an armed police officer with a known history and propensity for assaultive violence," the suit filed on behalf of Murriel states.
The suit calls for the following counts:
- Gross negligence & wanton and willful misconduct (Steele)
- Violation of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (City of Detroit/DPD/Steele)
Systemic racism & long-standing issues
The suit filed on behalf of Moore makes reference to the internal affairs investigation launched by Detroit Police after the video surfaced, and notes that the city and Detroit Police announced that an audit was conducted of the afternoon shift of the 6th Precinct — where Steele and Garrison worked.
The audit found evidence of "racial animosity" in the precinct, "while some supervisors were unaware or unconcerned," the lawsuit said.
Additionally, the lawsuit notes that while discussing the audit, it was found that Steele and Garrison were "ringleaders" of a group of officers working the afternoon shift, who would refer to African Americans as "Keishas" and "Jakes."
Traffic stops were also routinely made after 9:30 p.m. "to avoid priority calls late in the evening," and black drivers were "overwhelmingly the subject." The lawsuit also mentions that the Department's Committee on Race and Equality also recognized evidence of "top-down discriminatory practices" and racial attitudes shown by some of the officers in the command staff.
Fieger emphasized that the lawsuits are not an attack on police officers.
"This isn't an attack on police officers, the vast majority of the City of Detroit police officers, as well as police officers from other departments, are fine men and women. And I acknowledge that Chief Craig, several days ago issued what I consider to be a fairly forthright executive summary concerning the wrongful activities of these two rogue Detroit Police officers," he said.
"However, the incident of racial discrimination and racial profiling and invidious racially motivated incidents is still far too great, and it reflects a failure to train and a failure to screen in terms of the continued employment of officers who have no business being on the force."
Detroit officer in racist Snapchat post also accused of breaking woman's arm
FOX 2 News - Detroit
April 26, 2019
(FOX 2) - A woman has filed a lawsuit against the Detroit police department, the city, and a former officer after she says her arm was broken during an arrest.
In a press conference Friday, attorney Geoffrey Fieger announced that on behalf of Elaine Keymo Murriel of Detroit, a $25,000 lawsuit was filed against the City of Detroit, Detroit Police Department and former police officer Gary Steele for an incident last year. Steele was fired in late February after sharing a racist Snapchat post of a young woman during a traffic stop.
"The incidents of racial discrimination and racial profiling and invidious racially motivated incidents is still far too great and it reflects a failure to train and a failure to screen in terms of the continued employment of officers who have no business being on the force," Fieger said.
According to the lawsuit, on May 31, 2018, Murriel was dropping off her infant son at his father's house near the intersection of Dover and Faust roads in Detroit. At the same time, Ashante Moore, who was dating the father of Murriel's son, was driving in the same area. Muriel had personal protection order against Moore due to previous heated incidents.
The suit states that as Murriel was getting her son out of the car, Moore drove her car toward Murriel in an attempt to run her over. That's when Murriel, a CPL carrier, pulled her gun and shot toward Moore's car because she was "fearing for her life and the life of her son," according to the document.
Several Detroit police officers responded to the scene, including Steele. The lawsuit states that police reports note that Murriel was "extremely compliant," and that she told officers that she had a CPL and she was carrying a firearm, which she had secured in the trunk of her car. She had also told them she fired toward Moore's car.
The document states several witnesses and the child's father supported Murriel's explanation that she was acting in self-defense. Despite the witness statements, Fieger alleges that officer Steele decided to arrest her.
"Steele decided to unlawfully seize and arrest the plaintiff. Defendant Steele suddenly and physically placed plaintiff under arrest. Plaintiff was holding her infant son in her arms at the time defendant Steele physically placed her under arrest," the lawsuit states.
The suit states that as Steele attempted to handcuff Murriel, she began screaming in pain as Steele was "viciously and savagely bending her left arm backward, forcing it to bend backward, in an abnormal manner." It states Steele broke her arm, snapping a bone in her elbow - the lateral epicondyle bone.
Attorney Todd Weglarz said Murriel was taken to the hospital, given an X-ray where it was determined her arm was broken, and was given a sling. She was jailed for four days without medical care before she was released.
All charges were later dropped. Weglarz says Murriel then had surgery and physical therapy, and is still recovering.
SNAPCHAT LAWSUIT
Fieger also announced a second woman on the behalf of Ariel Moore - no relation to Ashante Moore in the above listed case. Ariel Moore was recorded in the aforementioned Snapchat video filmed by Steele.
Moore was pulled over for an expired plate in late January. After pulling her over, Steele asked the woman to get out because he was going to tow her vehicle and she was then forced to walk back home in extremely cold temperatures.
Then Steele shot video of the woman walking with the caption "What black girl magic looks like" and "celebrating Black History Month."
"To this day, the victims haven't heard from Mayor Duggan or Chief Craig or the City of Detroit and these lawsuits are a way to redress this," Fieger said.
The plaintiff is seeking $75,000.
Geoffrey Fieger Law - Facebook
April 27, 2019
Geoffrey Fieger, along with Attorneys Greg Wix and Todd Weglarz, held a press conference yesterday in the mock courtroom at Fieger Law.
They discussed the filing of two lawsuits against the Detroit Police Department and fired Detroit Police Officer Gary Steele, concerning the “Snapchat Walk of Shame” video incident and an assault on video by Steele, Breaking an innocent mother’s arm.
Watch for news unfolding on these cases.
Ex-Detroit officer who mocked black female motorist also allegedly broke another woman's arm
NBC News
April 29, 2019
Detroit police officer allegedly breaks woman's arm while arresting her
A former Detroit police officer who was fired after mocking a black motorist in a video he posted on social media is now facing two lawsuits over alleged racially motivated misconduct and abuse.
Gary Steele, who was fired earlier this year after posting the video of the black female driver, was sued Friday by that woman and another black woman whose arm he allegedly broke in 2018 while trying to arrest her.
Both lawsuits were filed in Wayne County Circuit Court and also list the Detroit Police Department and the City of Detroit.
Ariel Moore is suing for $75,000 after a January incident in which Steele and his former partner, Michael Garrison, who is also listed in Moore's suit, seized her car for driving with an expired license plate and forced her to walk home. The lawsuit said the incident happened at nighttime when the temperature was "dangerously below freezing."
Steele filmed Moore walking and posted the video on his Snapchat account, while he and Garrison remarked: "Walk of shame. In the cold" and "Bye Felicia," according to the lawsuit.
Steele captioned the post: “What black girl magic looks like” and “celebrating Black History Month.”
Steele and Garrison, both 18-year veterans of the Detroit Police Department, were fired from the force following the incident, Police Chief James Craig announced.
Craig said that both Garrison and Steele had histories of making disparaging remarks about black people, using words like "Keisha," "Jakes" and "homies."
Elaine Murriel, the woman who alleged Steele broke her arm, is suing for $25,000.
Murriel was dropping off her son at his father's house in May 2018 when the father's girlfriend tried to run her over with a car, and Murriel fired her legally owned firearm in self defense, her lawsuit alleges.
When officers arrived, she told them that she had a legally owned firearm and had recently discharged it, and she was she “extremely compliant,” according to officers’ reports, the lawsuit said.
But Steele "suddenly and physically" placed Murriel under arrest while she was holding her baby, according to the lawsuit. Steele ordered one officer to hold Murriel’s arms while telling another officer to “grab and rip the scared, crying child" from her hands, the lawsuit said.
While Steele was trying to handcuff Murriel by "pulling and yanking" on her arm and she was screaming in pain, Steele "viciously and savagely" bent her left arm backward "in an abnormal manner, and against the natural range of motion," the suit said.
Despite Murriel’s screaming, Steele pulled her arm back "with such force" that he broke it, according to the suit.
"Other responding officers were upset and angry over Steele’s conduct, and commented that Steele’s actions were completely unnecessary," said the suit.
Lawrence Garcia, who is representing the city, responded to the lawsuits by reiterating that the two officers have been fired.
Attorney Geoffrey Fieger, whose firm is bringing the suits, said, “When it costs them money, then they start making changes and that’s the purpose of these lawsuits,” according to NBC affiliate WDIV.
Former Detroit Cop Faces Legal Action After Breaking Black Woman's Arm During An Arrest
Gary Steele has already been fired but is now being sued for breaking one woman's arm and humiliating another
Blavity.com
May 01, 2019
Gary Steele used to be a member of the Detroit Police Department. However, things can change at any moment. The former officer is facing two lawsuits from Black women who claim he was racially abusive toward them.
Steele and his partner, Michael Garrison, were fired in February after the two seized a Black woman's car and made her walk home in the snow. During the incident, the two officers followed her and posted racist Snapchat videos of the ordeal. Detroit Police Chief James Craig said their department's investigation of Steele revealed that he had a history of being blatantly racist toward others and a penchant for brutality.
Currently, the two officers are facing lawsuits for their conduct in the Snapchat case. Steele is also facing a lawsuit for an incident in which he broke a woman's arm in the process.
Ariel Moore, the woman whose car was seized, is suing for $75,000. Meanwhile, Elaine Murriel, the woman who had her arm broken, is suing for $25,000. Both women are being represented by local attorney Geoffrey Fieger, who held a press conference on Saturday.
After seizing Moore's car, Steele drove the vehicle and used his Snapchat account to post a video of her walking. During the video, an officer says "Bye Felicia." Along with the videos, Steele included captions that read, “What Black Girl Magic looks like” and “celebrating Black History Month.”
Craig told local news outlets that their investigation uncovered decades of racial abuse by Steele and comments from other officers about the racist language he used.
"Terms he used on several occasions, such as 'Keisha,' 'Jakes' and 'homies,' which were all derogatory, demoralizing and degrading, and yes, racially insensitive in the context of which it was used," Craig said after firing Steele.
"Former police officer Steele has lost the trust of those he served and can no longer provide policing services in our city. The actions taken by former police officer Steele not only negatively impacted our community, but also people across this great nation."
Somehow, Steele was even worse in his conduct with Murriel, who was dropping her son off at his father's home. The father's girlfriend attempted to run over Murriel with a car, and she used her legal firearm to shoot at the vehicle. When the police were called, the officers said Murriel was calm, collected and responding to all their orders.
Steele showed up later and began to arrest her while she was holding her young child. During the arrest, Steele ended up yanking her arm behind her back so hard that he broke it. She was forced to undergo surgery to fix the break.
"Other responding officers were upset and angry over Steele’s conduct, and commented that Steele’s actions were completely unnecessary," Fieger said in the lawsuit.
Craig said after the Snapchat incident he received hundreds of letters, emails and Facebook messages from Detroit residents. Others questioned how an officer like Steele could have spent so many years on the force.
"What is even more frightening," one letter said, "is that this man has been doing this job for over 18 years. It begs the question of how many others were humiliated, shamed and mocked by a man who was supposed to respect, maintain and value law and order."
What Karma Looks Like:
Ex-Detroit Officer Who Mocked Woman in 'Black Girl Magic' Snapchat Video Sued Twice for Racist Abuse
The Root
May 01, 2019
If there were ever a pantheon of racists (aside from your middle school American history textbook, that is) former Detroit police officer Gary Steele surely deserves an honorable mention.
To wit: Steele was so racist he was actually fired from the Detroit Police Department along with his partner earlier this year after an incident where he seized a black woman’s car, mocked her on his SnapChat, and forced her to walk home in subfreezing temperatures.
As she walked alone in the cold, Steele placed a Black History Month-themed “What Black Girl Magic Looks Like” filter on her.
She had an expired license plate.
Now, Steele is being sued by that woman, Ariel Moore, along with another black woman, Elaine Murriel, whose arm he allegedly broke during an arrest in 2018.
According to NBC News, citing the lawsuit filed by on April 26, Detroit police responded to an incident in which Murriel fired a firearm in self-defense:
Murriel was dropping off her son at his father’s house in May 2018 when the father’s girlfriend tried to run her over with a car, and Murriel fired her legally owned firearm in self defense, her lawsuit alleges.
When officers arrived, she told them that she had a legally owned firearm and had recently discharged it, and she was “extremely compliant,” according to officers’ reports, the lawsuit said.
That is, until Steele escalated the situation by violently placing Murriel under arrest, the suit claims. The 18-year veteran ordered one officer to hold Murriel’s arms and instructed another to rip her child from her arms.
From NBC News:
While Steele was trying to handcuff Murriel by “pulling and yanking” on her arm and she was screaming in pain, Steele “viciously and savagely” bent her left arm backward “in an abnormal manner, and against the natural range of motion,” the suit said.
Despite Murriel’s screaming, Steele pulled her arm back “with such force” that he broke it, according to the suit.
According to a previous NBC News report, Steele pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in 2008 for attacking his ex-girlfriend and firing a gun.
Moore and Murriel’s lawsuits were filed separately on the same day. Moore is seeking $75,000 in damages from Steele and his former partner, Michael Garrison, as well as the Detroit Police Department, and the City of Detroit. Murriel is asking for $25,000.
Both suits will be represented by attorney Geoffrey Fieger, who told WDIV TV the purpose of the cases is to push DPD and the City of Detroit to enact meaningful changes to their policing.
“When it costs them money, then they start making changes,” Fieger said.
Lawsuits against ex-Detroit police officer over Snapchat video move forward
Detroit Free Press
May 31, 2019
Two separate civil suits against a former Detroit Police officer who was fired for a racist Snapchat video are moving forward to status hearings in July.
The lawsuits, each filed in Wayne County Circuit Court in April, named the City of Detroit, Detroit Police Department and former officer Gary Steele.
One of the other suits also named former Detroit officer Michael Garrison.
Steele and Garrison were both terminated in February and March respectively from the police department after a racist Snapchat video, showing a woman, Ariel Moore, walking home after her car was seized.
The video included the captions, "What black girl magic looks like" and "Celebrating Black History Month."
Moore is suing the officers over the incident. Another woman, Elain Murriel, filed a separate lawsuit, saying that Steele broke her arm in a 2018 incident.
Attorney Todd Weglarz, who is representing Murriel, could not be reached for comment.
Murriel's lawsuit said Steele decided to arrest her "suddenly and physically." She was holding her son in her arms and was told to put her hands behind her back.
The lawsuit also stated that Murriel was taken to a hospital and told her arm was broken.
Weglarz said in April that Murriel was taken to the hospital before being taken to jail, and an exam showed that her arm was broken. He said Murriel was given a sling, and stayed in jail for four days until she was released with no charges.
Police body camera video of the incident was shown at an April news conference.
'Sissies,' 'terror threat': Detroit police grapple with officers' social media missteps
Detroit News
July 15, 2019
Detroit — Weeks before a white rookie Detroit police officer was fired last year for a racially insensitive Snapchat post, a black sergeant reposted an article on Facebook bearing the headline: “White Americans are the biggest terror threat in the United States.”
The sergeant, who was assigned to the unit that investigates officers’ use of force, was transferred to another command but received no further punishment.
Another officer in 2016 posted a Facebook missive referring to the gay victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando as "sissies." He was not disciplined.
Detroit cops who violated the department's social media policy in recent years have received varying levels of punishment — from termination to no discipline at all.
The policy was implemented in March 2011 after an officer was put on desk duty for posting a photo of a crime scene on Facebook.
"When using social media, e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc., department members shall be mindful that their ... postings become part of the worldwide electronic domain," the policy reads. "Therefore, adherence to the Detroit Police Department's Code of Conduct policy is required when utilizing social media."
Under the code of conduct, officers are required to maintain professional decorum on or off duty and avoid actions that could embarrass the department.
The Detroit department isn't alone in grappling with fallout from officers' social media posts. Last month, for instance, Philadelphia's police commissioner put 72 officers on administrative duty amid a national group’s accusation that cops in at least five states had posted racist and anti-Muslim comments online.
Former Michigan State Police director Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue faced calls for her resignation in fall 2017 after sharing a post on her Facebook page mocking “degenerate” professional football players for silent protests during the national anthem. Gov. Rick Snyder, who left office at the end of last year, rejected those calls but docked her five days' pay.
Detroit police Chief James Craig said problems with former internal affairs commanders and differences in the officers’ discipline histories are largely responsible for the disparity in discipline.
“There were some internal affairs cases that fell into black holes,” Craig said. "That was a big part of the issues we were having over there."
In April, Craig told The Detroit News he was troubled by lack of oversight in the Professional Standards Section, prompting him to change the unit's management structure.
One of the cases Craig said was mishandled involved Sgt. Kerrie Petties, who in 2016 posted messages to Facebook that violated the department's social media policy.
After the June 12, 2016, shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando that left 49 people dead, Petties posted: “Shout out to the American Politician for going bananas over a bunch of sissies killed in a club, but when church going God fearing people were murdered in a church it was business as usual.”
In another 2016 Facebook post, Petties, who is black, used a slur to refer to other African Americans.
In the same post, Petties wrote: "A White boy walks into a house of worship and commits and act of terrorism, and he is taken into custody. Angry ass, dysfunctional White men, who’s (sic) lives are impetant (sic), fruitless, and dry in the face of all the damn advantages that White America provides for them, they kill at will.”
Cmdr. Elaine Bryant, who became commanding officer of the Professional Standards Section in January as part of Craig's restructuring of the unit, said: "That case fell through the cracks. An investigation was conducted and completed, and discipline was recommended. I don't know why the case was never forwarded to the Discipline Section."
Bryant said Petties took a lengthy medical leave after his case was investigated. She said when she began reviewing old cases after she assumed command, she found nobody had followed up on the investigator's recommendation that Petties be disciplined.
After discovering the problem, Bryant said: "We were waiting on him to return to work in order to serve him (with a discipline notice). He returned to work (two weeks ago), but now he's retiring (this week), so there's really nothing we can do. But we did try to adjudicate his case."
The issue of Detroit cops’ social media use made headlines earlier this year, when former officers Gary Steele and Michael Garrison were fired after Steele posted a Snapchat video mocking black motorist Ariel Moore.
Steele and Garrison, white officers who worked in the 6th Precinct, are heard on the video taunting Moore after they pulled her over and impounded her car Jan. 29 on Detroit's west side.
Bryant said Steele and Garrison were guilty of other infractions besides their social media posts.
"They had other things on their record, so we consider the totality of the circumstances, not just the social media posts," Bryant said. "They were ultimately fired because of issues with untruthfulness."
In September 2018, white probationary officer Sean Bostwick was fired after he posted on Snapchat: "Another night to Rangel (sic) up these zoo animals."
Because Bostwick was on probation, Craig said he was able to fire him without a discipline hearing, which tenured employees are entitled to under labor agreements with the Detroit Police Officers Association and Lieutenants and Sergeants Association unions.
Two weeks before Bostwick's termination, Sgt. Larry Campbell reposted the article on Facebook calling white men terrorists. He wrote above the article: "The truth isn't popular."
Internal affairs investigators recommended Campbell be disciplined, but the case was dismissed during an appeal, Bryant said.
"His case was appealed (in November 2018), and the case was dismissed at the appeal hearing," Bryant said. "I don't know why the case was dismissed.
"We can't go back and discipline officers on these cases that have already been heard and adjudicated," she said. "But (Campbell) was transferred out of that unit."
Mark Young, president of the Lieutenants and Sergeants Association, declined to comment about specific cases because he said he hadn't seen the posts by members of his union, Campbell and Petties.
But, Young added: "I think everyone should be careful what they post on social media, because they could offend citizens, and these are the people we risk our lives for. So why would we want to offend them?"
Detroit Police Officers Association union officials did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Although the two officers who avoided discipline are African American, Bryant said race was not a factor, pointing out that white officers who violated the social media policy also have kept their jobs.
Among them was Nate Weekley, who was demoted in 2016 after posting on Facebook that Black Lives Matter members were "racists" and "terrorists." He later regained his detective rank.
Officer Mario White, who is black, is awaiting discipline for several Facebook posts last year, Bryant said. One of the messages was posted after Arizona Sen. John McCain died on Aug. 25, 2018.
White posted a picture of former President George H.W. Bush and wrote: “RIP John McCain. I want to apologize for posting the wrong photo. Certain people look alike to me and Fox News.”
After a black woman climbed the Statue of Liberty on July 4, 2018, to protest President Donald Trump's immigration policies, White wrote: “More ignorance... . Wonder if she climbed her dumb black ass up there to protest mass incarceration of her own people?”
In other posts, White referred to Detroit citizens as “hood rats,” and mocked a mentally ill woman.
"He was found guilty of several violations, and he'll get a chance to appeal," Bryant said. "The case is still being adjudicated."
In what police officials say is another social media violation, Officer Royer Hernandez in 2017 posted to Facebook a photo of a rapper who'd been gunned down while sitting in his car on Detroit's east side.
Hernandez was among the officers who responded to the October 2017 shooting death of 29-year-old Rodney Yeargin, whose stage name was Doughboy Ric. Police officials say Hernandez removed a sheet covering the victim's face at the crime scene, snapped a cellphone picture, and posted it on Facebook.
Hernandez was suspended for 10 days, Bryant said. "Six of the days were served immediately, and he was allowed to hold the other four in abeyance for two years," she said.
Bryant said investigators also forwarded Hernandez's case to Wayne County prosecutors. "They determined there wasn't enough evidence to bring charges," she said.
2 ex-cops won't be charged over mocking Snapchat video
Detroit News
September 24, 2019
Criminal charges will not be filed against two former Detroit police officers who were heard on a Snapchat video mocking a black motorist after a traffic stop in January, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Tuesday.
“A thorough and complete review of the allegations against former Detroit Police Department Corporal Gary Steele and Officer Michael Garrison shows reprehensible, disturbing and unprofessional conduct following a January 29, 2019 police stop of a 24-year-old woman," Worthy said in a statement.
"However, we are charged with determining whether there is sufficient evidence to charge a crime," she said. "There is insufficient evidence to criminally charge either officer. The allegations reviewed could support other possible liability.”
Steele posted the video after a Jan. 29 traffic stop on Detroit's west side.
Steele and his partner Garrison, who are white, are heard on the video mocking Ariel Moore, the woman they'd pulled over.
The video, first aired by WXYZ-TV (Ch. 7) shows Moore walking home as Steele says "priceless" and "bye Felicia" with caption tags that read, "What black girl magic looks like," and "celebrating Black History Month."
Garrison is allegedly heard on the video saying "walk of shame."
Police Chief James Craig fired Steele and Garrison and the department submitted a warrant request to Wayne County prosecutors for possible criminal charges against Steele. He declined to comment Tuesday, saying he had not been notified of the decision by the prosecutor's office.
In a news release, Worthy's office said Steele did not create the video while conducting police business or while using police property. "The video was taken after, not during, the time the citizen was in custody," the release says. "There is insufficient evidence to show that during his interaction with the woman that he treated the woman unfairly or inequitably during the official police interaction."
After the video surfaced, Craig launched two investigations: An internal probe into the video itself; and an "environmental audit" of the 6th Precinct, where the two officers were assigned, to determine whether there was widespread racial animosity among officers.
In March, Craig said the audit found a racial divide, adding that Steele and Garrison fueled many of the hostilities. The chief said the two cops would often target black citizens to tow their vehicles at the end of their shift so they didn't have to respond to other runs.
Worthy also declined to issue charges against Steele in connection with an incident May 31, 2018, in which the officer arrested a woman while she was holding her infant child.
The prosecutor's office gave this account of the incident, which it said was captured on body cameras worn by Steele and other officers:
The woman, 23, admitted to police she had shot at someone else and claimed self-defense. When Steele told her she would be arrested, she refused to give the child to another officer for safekeeping until her mother arrived.
Steele offered to let the woman call her mother to get the baby but the woman declined, saying she wanted to walk a block away to give the infant to someone.
Steele told officers to take the child, which they did safely, but slipped her arm free when Steele went to arrest her and suffered a broken arm as the officer tried to handcuff her.
"The victim was objectively resisting arrest when her arm was fractured as Steele was trying to handcuff her," the prosecutor's office said in its statement. "The victim backed away repeatedly and said that she was not going to be arrested."
The statement added that Steele's force "appears reasonable and not done intentionally to cause harm."
Detroit officers fired after racist Snapchat won't face criminal charges
Fox News - Detroit
September 24, 2019
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Two Detroit police officers fired after a disparaging Snapchat post of a young woman during a traffic stop surfaced won't face criminal charges, the Wayne County prosecutor's office announced Tuesday.
The prosecutor's office investigated a racial incident from earlier this year that sparked concern and a department audit to determine whether the officers involved should be charged criminally.
On Jan. 28, former Cpl. Gary Steele and Michael Garrison of Detroit's 6th Precinct pulled over a young woman for an expired plate on Stout Street near Joy Road on the city's west side. Garrison told the woman, identified as Ariel Moore, to get out of the car so it could be towed. Steele didn't speak with the woman.
Moore was ticketed and was not permitted to drive the car home, but was told she could stay in the car until a tow truck came, the prosecutor's office said. She declined and decided to walk a block away to her home in cold temperatures.
"The incident was recorded on the DPD body worn camera (BWC) video. BWC evidence shows that Steele and Garrison treated the citizen fairly during the official police interaction," according to the prosecutor's office report.
The report states that's when Steele took a Snapchat video of the woman walking home with the filter "Black Girl Magic." It is alleged Garrison can be heard in the background saying "walk of shame," and Steele saying, "Bye Felisha" when the woman could no longer be seen.
According to the prosecutor's office analysis, the case was analyzed as misconduct in office. It was determined videotaping a person in public is lawful and it was taken after, not during, the time the person was in custody.
"There is insufficient evidence to show that during his interaction with the woman that he treated the woman unfairly or inequitably during the official police interaction," the report states.
Before the prosecutor's report, Detroit Police Chief James Craig spoke to media after the video surfaced and said the stop was lawful, but towing fees were paid for the woman and that an apology was issued.
Steele was investigated and Craig said there were a total of 24 allegations --11 sustained in three specific areas: his social media post, the improper characterization of a community member, and knowingly making false statements during interviews with internal officers.
Craig said the terms used were "derogatory, demoralizing and degrading, and yes, racially insensitive."
After 18 years with the department, Steele was fired. Craig said they conducted an environmental audit looking at the entire department.
"Keysha, Jakes, homie, and ghetto sledge... In what we determined through the environmental audit, ghetto sledge referenced vehicles operated by African Americans," said Craig.
Garrison and Steele were put on leave. While it was Steele who was caught on camera stating derogatory things and later fired for the incident, the review also found that Garrison demonstrated distrubing actions while on the job. Garrison was subsequently fired as well.
The chief said the officers would avoid working overtime by ticketing and towing cars at the end of their shift. A pattern later emerged showing the owners of those vehicles were primarily African American. However, others say that pattern extended beyond just one demographic.
Though neither officer will face criminal charges, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says the alleged conduct could support other possible liability, saying in a statement:
"A thorough and complete review of the allegations against former Detroit Police Department Corporal Gary Steele and Officer Michael Garrison shows reprehensible, disturbing and unprofessional conduct following a January 29, 2019 police stop of a 24-year-old woman. However, we are charged with determining whether there is sufficient evidence to charge a crime. There is insufficient evidence to criminally charge either officer. The allegations reviewed could support other possible liability."
Prosecutor: No charges against ex-Detroit police officers fired for Snapchat video
Detroit Free Press
Sept. 24, 2019
Charges will not be filed against two white ex-Detroit police officers who were fired amid an investigation into racist comments and social media posts about a traffic stop.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Tuesday there is "insufficient evidence to criminally charge" Gary Steele or Michael Garrison.
Steele was fired in February after a video on his Snapchat account showed him saying "priceless" and "bye Felicia" as a black woman walked home.
Her car was stopped for speeding and had an expired license plate.
The video's captions read "what black girl magic looks like" and "celebrating Black History Month."
Police announced in March that Garrison, Steele's partner, was fired after investigators found he had made disturbing comments about blacks and other minorities.
The Associated Press left a message seeking comment from the police union.
No charges issued against two DPD officers accused of posting racist Snapchat video
WXYZ News - Detroit
September 24, 2019
DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said they will not charge two former Detroit police officers accused of posting a racist Snapchat video.
WXYZ first broke the story in January. video posted to Snapchat showed a Detroit police traffic stop near Joy Road and Stout. In the video, the officer, identified as Corporal Gary Steele, makes a few condescending remarks toward 23-year-old Ariel Moore, an African American woman he instructed to walk home in below freezing weather. She was pulled over for having expired license tabs.
After learning of the post, Craig said the incident would be investigated thoroughly. Fifty-five people were interviewed during the investigation.
In February, Steele was fired, and a few weeks later, a second officer involved in the case, Officer Michael Garrison, was also fired.
Steele and Garrison observed a vehicle speeding without proper license plate tabs riven by a 24-year-old Detroit woman, the prosecutor's office said. They signaled for her to pull over, and Garrison told her why and "maintained a professional demeanor throughout the interaction."
The prosecutor's office said Garrison issued the woman a ticket, and she became upset when she was told she couldn't drive the car home, but could stay inside until a tow truck came. According to the office, she declined to stay in the car and said she lived around the corner, and she was having a video chat with a riend who said she could pick her up, but she declined and walked from her car to her home.
According to the prosecutor's office, the incident was recorded on DPD's boyd cameras, and evidence showed "Steele and Garrison treated the citizen fairly during the official police interaction."
As the woman walked away, the prosecutor's office said Steele recorded her from his phone and put the video on Snapchat. It had a filter saying "Black Girl Magic," and it is alleged that Garrison can be heard in the background saying, "Walk of shame," and after she can't be seen, Steele is heard saying, "Bye Felisha."
A warrant request was submitted for Steele but not Garrison.
“A thorough and complete review of the allegations against former Detroit Police Department Corporal Gary Steele and Officer Michael Garrison shows reprehensible, disturbing and unprofessional conduct following a January 29, 2019 police stop of a 24-year-old woman," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement. "However, we are charged with determining whether there is sufficient evidence to charge a crime. There is insufficient evidence to criminally charge either officer. The allegations reviewed could support other possible liability.”
According to the prosecutor, the case must be analyzed as a misconduct in office case. The prosecutor's office said that videotaping someone in public is lawful, and the First Amendment ensures that even hate speech is protected.
The prosecutor's office said that Stelle didn't create the video while exercising police duties or under color of office, and it was not taken using police custody. They said that the video was taken after, not during the time the woman was in custody, and there is insufficient evidence to show that during the interaction, he treated the woman unfairly.
"While the Snapchat Video and the comments made on it by Steele are abhorrent and unbecoming a law enforcement officer, it does not support a charge of misconduct in office. The alleged comment made by Garrison is also highly disturbing and unacceptable for a law enforcement officer. The alleged conduct is something that could support other possible liability," a statement read.
White Detroit cop claims racial, age bias after demotion over viral video
Detroit News
October 23, 2019
Detroit — A white Detroit police captain has filed a federal lawsuit claiming racial and age discrimination after he was demoted in the wake of a controversy surrounding a social media video that showed two white cops taunting an African American woman.
Gary Sroka, whose attorneys filed the suit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, was a captain in the 6th Precinct when the video surfaced in January. He says in the 11-page lawsuit that he and another white official were unfairly punished while black command staff escaped discipline.
"Defendants discriminated against and treated Sroka less favorably than similarly situated employees due to his race," said the lawsuit, which names the city and police department as defendants.
City attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
The video in question was uploaded to Snapchat by former officer Gary Steele, who, along with partner Michael Garrison pulled over motorist Ariel Moore on the city's west side Jan. 29 for an expired license registration. The officers ordered the vehicle impounded.
The clip shows shows Moore walking from the scene as Steele says "priceless" and "bye Felicia" with caption tags that read, "What black girl magic looks like," and "celebrating Black History Month." Garrison is heard on the video saying "walk of shame."
After the video went viral, police chief James Craig launched an "internal audit" of the 6th Precinct. Craig said the audit found a "racially tone deaf" culture at the precinct.
Steele and Garrison were fired in February, and Craig also told Sroka and another white captain, Kenneth Balinski, they could either retire or be demoted to lieutenant, said the lawsuit, which doesn't specify damages sought.
"Sroka chose to accept a demotion to lieutenant because he had no intention of retiring for several more years, while Balinski chose to retire," the lawsuit said.
Sroka said the video surfaced during his first week after being transferred to the 6th Precinct.
"Immediately upon release of the video, Sroka initiated directives within the 6th Precinct against racism and intended to address and omit any racial tensions or racially divided atmosphere within the 6th Precinct," the lawsuit said.
"Sroka was held by Craig as partially responsible for the racially discriminatory atmosphere in the 6th Precinct, although Sroka had not been with the 6th Precinct before or at the time the video was recorded and when the racially divided atmosphere in the 6th Precinct was developed and/or tolerated," the suit said.
"The commanding officers at the 6th Precinct while the racially divided atmosphere in the 6th Precinct was developed and/or tolerated and before the video was released and/or at the time of its release were Commanders Arnold Williams and Tiffany Stewart (Warren), both African American and both in their 40’s," the lawsuit said.
"Stewart, who had served as a Command Officer of the 6th Precinct before and when the video was filmed, moved to a different position within the DPD just before Sroka moved to the 6th Precinct," the lawsuit said.
The suit added: "Williams was a Command Officer at the 6th Precinct before and when the video was filmed, when it was released, when the racially divided atmosphere at the 6th Precinct was prevalent, and he remains as Command Officer of the 6th Precinct today.
"Neither Williams nor Stewart were demoted, disciplined, or held responsible for the racially divided atmosphere in the 6th Precinct under their commands," the lawsuit claimed.
A phone call to the Detroit Police Command Officers Association was not immediately returned Wednesday.
In March, Sroka was demoted to the lieutenant rank and assigned to the Assets and Licensing Department, "which job placement Sroka equated to being put out to pasture until retirement," the suit said.
"As a result of his demotion and re-assignment, Sroka has experienced loss of respect within the DPD, loss of self-esteem, loss of sleep, anxiety, depression, negative impact on his personal relationships, and other emotional damages," according to the lawsuit.
Sroka's attorney, Caitlin E. Malhiot, said Wednesday: "Our position is pretty detailed in the complaint. We’re looking for economic and emotional damages, although we haven’t made a demand for a specific number at this time."
Lawsuit claims white Detroit cop demoted because of his race following viral Snapchat video
Detroit Metro Times
October 23, 2019
Former Detroit police captain Gary Sroka is the subject of a recent federal lawsuit and is one of four commanding officers found to have exhibited “a lack of management, awareness, and action” regarding racial insensitivity within the precinct. Sroka, who is white, claims in an 11-page lawsuit obtained by The Detroit News that actions taken against him were the result of race and age discrimination.
The lawsuit is the result of an ongoing internal and environmental audit of Detroit's 6th Precinct launched earlier this year by Detroit Police Chief James Craig, stemming from the firing of two white Detroit Police officers who participated in a racially insensitive and now viral Snapchat video during which both men can be heard mocking a Black woman during a routine traffic stop.
Former officer Gary Steele shared a video after stopping 23-year-old Ariel Moore for an expired license plate tag on Jan. 29. The video, which was posted on Steele's personal Snapchat account, followed Moore as she walked home in frigid temperatures and included in-app captions, "What Black girl magic looks like" and "Celebrating Black History Month." Steele also said, "bye Felicia," while his partner Michael Garrison can be heard mocking Moore with comments like "walk of shame" that can be heard in the video.
The probe, which involved more than 100 interviews, revealed a racially toxic culture within the 6th Precinct fueled in part by the indifference of supervisors, including Sroka, though he had been transferred to the 6th Precinct a week prior to the video surfacing. As previously reported, two-thirds of the precinct’s afternoon shift were white male officers in a city where more than 80 percent of residents are Black.
Sroka claims within the lawsuit that the racial tone-deafness discovered by Craig's probe existed before his transfer and suggests that discipline for the intolerance or lack of awareness should fall equally on Arnold Williams and Tiffany Stewart, both of whom are Black and were acting commanding officers when the video was recorded.
The lawsuit states that Sroka had opted for demotion in March, which led to accepting a lieutenant ranking and reassignment to the Assets and Licensing Department rather than taking early retirement, as one of his fellow embroiled supervisors chose to do.
In a statement to The Detroit News on Wednesday, Sroka's attorney, Caitlin E. Malhio, said that they “haven't made a demand for a specific number at this time.” The lawsuit addresses claims that Sroka has suffered “loss of respect within the DPD, loss of self-esteem, loss of sleep, anxiety, depression, negative impact on his personal relationships, and other emotional damages.”
As of last month, it was decided that neither former Officer Steele nor Garrison would face criminal charges due to “insufficient evidence.”
Detroit police officer files lawsuit over Snapchat video
Click On Detroit
October 24, 2019
DETROIT – A Detroit police captain has filed a lawsuit claiming racial discrimination after being demoted over a controversial Snapchat video.
Gary Sroka claims he and another white officer were unfairly punished while a black command member was not disciplined.
The video in question uploaded by former Officer Gary Steele shows a black woman walking home after having her car was towed with the caption "Black girl magic."
Steele was fired in February.
How troubled cops stay on Michigan police forces, even after being fired
Channel 7 News - WXYZ Detroit
June 23, 2020
Arbitrator's decisions kept or promoted officers after departments took action
(WXYZ) — As cities grapple with how police departments should change in the wake of nationwide protests, questions are being raised about how troubled officers have been allowed to stay on some police forces, even when their own department doesn’t want them.
In 2015, the Detroit Police Department moved to fire Michael Garrison for shooting a deer in a public park, then providing false statements to investigators.
Garrison appealed the department’s decision to an arbitrator, who ruled that Garrison should be suspended, not terminated, for 60 days. He returned to the police force.
Four years later, a racist Snapchat video surfaced showing Garrison and his partner mocking a black woman whose car they had just impounded, using filters that said “Celebrating Black History Month” and “Black Girl Magic.”
Garrison was fired again. But critics of the police arbitration system say it shouldn’t have taken two terminations to remove him from the department.
“In this state in general, and the city of Detroit, the police unions are very strong and very powerful,” said William Davis, a member of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners.
Through their union contracts, officers in Detroit and elsewhere are entitled to appeal terminations and other discipline to an arbitrator. Critics say it allows troubled cops to stay on the force and commit more bad acts.
“Police officers should be held to a higher standard,” Davis said, “not a lower standard.”
DPD officer Dewayne Jones was caught on camera repeatedly punching a combative mentally ill woman in a Detroit hospital. He ultimately pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault.
Jones stayed on the force and was soon eligible for a promotion. When Detroit’s Board of Police Commissioners learned that he could soon be elevated, they voted 9-0 to block his promotion.
But an arbitrator overruled the board. Today, Jones is a sergeant.
“A lot of these officers, they know the game,” police commissioner Daryl Brown.
Arbitration relies heavily on past practice. In the case of Sgt. Jones, he was eligible for a promotion, because years earlier, a different officer with a similar disciplinary history was promoted, too.
“The other thing a lot of them try to harp on is past practice,” Brown said. “And that’s what we have to lean towards. Is changing these practices that are bringing these officers back.”
In 2018, Michigan State Police fired Trooper Ethan Berger. He was involved in the death of Damon Grimes after chasing him in his ATV, allowing his partner to shoot him with a taser.
MSP said Berger violated their road block policy, lied to investigators and filed a false police report. They wanted him fired, but an arbitrator decided to only suspend him.
“I don’t think arbitration is the problem,” said Jim Tignanelli, President of the Police
Officers Association of Michigan. “I think it helps us resolve the dispute more quickly.”
Tignanell says arbitration allows employment disputes to be resolved without clogging up courtrooms and points out that both sides have to agree on which arbitrator will decide a case.
“I hear too often that unions are only here to protect bad cops,” he said. “And I resent that because the fact of the matter is, a bad cop makes all of our guys work a little harder.”
Trooper Dan Thompson was fired by MSP in 2017 following a traffic stop where he pulled over what turned out to be the son of a county sheriff.
After the trooper found marijuana in the car, he placed a call to the sheriff which was recorded by his dash camera.
“I'm willing to do whatever to make this go away man, just between me and you,” he said.
MSP said the young man admitted to selling marijuana, but Thompson wrote he was arrested for only possession.
State police say Thompson lied to investigators about the arrest and tried to fire him. But the arbitrator gave him his job back, as WJRT reported in 2018.
“Does a cop calling another cop offering to make something go away sound like a cop we should be employing?” asked Channel 7’s Ross Jones.
“It does if you’re the guy who’s on the other end of the phone,” said Tignanelli, adding that the officer has discretion.
Police reform advocates say it’s time that, at a minimum, departments challenge arbitration awards that bring troubled officers back to the force.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Commissioner William Davis said. “Police officers have a very (thankless), very difficult, underpaid job.”
“But you know when we have bad actors, there should be some consequences.”
