When you hear about ‘defunding the police,’ consider this recent development in Detroit. The Detroit Police Department has taken action by removing over 30 officers from active duty due to the discovery that they were operating without valid law enforcement licenses.
These officers, who were part of critical divisions such as homicide, road patrol, and the special victims unit, which handles sensitive cases of child abuse, domestic violence, and sex crimes, have been placed on administrative duty until the issue is resolved.
Assistant Chief Charles Fitzgerald stated, “As of this morning, their guns and badges were taken from them. They’ll be on administrative duty until we get this cleared up, hopefully as soon as possible.” The Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards revealed that a total of 32 officers were found to be without a valid license.
An investigative report by ABC 7 WXYZ highlighted that the issue came to light two months ago when an officer was found to have an inactive license, triggering an audit that uncovered numerous similar cases.
Fitzgerald emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “That is a big problem. We’re working through the list, we’re trying to figure out what’s needed, where we need to get the documentation necessary.” MCOLES Executive Director Tim Bourgeois mentioned that the commission is evaluating each officer’s eligibility for license reactivation on a case-by-case basis and collaborating with DPD to ensure compliance.
Commissioner Ricardo Moore expressed his shock, stating, “It’s very shocking. I think that our personnel director needs to answer a couple questions to the board.” The investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being made to address this issue promptly.
Loading…