Attendees at the March Neighborhood Safety Meeting learned how to file a complaint with the Detroit Police Department both about suspicious activity, and about objectionable behavior on the part of the police.
8th Precinct Detective Unit Sargent Marcellus Bell provided information on how to report a crime. For life threatening situations, health emergencies, and to report a crime in progress, residents are asked to call 911 and provide as much information as possible. For non-emergency situations, such as after an incident has happened, residents should call the Telephone Crime Reporting Unit (TCRU) at 313-267-4600. Sgt. Bell encouraged citizens to provide as much information as they can about the incident including time, location, physical description, and license plates numbers, adding “Police work doesn’t just involve the police, it involves the citizens as well.” Sgt. Bell also invited audience members to contact him directly at 313-596-5842 or 248-508-2754.
8th Precinct Captain Jacqueline Pritchett also addressed the issue of how residents can file a complaint against the Detroit Police Department, or one of its officers. According to Captain Pritchett, anyone submitting a Citizen Complaint Report (CCR) can expect “fair treatment of their complaint “with a follow-up call regarding the status of their complaint within 30 – 40 days, including an explanation of the outcome. To ensure fair treatment of citizen complaints, all complaints are thoroughly reviewed by many people and entities including an impartial entity that is not a part of DPD. There are several ways to file a complaint including:
- Letter or in person to:
65 Cadillac Sq., Suite 4000
Detroit, MI 48226 - Telephone: (313) 596-2499
- Detroitmi.gov
- In person, through any precinct, bureau, section or unit of the Police Department, or at the Office of the Chief Investigator.
Captain Pritchett reminded the audience that the more information a citizen can provide when submitting a complaint, such as the officer’s name and badge number, the better.
The next Neighborhood Safety Meeting will take place Thursday, April 23rd at 6:30 pm at the North Rosedale Park Community House, 18445 Scarsdale. This meeting will highlight the progress that has been made in designating the Grandmont Rosedale communities a Special Assessment District. The Special Assessment District is a community-driven initiative that will create a sustainable source of funding for snow removal and security services for the Grandmont Rosedale neighborhoods. We will be asking attendees to participate in a live audience survey, so please come and give your input!