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Flint Citizens Service Bureau probed

Friday, May 11, 2007

FLINT (WJRT) (WJRT) -- (05/10/07)--Five months ago, Flint's mayor created the Citizens Service Bureau -- five Flint police officers tapped to lead the city's crime fighting efforts.

Flint Mayor Don Williamson claimed this bureau would spend their time serving the people patrolling the streets and answering 911 calls and complaints.

But instead it appears their main job is to serve the mayor.

You may remember that the five officers never had to go through the proper application or promotional process.

Public records show some get paid almost as much as the chief of police, but five months after the bureau was created, many within the department still question what they do.

The Citizens Service Bureau is a handful of hand-picked officers. They are inspectors Ralph Tedford, Jermaine Reese, Connie Johnson, David Dicks. And Major John Keahey has been chosen as their leader.

"I picked the best-qualified people -- four men and one woman -- to guide the city," Williamson said.

In the beginning, Williamson claimed the officers would be on the front line of crime, tackling complaints and answering 911 calls.

They were given their own take-home police vehicles, larger salaries and more responsibility. But over time it appears their job description changed.

"I see them walking in the halls, I see them go to the meetings at City Hall -- sometimes I don't know what they're doing," said Flint Police Union President Keith Speer.

And either do several members of the Flint community.

"Ladies and gentleman, that is a scam squad," said Alex Harris of Flint, addressing the City Council.

Some residents say they are worried that their tax dollars are being squandered away for the sole purpose of supporting the mayor's agenda.

"And what have their services provided?" Harris said. "They show up at community meetings en mass to show up as a political vehicle for Don Williamson."

That's where we found Dicks. And sure enough, after we showed up, so did the rest of the inspectors, who claim their job is to act as administrators to the public.

"(We) inspect city services that are rendered to the public every day, facilitate block clubs, crime watches," Dicks said.

But when it comes to the crime itself, the police department's front line is taking a back seat.

According to the Flint police case assignment search, from December 2006 to April 2007, the five members of the Citizens Service Bureau responded to 348 emergency calls and 15 complaints.

We compared those numbers to an average officer who works the day shift. In the same time frame, one particular officer alone answered 464 911 calls and 105 complaints.

That's 33 percent more calls and seven times as many complaints than the five people who make up the bureau.

"I believe you get what you pay for," Dicks said.

The numbers show they are not doing as much police work, but according to their contracts, in some cases they're being paid nearly twice as much as the average officer.

Flint's Department of Human Resources shows that an officer who's been on the force five years makes around $50,000.

Contracts for the inspectors show they are being paid more than $70,000. And as for Keahey, he makes nearly $80,000.

"They make more than anyone in this building except the police chief," Speer said.

And they're expected to make even more this year. If this year's budget is approved, the city is expected to fund the bureau at the cost of $482,000.

"That doesn't surprise me. That just shows just shows the citizens what they're getting," Speer said.

"You're not getting much bang for your buck. That's close to a half a million dollars into that bureau, and what are you getting for it? You're getting smiles and waves, smiles and waves."

Some say the bureau is just the mayor's public relations unit.

"Well, you have to ask the mayor about that," Dicks said. "If we are, there's nothing wrong with having a public relations unit within the police department."

So we asked mayor Williamson. But he chose not to comment since his bureau is now the subject of litigation.

Speer says morale is at an all-time low, mainly because the officers in the bureau were not promoted on experience or performance.

In fact, many claim reverse discrimination and Speer says around 100 members of the Flint Police Department have filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.

"You could see well over 100 lawsuits filed in the city of Flint," Speer said. "That's not Chicken Little screaming, 'The sky is falling.' That's a very real possibility."

They are also lawsuits that could theoretically break the city. Speer says it's all because Williamson wanted to create his own personal public relations unit, and he is using the public's tax dollars to do it.

"There's got to be rules on how to get there," Speer said. "You can't just make up your own rules, make up your own departments, and pay these exorbitant salaries."

All three police unions have filed grievances against the city.

An arbitrator could rule the five officers be demoted and the top five captains and lieutenants would be promoted with back pay, but the city may still have to fight around 100 lawsuits.

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