Nearly two years after the Saginaw Citizens Police Advisory Commission was formed, the seven volunteer members continue to find their footing.
Pastor Bob Davis of Christ Fellowship Church, north of the railroad tracks on North Washington Avenue, serves as chairman and also police chaplain. He says education on policy and procedures is helping CPAC prepare for community outreach during the coming months.
City Council members passed an ordinance to create the panel late in 2020 after nationwide protests following the Minneapolis police slaying of George Floyd, capping a sequence that included Breonna Taylor in Louisville and Ahmad Arbury in the small town of Satilla Shores, Georgia. Bimonthly meetings began in 2021, with the next session slated for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at City Hall.
Recently, Police Chief Robert Ruth and staffers completed an extended review of policies and procedures. Among points he made to CPAC:
- During the pandemic, domestic abuse calls increased and many involved higher levels of violence. This uptick has receded during the past year as life returns closer to normal.
- Training is emphasized more than ever and is recorded specifically, because when officers are subject to discipline their defense often is that they were not trained.
- Surveillance cameras have become more prevalent during the past decade, ever since the debut of the now outdated “Shot Spotter” origins, helping to resolve several homicide cases. Home security videos also are becoming more useful. Police do not reveal camera locations, or even the number in use.
- Mass shooting response plans are in place for schools, hospitals, Dow Event Center and other major public places, complete with building blueprints.
Complaint/kudo forms available
CPAC also has developed a police complaint procedure, but this is not highly publicized so far and none has been received. It reads as follows:
“A complaint form is available at the Police Department, located at 612 Federal Avenue, and on the City website, saginaw-mi.com. Or, call (989) 759-1289.
“Be prepared to provide the date, time and location of the event, the names of the Saginaw Police employees involved, if known, and name, address and telephone number of any witnesses.
“Once your complaint is received it will be thoroughly investigated by a person designated by the Police Department. The investigation will include a review of all appropriate reports, policies and procedures, examination of any evidence of medical records, and interviews with all parties and witnesses.
“A simple inquiry might take only a day to complete. while a complex complaint might take two or three months to investigate and review. Police Department lobby hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.”
Compliments also may be offered. Anyone who is uncomfortable with taking a police grievance to the Police Department may contact any of the commissioners. They are Pastor Davis as chair and John Milne as vice chair, along with Evelyn McGovern, Alberto Teneyuque, Debbie Melkonian, Bishop Timothy Holden and Andrea Foster. Another contact method is CPAC@saginaw-mi.com.
Two seats are vacant, with applications available at saginaw-mi.com or via the city clerk’s office, (989) 759-1480, ext. 6. One seat is for a mental health professional living in the city and the other is for a high school student who resides in town, even if the school is in the suburbs.
Saginaw’s former Police Community Relations Commission and Human Relations Commission both became inactive near the turn of the millennium because of members’ spotty attendance. The HRC lacked any say-so on investigations. and members opted instead to measure numbers of complaints. Two 1980s officers were eventually probed because of high complaint numbers, and dismissed after investigations that resulted.
