These are Tuesday’s top stories:
DPD union president ousted
The union representing the Detroit Police Department overwhelmingly ousted the president in favor of new blood.
The Detroit Police Officers Association voted 368-165 this week in support of Craig Miller over sitting president Mark Diaz.
Some members told Motor City Muckraker that Diaz was soft on Mayor Duggan’s administration, which has failed to put more police officers on the street and offer more incentives for rookie cops to stay in the department. Diaz rarely publicly criticized the Duggan administration, even as the city continued to have the highest violent crime rates in the nation.
Part of the problem is that downtown Detroit is flooded with police, while the neighborhoods are patrolled by just enough officers to handle the most violent crimes.
Officers also said they were upset with Diaz over a two-year contract extension with Duggan’s administration and the lack of health care and pension benefits.
Diaz, who endorsed Duggan for re-election last year, went out with class.
“Huge congratulations to Craig Miller who will take the reins as the next DPOA President! I have all the confidence he will do great!!” Diaz wrote on Facebook. “Thank you to my fellow DPOA members for giving me the honor of representing our best interests for the past two terms!!”
Really, Nolan Finley?
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and his administration were responsible for poisoning thousands of Flint residents with lead to save few thousand dollars.
Snyder was never charged with a crime and is in his last month as governor.
Conservative Detroit News columnist Nolan Finley wrote a piece entitled “Let Snyder go in peace,” arguing Congress should not subpoena the governor for more information about what led up to the crisis.
It’s a bizarre position for a columnist who routinely picks old, tired fights with politicians with whom he doesn’t agree. It’s also an insincere position because Congress was controlled by Republicans when Snyder was called to testify, and they took it easy on the governor, casting blame on the EPA.
If Finley wants the federal government to get to the bottom of what happened, he wouldn’t advocate for Snyder to “go in peace.”
Man charged with murdering transgender woman in Detroit
A 46-year-old Sterling Heights man has been charged in the murder of a transgender woman in Detroit.
The body of Kelly Stough, 36, who was shot, was found by a police officer Friday near 6 Mile and Brush.
Albert Weathers, 46, was charged in the slaying Monday and is in jail on a $1 million bond.
It’s unclear whether the FBI plans to get involved and charge Weathers with a hate crime.
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Really, Nolan Finley? DPD union prez ousted, murder of transgender woman: Tuesday briefing added by Steve Neavling on
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Steve Neavling
Steve Neavling lives and works in Detroit as an investigative journalist. His stories have uncovered corruption, led to arrests and reforms and prompted FBI investigations.
