Meet the Candidates
for the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners
November 2025 election.
Date:
Wednesday, September 24
Time:
5:30 – 8:30
Join CPTA and Wayne Law for an evening of dialogue between the community and BOPC candidates to learn where they stand on key issues of police reform, oversight, transparency, and accountability. Light refreshments will be provided.
LEARN MORE
detroitcpta.org
detroitcpta@gmail.com
đź“Ť Wayne Law Partrich Auditorium
471 W Palmer Ave
Detroit Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability
Bridge Detroit will be hosting a series of events to bring candidates together with residents and provide for a formal Q&A and networking. We want to give you the opportunity to make the best choices possible for your life.
Schedule
5:30 – 6 p.m. Refreshments
6 – 7:15 p.m. Structured Q&A
7:15 – 8 p.m. Networking with Board of Police Commissioners candidates
Date
July 21, 2025 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Location
Eastern Market – Shed 5
2810 Russell St, Detroit, MI 48207
Hosted By
BridgeDetroit
The hearing was adjourned to May 1st. While the outcome of the hearing was non-eventful and disappointing, WDIV reporter Nick Monacelli provided excellent coverage as we can see here:
Family and Activists Demand Justice for Crash Victims Outside Warren Court
When: Thursday March 6th, 2025.
Supporters of victims gather 8:30 AM
Hearing at 9:00 AM
News conference after hearing.
Where: Warren 37th District Court. 8300 Common Rd., Warren, MI 48093.
Warren, Mich. — Family members and activists will gather outside the 37th District Court this Thursday to demand justice for DeJuan Pettis and Cedric Hayden, two men killed in a high-speed crash involving a police cruiser. The rally coincides with a preliminary hearing for Officer James Burke, who faces charges in connection with the deadly collision.
Pettis, 33, and Hayden, 34, lifelong friends, were fatally struck on September 30th last year when Officer Burke’s cruiser collided with their Dodge Durango at approximately 117 mph. According to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Department, Burke and his partner were neither engaged in a high-speed chase nor using lights or sirens to alert other drivers of their speed. The victims’ families have since filed wrongful death lawsuits, and have alleged that Burke failed to apply his brakes before the crash. Both families are being represented by Fieger Law.
In November, the families learned that Burke had been charged with four counts, including manslaughter with a motor vehicle. However, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office declined to pursue second-degree murder charges, leaving the families frustrated. They also expressed disappointment that the second officer in the vehicle, who could have activated the cruiser’s lights or siren, has not been charged.
As the legal proceedings continue, the families of Pettis and Hayden are pushing for greater accountability and harsher charges against Burke, demanding the justice they believe their loved ones deserve.
Detroit Residents for Advancing Civilian Oversight (DRACO) has joined forces with the Detroit Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability (CPTA). The organizations align on core issues concerning civilian oversight and we are stronger together than we are separately.
This announcement will be expanded on in the near future.
The CPTA is having a gathering on Saturday March 6th.
More information here.
By Scotty Boman, Founder
Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight
On April 4th Sargent Dewayne B. Jones was scheduled for a Final pretrial hearing, in the courtroom of Honorable E. Lynise Bryant on assault charges. These were pertaining to the emergency room beating of patient Sheldy Smith on August 1st 2018. However, nothing was streamed from that courtroom that morning. The register of action for that hearing indicated that the defense had requested an adjournment, in other-words the hearing was to be postponed. As of the evening of April 4th, no new hearing date was posted.
Members of Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight (DRACO) and other concerned citizens, had been vigilant in following the court schedule. The April 4th hearing was to be the 4th “final” pre-trial hearing. At previous “final” pre-trial hearings the prosecution and defense attorneys said the were still in negotiations for a possible agreement. They were outside the 36th District that day to express their displeasure with the way this case was handled and with the failure of the Board of Police Commissioners (BOPC) to Provide meaningful civilian oversight of the Detroit Police Department.
Kathy Montgomery (left) and Kinda McKinney-Anderson (Right) hold vigil outside courthouse on April 4, 2023.
On April 5th the Register of actions revealed that there had been a hearing on the morning of April 4th, and that the charge had been changed to Disorderly Conduct. It also showed a plea of nolo contendere on the part of Jones. There was an additional hearing on April 5th where a sentencing hearing for May 12th was Scheduled (thereby implying that the court had found Jones to be guilty).
I have heard from a number of community members who share my opinion that the courts and prosecution have been far too lenient on Dewayne Jones. The felony misconduct charges should be reintroduced (if possible under the new plea agreement). Reclassifying the assault to being disorderly conduct doesn’t change the fact that said conduct was an act of violence. There is some solace in the fact that the courts have, again, found jones guilty of a crime. Based on his plea he won’t be able to appeal this misdemeanor.
Still it was an injustice that Jones got probation on the initial assault charge with no jail time. We are hopeful, but not holding our breath, that the court will have Jones serve some time on this latest charge. It was also unjust for him to be promoted to Sargent from Corporal while the prior guilty verdict was still in effect. The city failed to address the contractual loophole that enabled Jones to be promoted, in violation of the Detroit City Charter, after the BOPC had unanimously denied it.
Still the greatest injustice is the fact that the victim, Sheldy Smith, has been held against her will (at the Walter P. Reuther Hospital), without charge, and prohibited from giving her side of the story. Family members, including her Sister Ashley, have been denied visitation or communication with her. Meanwhile her victimizer walks free.
Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight 