If someone in the room could talk, if someone in the room could talk, I'd feel more confident.
Can you hear me?
I, can I, I can.
I just took my phone off mute. I was just wondering, can you hear
me? I I can hear Yeah. Whoever said
yeah, this is Chaplain Powell. I was just wondering, can you hear me? I
can hear the chaplain.
Okay, all right, that's me. You
Yes, I can please. I can hear you. I
All right, can you hear me? I just unmuted myself. Can you hear well?
I Yeah, sorry, I was on I was on mute. I had trouble getting unmuted. Okay, all right, yeah, I put it
we're off the record.
I may include so stand by.
Okay. I was muted. Sorry.
Recording in Progress. You.
Okay, this Is my microphone. I
I don't hear anything from the room. I
miss Joshua, can you hear us in the room?
Yes, she can hear us. I don't the court reporter can't hear us, so it's got to be on his head, okay?
Well, he should be able to transcribe from what the recorded meeting, right? Alright? And so, being that we don't have a quorum right now, we want to open it up to public comment.
Well, Mr. Brown, let me. Let me tell you that I could hurt like the guy with a cell phone. I could hear it perfectly,
continue to meet you. Just gotta.
Do you? Do you think that other people are going to be able to hear this. Yes. All right,
Mr. Chair, we have four speakers. Our first speaker will be ms Shanita Williams, then Ms, Hitchcock Minister Eric blunt and Miss Bernice Smith, please state your name and speak in the mic.
Two minutes on this. Hello, everyone. My name is sharnita Williams, is that clear enough?
Yes, yeah, speak to the chair, okay.
Was that clear enough? Chair, yes, okay, I like to discuss what's going on. Um, concerning undercover officers in at 12 900 West Chicago, as two male officers. One name is Frankie one. My name is Mr. Bowman, and like I stated before, they are preying on women in the air, sleeping with them, and they continue to violate my civil rights every day. It is like four other undercover police women in that facility also, and like the deputy chief said, is not on books, but somebody gave them the the authority to be at that facility. And like I said before, they endanger my life every time I go out of that facility, my constitutional rights is being violated, illegal cameras listen devices in my room when I get undressed the garbage truck come every week to disclose, I mean, every day, to get rid of the evidence that police officers are sponsoring people at that facility to spy and watch over me, and my devices are being hacked into constantly in rerouted. I can't even make no doctor's appointments because they continue to reroute my cause and hack into my devices. And I have an issue with this. Just been going on three and a half years, but since I've been this facility, it's been it's going on seven months. So somebody needs to find out what's going on, because everybody say, oh, it's no officers in there. Here's a hospital ban from an officer that's from in that shelter, so I want to know who gave them permission, and then especially in there watching over Nikita Wilson, after all this illegal stuff she had done to me.
Alright. Thank you,
Miss Hitchcock. Again, everyone, please state your name for the record.
Can we get to time placed on
Good afternoon? You could go ahead speak good
afternoon.
My name is Agnes Hitchcock. I've been down here before because a Detroit police officer decided not to do her job. I have a letter. I put a package on your desk. In that package is a letter from the state of Michigan to me, and that package is also a letter from Justin St Clair, who works as an investigator in the Office of Chief Investigator. And also there's a letter in that pack from Detroit water and sewage department. Now, what happened was a rogue plumbing company by the name of any moment, plumbing company came into the alley where I live and dug 15 feet down into the infrastructure. They had been in that alley for more than a week. I'm retired. I don't have a life, and I very seldom take my car out of the garage. One day, I decided to leave my garage while this plumbing company was working, three lots for me. As soon as I take my dog, I had a doctor's appointment. I was late for it. I take my dog out to the back fence and strap him to the back fence. I get in my car and pull it into the alley to save time. As soon as I park my car, one of those plumbers run up to my car and say, You can't park there. I did a head snap because I knew he wasn't talking to me, so I went on about my business. Next thing I know, another plumber, from any moment, plumbing company, a rogue plumbing company, walks up to me and say, You can't park your car there. I have a cement truck coming he didn't know how to talk to me. He could have asked me. Told me kindly that missed. I'm working in the alley down the street, and I have a cement truck coming. How long you going to be? No chair? Beg your pardon? Time? Time. Yes, okay, so
excuse me, Miss Scott's, um, that that's the, that's, that's the two
rope me that I am not going to pay. They had no right to barricade that alley. They had no right to My Brides. They had no right to do any of that Okay,
before to do
something about it. So here's what it is, I
am. You're out of time. They're there to work with you. He's right behind you. He's right behind you, to work with you, because
in all of a sudden he's not. Going to do it because me,
I'm not going to steward you. Miss, miss, miss his Cox. Miss his Cox. Ma'am,
can I speak
to you through the chair? Speak here to the chair?
Excuse me, ma'am, Miss. Miss Scott, thank you, but thanks
to the chair. Minister blunt through the Chair,
I like to talk with miss his cost is definitely a district five resident.
Excuse me, you're not recognized at this point. You're not recognized at this point.
You said you one of my constituents. I'm gonna talk
with her. Okay, so,
yeah, y'all be nice. You know, one order in here, point of order, point of order. Mother Smith, Mother Bernice. We doing this in decent, decency and in order. You point of order, please. Minister blunt,
good afternoon board. I'm Minister Eric blunt from Sacred Heart Catholic church right here in Detroit, I'm calling for a moment of silence. Yeah. For Sonia Massey, you
Thank you. Yes, sir, if you don't know, she was murdered by police officers unjustly, but it just goes to show how quickly and easily things can get out of hand with law enforcement. And in fact, just here in Detroit, the innocent black man charged with murdering Samantha Wolf is still in prison. The only charges that have really been approved is lying to police officers. Why do I bring that up? Because it is legal for a law enforcement person to lie to citizens. You see how sick this system is. So the lady before me has a right to be upset. It's It's crazy to deal with this system, and just this week, the Metro times documented in detail how law enforcement in this city has legally lied to residents, or should I just say, less told less than the truth. So we ought to be very compassionate with our citizens. The deck is stacked against us. Many systems and law enforcement are oppressive and downright wrong. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister,
Miss Bernie Smith, followed by Mr. Tyrone Allen, followed by Miss fridia Butler.
I'm Bernice Smith, former police commissioner under Coleman Young he has signed me in 1973 I have been dealing with the police department for years. I know their ins and outs. I just come back from Memphis, Tennessee, compared to what the crime is down there is outrageous. We are. We're like in heaven. Whoever heard of a man raping a woman in a car, in a car, right in front of a boyfriend. There are other crimes that I heard about when I was down there. I'm not going to take the time of my three minutes, but the fact is, we are doing a hell of a good job here in this city. I'm proud of my police department. They're doing the best that they can. They have problems, true enough, but give them a break and let them do their job, and stop coming here every week and complaining and complaining and complaining. If you made a complaint, let it work out, let them do what they had to do for it. I get deceptive when people come here talk about some BS all the time and the same thing, and then you got a commissioner that he's no better off than what they are, because he doesn't help control the people that come here. Now, I am very much disgusted because of the fact that we do not have people that respect the police department. They're out there taking care of us. When they put that uniform on, they are risking their lives. We don't realize it, but I realize it. I'm down there at Greektown every weekend. I see what they do down there. I see the confusion that they have to endure down there. So I know what I'm talking about. I'm not just standing here for nothing. I don't come here every week and tell you this and that we got to do better. The citizens got to do better. You got to respect the police. They're doing their job, and they're trying to do the best job that they can do. And I will not stand for these people come down here and complain about the police all the time. Let them do their job, because I believe that they trying the best they would that they can. And I want all of you to know you better pray sometimes, because God is watching all of us
time. Mr. Chair, thank you.
Mr. Allen Scott,
good afternoon for the record. My name is Tyrone Allen. I'm precinct delegate in 208. Very briefly, this is my issue. Chief White made an announcement a few, a couple of weeks ago, based on that pop up party incident, that there would be new emphasis placed on, you know, the pop up parties going on all over the city. I live in Palmer Park. I live directly behind Unity Temple. The officers at number 12, they do a great job of vacating the park at night. But what they're missing is that those people leave the park and they park right on the corner of second and Covington, which is my street, these people pull up, and I have evidence to prove what I'm telling you right now. They've got one guy in particular. He'll pull up, he'll reach in his truck and come up with a Bluetooth tooth speaker and place it on the ground, and he's out there bumping music as loud as he it will go sometimes until daybreak. That that's just totally unacceptable. And you know, in my situation, I'm a disabled veteran with the PTSD diagnosis, and nobody, nobody should have to be exposed to any anything like that. I reached out to number 12 a number of times. And you know, they send out cars when I dial 911, but again, this is happening for every night I've been there for 12 years. I didn't just move there, and this is as bad as I've seen it. Thank you.
Thank you, Deputy Chief, can you get someone to respond to that for can you respond and have someone address that concern
through the chair? Sir? Yes, sir, I took some notes. Commander chambers is right there. He'll get your information and we'll make sure that's taken care of for you, sir. Thank
you. Yes, sir, yeah, we would have a quorum. But Commissioner Burton is outside, and he has to be seated in order for us to have this meeting, to have a quorum in here. And it's very, very unfortunate to our candidates, who's had to be interviewed for Secretary through the
through the Chair,
can we go? I mean, let's,
let's get him. I mean,
I mean, we
made that attempt. He's going on. Commissioner Presley is out there trying to get that address. So, okay, the next public commenter, okay, Mr.
Jackie hunt,
how's everyone? So I'm here to again bring up the point about the abandoned vehicles and the police towing it, towing them. I want to bring up some more points. I happen to just drive around the city and I saw one or two or a few of the orange stickers on cars. Mine happened to be legally parked, insurance, insured, etc, etc, but I still receive three stickers. It seems that you're taking poor people's cars, especially at this time of election, and they surely may not be able to even drive to a precinct this what August 1. So I think that's inappropriate, but I wonder, is anybody speaking for those like me who are just happen to be poor, and we certainly can barely afford the insurance, and maybe it's a different maybe you can do nothing about it. I know the legislature, maybe the mayor, but the last person who tried, before the legislature did this, this new thing with Sharon mcfeld, and after she got, I suppose, what she needed elected or appointed somewhere, we heard nothing. Detroit has heard nothing about trying to reduce insurance for the city, and I understand this new law from the state. People are disgusted with it because it's not doing what they thought it would do. So you're taking our cars, poor people's cars, and nothing in return. The mayor is anybody? Does anybody have his ear so that we can get underneath, get away from this, just seemingly, seemingly picking on the poor and their cars or their homes or their property taxes so high, etc, etc. That's my point. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Vice Chair.
Excuse me, sir, through the chair so the last speaker in regards to your car being told, are your plates current you
can you come back up to the mic, sir,
not a problem. It was not told. It was in front of the house. Each time it received three orange stickers.
Oh, abandons, abandonment stickers. So I'm asking, Are your plates current on your vehicle? Yes,
yes, they are. But it seems like Detroit police does not know that they can run the 60 Well, in my case, I got 60 day temporary plate. Seems they don't know that they can run that, or can they
so you have a temporary plate on your car. You can just consistently getting a temporary plate instead of getting a permanent plate for your car. Is that I'm just trying to find out the confusement of why you're getting ticketed. I have now a temporary plate, and you keep getting a temporary plate instead of the two weeks that you are supposed to have one and then get a permanent plate. No, no, no, no, no. It's
not two weeks. It's either, this is State of Michigan law, and that's what when I talk to officers like at the church the last time, do they know about these temporary plates? Evidently, they don't, from what I get in my head, okay,
okay, okay. Well, thank you, sir. I just was trying to get an understanding.
Thank you.
All right. Next public commenter,
Sir, we're going to go into zoom, Miss Butler. Oh, I'm sorry you
Good afternoon commissioners.
Good afternoon
commissioners in the Detroit Free Press. July 21 it was reported that Mayor Duggan tops. Mayor duggan's top officials don't live in the city. It confirmed what I believe, that we are not highly thought of. If you recall a statement made by Mr. Carmack that the mayor doesn't care about you other than being who he is, are you contributing to that narrative? You are in the position to show leadership. Are you? Are you performing the job of doing the work you were elected or appointed to do commissioners that have been coming here for several years, and you have been looking for a secretary. You had two people who I thought performed well, and you fired them. You hired two other people, and one is no longer here. For the first time, we heard people being interviewed for the job of Secretary, and what happened? I thought several of them qualified, and you did not choose one of them. What is that saying about you? Wake up and get your act together. Do you like yourselves that you can't work together? We are a great people. Let's live up to that. There are people listening to these meetings, and I'm ashamed when Minister blunt and others make such demeaning statements before this body out of fear or receive crumbs. Let all of us represent our better selves. This is a new day. Let's stand up, listen, read and learn and move forward. Thank you.
Thank you. Next public commenter, and we still waiting on quorum. Commissioner Bernard was in court, and she's supposed to be here right after court, so hopefully she's on her way. And of course, Commissioner Burton is outside
in the hallway. We're going into zoom. Our next speaker will be Scotty Bowman.
You may be heard,
okay. First question is, is it possible to yield my two minutes over to Agnes Hitchcock,
she's not in a role,
okay? Again, I just wanted to say that she was starting to tell us something. And whatever it was, I'm certain that it was not frivolous, because I know Agnes Hitchcock over the years, and when she brings up an issue, it is something of substance. It is not a trivial matter. And I really hope that her concerns are addressed. And I just wanted to get that out there right away.
Mr. Bowman, she's back in the rooms. If you want her to yield her, you want to yield her to Remainer your time, you can do that.
I'd like to do that. What's the remainder of the time?
125 125
Thank you. Once again, the state of Michigan sent me a letter as a result of that ticket from the police officer, which was a ticket for driving in a construction zone which did not exist. Those plumbers were not city contractors. They did not have a permit to be in the alley, and they had no right to barricade my garage. Now the state of Michigan has sent me a letter saying that I need to go to driving school because of those tickets that officer gave me, and that the person who teaches me how to drive cannot charge me more than $100 and then, if I don't go to driving school for those illegal tickets that she gave me, they tell me that two points are going to go on my driver's license, which will be forwarded To my insurance company, resulting in an increased rate. I keep explaining to you that you need to get those tickets out of the system. If you had a side piece and she got a ticket, you would pull that ticket out of the system. So just pretend and go and get that ticket out of the system. And I thank you so much for this one minute, 25 seconds.
Thank you. Next public public commenter,
our next public speaker will be former Commissioner William Davis.
Oh, good afternoon. Can I be heard? Yes,
you may be hurt. Okay,
I think that this board needs to do something to help Miss Agnes Hitchcock, I've been knowing that for years. And you cannot continue to allow White contractors come into our city and abuse our black women that you know, and you cannot continue. That's a problem that's gotten worse as more and more of our police officers live outside the city. You know, police officers, there should be more incentives for them to live in the city. You also try to come up with more incentives, but y'all need to help. Miss Agnes Hitchcock today, you know, also Tyrone Allen about the issue over in Palmer park, you know, those apartment Park Apartments, that's been going on for years. I know of you know, action needs to be taken. It seems like action is only happens when there's certain people complaining. You know, we need to make sure that everybody in this city is treated correctly, and everybody have rights. And you know, people rights are not being, you know, pushed over because, you know, I remember when Coleman Young got elected in 1973 and took office in 7019 74 that's when the police commission was formed. In July 74 I know we have some people that are confused, but you know, we need to make sure that we are doing all we can to help the people the city of Detroit.
And also, I
think it's, you know, criminal that this board does not have a quorum half the time. You know, I worked for the city Detroit, for the water department for 34 years, if I didn't go to work, you know, you know, you know something needs to happen. Y'all need to have tighter standards. Y'all need to make sure that you know if people are tuning in or coming down into the board meetings, that the board members are going to be there and be there on time. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Next public commenter,
our last speaker will be caller with the last three digits, 124,
you may be hurt. Are you there? Public commenter,
yes, good afternoon. May I be hurt? Yes, okay, thank you. Please check things out. I came in, raised my hand, checked it, and it had been lowered. So it sounds like somebody wrote Miss Agnes Hitchcock a fraudulent ticket that really needs to be checked into, because they can't just make stuff up to make up a ticket. Also, what you're seeing there is there's in certain areas like the north end, there's a whole lot of gentrification pressure. And frankly, I think the way the city's going about business is causing a lot of undue tension that makes it more difficult for a police officer. I support police officers, not all of them, because you need to clean house with the bad ones. But and it seems like, I hear there's like heavy enforcement going on in the north end, the neighborhood police officer who I've been asking her to locate an arsonist who cut his tether off. See, I found out she's going around ticketing people for having cars parked on their own property. Supposedly, that's because of possible red infestation. But my neighbor, they're hitting up, and I think is being targeted because people want his property, not that they really care, because I know he wouldn't have rats in there. So it seems very un American to be hitting people up for $250 tickets just because the cars parks are in their own property and there's no leaking oil or anything. It seems so un American, but that you're using the neighborhood police officers to do that instead of go deal with these other issues, like somebody should have come to that situation and de escalated it and investigate it, instead of turn around and give her tickets and they there's a lot going on, folks, people are very stressed out. That's why we need trauma, informed care. I imagine the police officer timer, but a lot of the residents do, and the way people are being treated, secretive, planning, false narratives, seven stuff down their throats, ticketing, enforcement, but, oh, some people get ticketed, but some people don't. Oh, do
alright. Thank you everyone. It appears that we now have a quorum. I would ask Mister brown to do the introductions of commissioners. Yes.
Commissioner Bill next for an excuse absent Commissioner Burton,
Mr. Chairman, I gotta step back out to be with one of my constituents and check on them. They came before the board and they spoke to them public comments. So excuse me for a moment. I'm present, but Excuse
me. Oh. Well, you're
not present now, you know, and it's holding up our meeting. And it's very, very disgraceful that we will treat citizens like this, you know. And I apologize to the citizens of the city of Detroit for this type of behavior. You guys do not deserve it. You do not deserve it in no shape, form or fashion. He is an elected official, and he represent district five, and it's a sad day in the city of Detroit that we was treat citizens in this regard. We highly respect you. We highly regard you. We listen very intently. And everything that we could do in our power to be able to represent your your complaints and interests, we're going to do that to the best of our ability. You know, we can't take cases from the top to the bottom. We have a process. We have complaints that we have to get through, and we working hard to get through, and we need the staff to be able to do this, to be able to do the business of other people of the city of Detroit, and we all took an oath, and I am very, very sorry that you are being treated like this by certain commissioners. Okay, no, out versus, please.
Alright, so Mr. Chair, is there any other matter of business that can be handled in our amended agenda? Do we already do announcements or the Secretary's Report? Mr.
Secretary, thank you for calling that to our attention. Mr. Secretary, yeah.
Mr. Chair, under my report, you have two incoming correspondence, both from from the chief investigator. And so those are in your package, and I go to announcements. The next bopc meeting is Thursday, August, 1 2024, at 3pm that meeting is held here at Detroit Public Safety headquarters. Address 130, 1/3, street, and the next community meeting will be Thursday, August 8, 2024, at 6:30pm with the fifth precinct hosting. And that will take place at WC three, Eastern campus that addresses 5901, Connor Street, Detroit, Michigan, 40 213, and those are the announcement. Mr. Chair.
I Okay? Thank you so much,
Mr. Chair. I think that we will unfortunately have to reschedule the interviews that we have for today, noting that it looks like we're not going to be able to maintain a quorum, and saying that, I think we've amended, I mean, we have expended, rather all of the amended agenda that we can have. Either you can call for recess and see if that provides us enough time for Commissioner Bernard to arrive, but if not, then unfortunately, we will have to reschedule it. And again, I express my apologies to the two remaining candidates, because this would be the second time that we have rescheduled, and I recognize that comes with travel obligations and schedule changes and the like. So please do on behalf of the commission, accept my apologies for our inability to be effective in moving forward with these interviews. But Mr. Chair, what's your desire,
I will ask for a five minute recess so that we can be able to try to get Commissioner Bernard on the Phone. Thank you. We are in recess.
Recording stopped you.
I he should have signed for
he should have signed. That's okay. Yeah, thank you.
So he told me what, he told me what I should've did. Yeah, was a half
service, and we make him a panelist. Okay.
Yeah, tolerated Police Department. We tolerate. I
outlet. You want a new story, go out there and see Commissioner Burton outside, so we won't have a quorum. That's your news story, but that's your news story.
Oh, she from
the paper. Yes, that's your news story.
Come here. Imma
give you some News. You stories.
Yes, all right. Recording in Progress.
Excuse me, thank you.
There was another public commenter. Is that person available? Yes, alright, yep, you may be heard. You gotta come to the mic. Yep, you
it Good afternoon. My name is Tom Robbins third, and I'm coming in to help a fellow citizen, Agnes Moore, Agnes Hitchcock, oh, said the actress and she's I want to give my minutes to her trying to
continue. Yeah, yep,
yeah, you maybe heard Miss his cop. You have two minutes. Excuse me, how much? How many times? 144 144
okay. 144 this is my letter from Detroit water and sewage department, Mrs. Hitchcock. 276, East Philadelphia, Detroit, Michigan. Please find this correspondence as a follow up to the communications you provided on February 2124 22 water and sewage department and the Board of Water commissioners regarding any moment, plumbing and yourself, we are saddened by the report and accounts of events transpired as described by Mrs. Hitchcock. Your comments have been received and an investigation has been conducted. Upon review, Detroit water and sewage has determined any moment, plumbing is not a DWS hired vendor or contractor. Furthermore, DWSD did not authorize work to be completed at or near 276 East Philadelphia, and was not on site during the incident which Mrs. Hitchcock described. DWSD security will leave the case file open in the event any further information is presented. Should you have any questions? Should you have any further questions or concerns? Please, do not hesitate to reach out to our office directly. A copy of this letter will be submitted to B, O, W, C, on March 6, 2024, thank you for being a valued customer. Respectfully. Matthew Phillips, Chief of Staff, customer service officer, Board of Water commissioners. Thank you.
Thank you. Chief Investigator warfare, do we have a complaint on file from missiscop,
yes, Mr. Chair,
yes, we do have a complaint on file.
Are you ready? Well, he's
he recognized that we do have one. So we have. Thank you so much. Miss Cisco.
If anybody else wants to give me some minutes, I've
got to what is your pleasure for
entertaining? Well, not entertaining. Not to chair anymore. I move that we adjourn.
Motion made by Commissioner Presley, second
with discussion, yes, sir, I'll just be entirely brief. I think we owe the public an apology. We have made several attempts. This is not just the first attempt that we've done at attempting to fill this vacancy, this critical vacancy that we have, as many of you know, the board secretary is often viewed as the executive director of the board of police commissioners. It's very unfortunate that there is division in the sense of calling out appointees versus elected individuals on this body. I think what you have noticed, and you can go back and see minutes and you can see the consistency we have our members here, whether we be elected, whether we be appointed, I think there is a unity component to what we're trying to accomplish. We would ask that you exercise your voice in the future. Should that be your pleasure? In terms of just having better attendance, having quorum, not stepping outside, not attempting to disrupt the process that we're trying to achieve. Because again, this process has been ongoing for over a year, and apologies to the candidates as well as we understand that most of you have traveled from quite a distance, but we look forward to connecting with you offline to be able to reschedule these meetings.
Yeah, and I would like to deeply apologize from the bottom of my heart to to the citizens of the city of Detroit and as well as to the candidates. And you know, we should have a another Commissioner take seat very, very soon, and we're going to work very, very hard to maintain a quorum so that we can be be able to do the people's business in this setting. But rest assure that OCI is fully staffed right now, and OCI is doing the work of the people of the city of Detroit, we have some real, great, talented new investigators that take that's just came in. And if I'll just just say, ask Mr. Warfare to take a couple of minutes and just to be able to share to the public where those how that process is working for us now, and we're working very hard to tackle the backlog and be able to attack the issues that as they come and
Mister Chair, not to disrupt your prerogative, but we are in the midst of a motion for adjournment.
Absolutely, thank you, absolutely, I stand corrected, and I apologize to my constituents, but the motion was made by Commissioner Presley and it was second by Commissioner Hernandez, all in favor? Well, I guess we can't
necessarily vote, so yeah,
yeah, okay, all in favor say, aye, aye. The motion is carried. We are in adjournment.
Did you want to shorten? I don't
think about like that.
Like that
today. You too. So we should tell people ever when they go votes. Now, here's what I want to know. It's like time setting. Oh, you too. You too, sir. I don't think so you might explore that. Okay?
you know, Friday's, my number is still a work day, for people that for five o'clock, you might actually find more participating, phone calls, report. Oh, absolutely got taken.
