Oversight – Page 2 – Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight

NEWS ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ashley Smith
Victim’s Sister
justice4sheldy@gmail.com
(254) 290-7303
Event video: https://youtu.be/Ber5ZfUMarE
#Justice4Sheldy #JusticeForSheldy

Scotty Boman, D.R.A.C.O. Founder
Phone: (313) 247-2052
scottyboman@hotmail.com

Draco.Life

April 16^th , 2020

D.R.A.C.O. Organizes #Virtual Protest Against Promoting Violent Detroit Police Corporal

Detroit, MI – Members of the victim’s family, and community organizers are outraged by arbitrator George Roumell’s claim that Detroit Police Corporal Dewayne Jones should be promoted to Sergeant, and are resolved to hold a virtual protest at the Board of Police Commissioners (BOPC) meeting this afternoon (April 16^th, 2020). The protest will include statements during the “Oral Communication” portion of the meeting. Dewayne Jones was convicted of assault on March 19^th 2019 in the August 2018 beating Detroit Receiving Emergency Room patient Sheldy Smith.

Smith’s sister Ashley has produced a video to promote the protest. In it she said,

My name is Ashley and I am the sister of the victim in this video. I am a Central Michigan University graduate and a disabled U.S. Army vet. Please join D.R.A.C.O. (Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight), my family, and the residents of Detroit in a virtual protest against the promotion of convicted criminal, Detroit Police Corporal Dewayne Jones.

At their April 9^th meeting Detroit Police Department (DPD) attorney Grant Ha announced the decision by appointed arbitrator George Roumell to promote Corporal Dewayne Jones to the rank of Sergeant. Roumell sent the message to Ha by email, but a Ha said he expected a formal letter to follow. On January 16^th the BOPC voted unanimously to reject the promotion. The Detroit City Charter says all promotions must be approved by the BOPC.

Boman, founder of Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight (DRACO) said,

We must make it clear that we don’t recognize any effort by anyone to usurp the Board’s final authority on promotions. It is their duty to instruct the DPD to refrain from this promotion, and to instead, dismiss this bad apple from the company of Detroit’s finest. This may be challenged in court. Insubordinate elements in the DPD may try to defy the Board. It is their duty to take on court challenges and dismiss insubordinates.

The meeting (and thereby the protest) will be via the Zoom meeting app at: https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/397380647?pwd=S1kzVzU4RURFb2NBRGJIb1kwWVNjdz09

By telephone, call one of these numbers:
1 (929) 436-2866, 1 (312) 626-6799, 1 (346) 248-7799,
1 (301) 715-8592, 1 (669) 900-6833, 1 (253) 215-8782
Enter the BOPC Meeting ID 397380647 and press ##

The virtual meeting will use a form for public comments:
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d26fa38cc5e94a018836d065000714ce

Link to agenda: https://draco.life/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/agendaapril-16-2020.pdf

Charter Commission Meeting in South-West Detroit

Charter Commission, Detroit Charter, Event, Events, Oversight, Revision

Civilian Oversight CFG Presentation to Charter Commission

November 24, 2019November 24, 2019 boman4detroit

Detroit, MI – Today Co-Chairs Eric Blount and Scotty Boman and presented the current recommendations of the Civilian Oversight Citizen Focus Group (CFG) to the Detroit Charter Revision Commission.

The files they used are uploaded here as is consistent with the group’s commitment to transparency:

Power Point Presentation

Summary of Proposed Changes as of June

Wording Changes Proposed Relative to the Current Charter as of June

Proposed Language of Revised Documents as of June

DRACO, Open Meetings Act, Oversight, Police Commission

BOPC Doubles Down on Illegal Meetings

September 11, 2019September 11, 2019 boman4detroit

The majority of the BOPC voted against Commissioner Burton’s motion to stop breaking the law…

Detroit, MI – The Board of Police Commissioners, as a body, has gone on record as opposing compliance with this law. On August 29th Fifth District Commissioner Willie E. Burton made a motion to comply with the Open Meetings Act by changing the venue to a location where persons would not be required to identify themselves as a condition of entry. The motion was seconded by First District Commissioner Darryl D. Brown. The motion failed with only Seventh District Commissioner William Davis joining Burton and Brown in support of compliance. The remaining commissioners present voted against compliance. They were Chair Sixth District Commissioner Lisa Carter, Co-Chair Commissioner Eva Garza Dewaelsche, Third District Commissioner Shirley A. Burch and Fourth District Commissioner Willie E. Bell. At-large Commissioners Elizabeth Brooks and Annie Holt also voted against compliance. At-large Commissioner Rev. Jim Holley, PhD and Second District Commissioner Evette Griffie were absent at the time of the aforementioned vote.

The following statement was in a News Release that went out on August 7^th.

Community Activists To Hold Press Conference On Illegal BOPC Meetings

Detroit, MI – For the past few years most Board of Police Commissioner (BOPC) meetings have been at the Public Safety Headquarters at 1301 Third Street. In order to attend those meetings, security requires community members to present identification. Now some of those community members are crying foul.

Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight (DRACO) Founder Scotty Boman and Michigan National Action Network (NAN) Vice President Lori Parks Will be making comments and answering questions before the meeting of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners which starts at 6:00 PM on Thursday August 8^th. Both Parks and Boman have been repeatedly denied entry to BOPC meetings at the headquarters in spite of asserting their rights under the Michigan Open Meetings Act. The Charter of the City of Detroit requires the Board of Police Commissioners to comply with the Michigan Open Meetings Act.

According to the Michigan Open Meetings Act 267 of 1976. Section 15.263. Sec. 3. (4):

“A person shall not be required as a condition of attendance at a meeting of a public body to register or otherwise provide his or her name or other information or otherwise to fulfill a condition precedent to attendance.”

At their June 27^th meeting ACLU Attorney Ralph Simpson informed the Commissioners of this portion of the law during public comments. He said he assumed they were unaware of the law, but from that point forward they should consider themselves notified.

“It is blatantly irrational and absurd for an organization that is charged with the civilian oversight of law enforcement, to brazenly and willfully conspire to commit crimes on a routine basis.”

At their meeting on August 1^st Boman informed them that there were significant criminal penalties for their actions and that commissioners wishing to distance themselves from the violations should make motions to end the practice. The portion cited by Boman read:

“15.272 Violation as misdemeanor; penalty.
Sec. 12. (1) A public official who intentionally violates this act is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000.00.
(2) A public official who is convicted of intentionally violating a provision of this act for a second time within the same term shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than $2,000.00, or imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both.”

Charter Commission, Detroit Charter, Event, Events, Oversight, Revision

Citizens Focus Group (CFG) Summit 5:00 PM 06-17-2019

June 17, 2019June 17, 2019 boman4detroit

Their will be a Citizens Focus Group (CFG) Summit on Monday, June 17th at 5:00 PM. The Summit will be held at DABO Center 12048 Grand River Detroit, MI. Each leader of a CFG will have 15 minute presentation.

Eric Blount will be there to present the revisions many of you have recommended at our meetings.

One purpose of the Summit will be to determine areas where our suggested revisions overlap, so that we can reconcile any inconsistencies that result from them. Please take careful note of these so we may address these matters at future meetings.

The Meeting Agenda is here.

The Civilian Oversight Summary is here.

The Detailed Recommended Civilian Oversight Revisions are here.

News Conference On The Eve of Jones Trial in 2018

DRACO, Event, Events, Oversight, Police Brutality, Police Commission, Police Community Relations

Civilian Oversight Activists Demand Consequences for Dewayne Jones

April 30, 2019 boman4detroit

NEWS ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

Scotty Boman, D.R.A.C.O. Founder
Phone: (313) 247-2052
scottyboman@hotmail.com

Draco.Life

April 30^th, 2019

Civilian Oversight Activists Demand Consequences for Dewayne Jones

Detroit, MI – Members of Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight (DRACO) are unhappy with how an unarmed woman (referred to in court by the pseudonym “Shelby Smith”)**, was treated by Corporal Dewayne Jones at Detroit Receiving hospital, and have announced a news conference to talk about it on the eve of his sentencing hearing. He was convicted of misdemeanor assault on March 20^th. They will be joined by other activists who believe he must serve time for his violent crime. They are also disturbed by the fact that he remains a police officer in spite of the conviction.

Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight (D.R.A.C.O.) founder Scotty Boman will hold a news conference across from the Detroit 36^th District Court at 2:00 PM on Tuesday April 30^th. The Court is located at 421 Madison St, Detroit, MI 48226. He will be joined by other activists who believe that Dewayne Jones used excessive force last summer, and that he must face substantial consequences for his crime.

“Last Thursday Chief Craig told me that Jones still has his job. How is it that the DPD keeps a violent criminal in this position while firing people for non-criminal misconduct? Members of the community don’t have much faith in the justice system and expect Jones to get off easy. Misdemeanors have low maximum sentences, but he must see the inside of a cell to ensure that he and the community know that there is no preferential treatment for police and that violence will not be tolerated.”

In August 2018 a cell phone video surfaced that captured Detroit Police Corporal Dwayne Jones repeatedly punching a naked, unarmed woman as other officers restrained her (and one tried to pull him off her). Shortly after this Police Chief Craig suspended Jones with pay. On December 3^rd 2018 the Wayne County prosecutor’s office arraigned Jones on felony misconduct and misdemeanor assault and battery charges.

On January 15^th Thirty Sixth District Court Judge Cylenthia Miller dismissed the felony misconduct in office charge against Detroit Police Corporal Dewayne Jones in connection with the beating. He was found guilty of assault on March 20^th and the court scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 1^st.

A sentencing for Jones is scheduled for 9:00 AM on Wednesday May 1^st in the courtroom (Rm. 339) of Kenneth J. King. (case #1806106901).

Activists will also be available for comment on Wednesday at 8:30 AM at the same location.

* Scotty Boman founded DRACO to educate the public on the roll of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners.

** Previous releases by DRACO referred to the victim by her true name, but since the court is using a different name we are assuming this is at her request and are respecting her wishes.

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