Top Dearborn Heights Police Officials Allege Bias by City Leaders
A Damaging Conflict is Unfolding in Dearborn Heights
The police chief of Dearborn Heights, who recently resigned, and two other leading police officials are alleging they faced a “race-based sabotage and harassment campaign” by Arab American elected city leaders, according to a federal lawsuit. The accused individuals include Mayor Bill Bazzi and certain members of the City Council.
The allegations of racial discrimination and political discordance are emblematic of the growing tension dominating this Detroit suburb. The police officials involved in the lawsuit assert that Arab-American authorities and other key players in the Middle Eastern community have been actively working against them.
Tensions Rise As Population Changes
These issues arise during a period of demographic shift in Dearborn Heights, with about one-third of its 63,000 residents identifying as Middle Eastern, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Police Chief Jerrod Hart’s resignation and these serious accusations exemplify the politico-racial crisis affecting the community.
Prior Allegations and Contentions
Previous incidents have been referenced in the lawsuit which, if true, prove the growing divide between the stakeholders. The wrongful exclusion of these top police officials from government meetings, orchestration to terminate a couple of the officials’ posts, and coerced withdrawal of an internal investigation against a Muslim and Arab-American police sergeant are mentioned in the accusations.
Support and Opposition in the Community
The trio consist of police chief Kevin Swope, succeeded by Hart, and police director, Paul Vanderplow, and the resigned Hart himself. Mayor Bill Bazzi, the city’s first Arab American and Muslim mayor, supports them. They are all varying law enforcement veterans from different departments, including Saline Police Department, Detroit and Westland police departments, U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service.
City Council Chairman Mo Baydoun and Councilman Hassan Saab have refuted these claims of meritless bias. They argue their advocacy for more Arab-American representation in government, along with presenting other ethnic communities, serves the diverse city residents.
Mayoral Comment and Subsequent Allegations in the Lawsuit
Mayor Bazzi declined to comment directly on the lawsuit, but he confirmed the discussions among City Council members for someone of Middle Eastern descent in police leadership. He, however, unequivocally stated he will not bend the rules for the same.
The lawsuit includes instances of alleged misconduct by council members in the past. For instance, it alludes to a police report filed by Saab against Vanderplow, accusing the latter of “stalking his home.” While Vanderplow refutes these claims, Saab stands by the allegations.
Racial Make-up of the Department
Despite repeated requests for data on the department’s racial make-up, the city officials provided no such information. However, of the seven members in the Dearborn Heights council, around four come from a Middle Eastern descent. Experts in organizational psychology suggest that a police force reflecting the local demographic often leads to a better relationship with the community.
Further Controversies and Turmoil
The controversy intensified when a no-confidence vote against Bazzi and the police chiefs was passed by the council in January. An independent council was later brought in by the council to examine the mayor’s administration. These actions cast a cloud over the city government’s overall functioning and reputation.
Former councilman, Ray Muscat, expressed his disgust at the political environment in Dearborn Heights, calling it “sickening,” while other long-term residents agreed that the situation has deteriorated. This divisive climate causes increased concern for many observing the developments in Dearborn Heights.
