Corruption in The DPD

Memorandum from Police Chief Hart to Mayor Coleman Young describing an incident in which an off-duty officer pulled a gun on a civilian during a personal dispute. Burton Historical Archive, Coleman A. Young Papers, Box 263, Folder 1.

Harassment by police officers did not take place exclusively under the guise of official police business. While in plain clothes or off duty, officers were still acting as police. This includes time in which they are intoxicated or conducting personal business. In the altercation described to the left, an officer had gotten in a minor car accident with a civilian while off duty. As they engaged in a dispute over the incident, Officer Deinek pulled a loaded gun, using his privilege as an officer and inciting fear in regards to a non-police matter. 

Memorandum from Police Chief Hart to Mayor Coleman Young describing a string of larcenies committed by DPD officers. Burton Historical Archive, Coleman A. Young Papers, Box 263 Folder 1.

Harassment by the Detroit Police Department was not always perpetrated under the guise of a drug raid, but under many false police operations. Officers could commit acts of harassment without the need for a legitimate rationale. This demonstrates the impunity officers felt they had, as there was not a credible fear of repercussions. In the incident described in the document to the left, two officers, fully uniformed and operating a scout car, stole from several people while pretending to conduct a search. This also attests to the officers’ power to breach civilians’ privacy rights in order to commit theft. 

Memorandum from Police Chief Hart to Mayor Coleman Young detailing an attack on a civilian by 8 officers that included force-feeding crack rocks, a violent physical attack, and theft. Burton Historical Archive, Coleman A. Young Papers, Box 263 Folder 1.

In correspondence with the local and national war on drugs, and crack in particular, Detroit Police officers frequently raided “drug dens” in search of criminal behavior and contraband. However, like the example noted to the left, officers took advantage of the situation by committing violent acts and stealing goods while often maintaining their immunity due to their status as law enforcement.