Politics

Detroit Cops' Misdeeds Cost Tens of Millions of Dollars -- WXYZ

May 29, 2015, 8:10 AM

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Detroit pays dearly for police misconduct.

The city has paid out about $27 millions in police misconduct lawsuits since 2008, including cases that involved shootings and unnecessary force, Ross Jones of WXYZ reports. 

Over about seven years, the station says, more than 300 people have been awarded judgments or settlements ranging from $500 to more than $3 million.

"It’s good for my business,"  attorney Dan Romano, who has dozens of pending suits against Detroit Police, tells WXYZ.  "It’s bad for the City of Detroit."

Cases Jones cites include one from September 2010 that began on Fairport Street in Detroit when officers encountered two dogs while investigating a possible crime. They called animal control employee Robert Cole for help.

Both officers shot at the dogs, the suit says, but accidentally hit Cole twice.  An arbitrator ruled that the city owed him $520,000.

In another case,  Detroit Police arrested Craig Graves near Mt. Elliott and Sylvester for drug possession.

While placing him under arrest, a Detroit cop allegedly shot him in the back while he was face-down on the ground.  Graves settled for $250,000.

Jones reports that other cities of similar size paid out far less than Detroit. He reports that over 10 years, Denver paid out $13 million.  In Minneapolis, police misconduct cost taxpayers $21 million.


Read more:  WXYZ


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