WHY FROM DOWNTOWN DETROIT. FOR NEWS AT 11 STARTS NOW. CRITICAL STAFFING SHORTAGE. MELVIN DALE
POLICE OFFICERS GO PUBLIC WITH
THEIR PROBLEMS WERE BURNED OUT.
MORALE HAS BEEN DEAD FOR YEARS
WERE PHYSICALLY MENTALLY AND
EMOTIONALLY EXHAUSTED. STAFFING
SHORTAGES ARE, OF COURSE, COMMON
RIGHT NOW, BUT OFFICERS IN
MELVIN DALE SAY THEY ARE LOSING
OFFICERS AT AN ALARMING RATE
BECAUSE OF THE BENEFITS AND PAY
PACKAGE NOT COMPETITIVE WITH
FELLOW DOWN RIVER COMMUNITIES,
AND THEY SAY THAT’S LED TO
FORCED OVERTIME. MARK MCDONALD
IS LIVE IN MELVIN DALE TONIGHT.
MARA RECRUITING FOR POLICE
AGENCIES IS REALLY TOUGH
EVERYWHERE. IT REALLY IS
KIMBERLY. I MEAN, IT’S AN ISSUE
NATIONALLY, AND IT’S REALLY AN
ISSUE HERE. YOU TALKED TO THE
OFFICERS HERE. THEY SAY THAT
THEY’VE HIT THE WALL. BUT HERE’S
THE OTHER PROBLEM. THE RESIDENTS
OF MELVIN DALE ALREADY HAVE 24
MILLS ON THAT TAX BILL, AND THAT
CITY COUNCIL HAS MADE IT CLEAR
THAT GOING BACK TO THE RESIDENTS
FOR MORE MONEY JUST NOT GONNA
HAPPEN. WE ARE NOW AT THE POINT
OF BEING COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY
UNCOMPETITIVE. WE ARE UNABLE TO
ATTRACT, HIRE OR RETAIN ENOUGH
OFFICERS TO EVEN COME CLOSE TO
PROPERLY STAFFING ARE 24 OFFICER
DEPARTMENT. MELVIN DALE HAS
DETERMINED THAT 24 OFFICERS IS A
STAFFING LEVEL THAT IS OPTIMAL.
CURRENTLY, THEY HAVE 17 WITH TWO
OF THOSE POSITIONS BEING
ADMINISTRATIVE AND THE OFFICERS
WORKING THE DAILY GRIND FEEL IT
ENFORCED OVERTIME. THAT IS
TAKING A TOLL UP HERE AND ACT
LIKE WE’RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
WE DID MORE THAN ANY OTHER
COUNCIL MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
DID NOT APPRECIATE FINDING ALL
THIS OUT AT A MEETING AND FELT
ATTACKED UNTIL MORE VETERAN
MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT
EXPLAINED. NOBODY VIEWED THE
COUNCIL AS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE
NOTHING AGAINST THIS BODY,
EITHER AGAINST THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. WE JUST WANT TO BE
SEEN. IT’S RIGHT AT A CRITICAL
POINT IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
RIGHT NOW. THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM
IS HOW TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN NEW
OFFICERS. THE STARTING PAY IS
COMPETITIVE. WHAT ISN’T IS WHEN
THAT OFFICER HITS THE FIVE YEAR
MARK THE DIFFERENCE IN SALARY
BETWEEN DOWN RIVER DEPARTMENTS
IS ASTONISHING. SO IS THE
RETIREMENT PACKAGE. MELVIN DEAL
DOES NOT OFFER A PENSION THAT
WENT AWAY MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO
, THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS
ALLOWED TO COLLAPSE, WHICH IT IS
ON THE VERGE OF DOING. I CAN
ASSURE YOU THIS COMMUNITY WILL
BE RIGHT BEHIND IT. BACK HERE
LIVE AFTER THE MEETING TONIGHT.
SOME OF THE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS,
SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS GOT
TOGETHER AND SAID, OKAY, SO
WHAT? WHAT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE
SOMETHING THAT COULD WORK HERE?
THE IDEA FLOATED. WELL YOU KNOW,
THEIR CONTRACT ISN’T SUPPOSED TO
BE OPENED UP FOR ANOTHER YEAR
YEAR AND A HALF COULD THEY
REOPENED THE CONTRACT,
RENEGOTIATE AND TRY AND DO
SOMETHING THAT WAY. RIGHT NOW
THAT LOOKS TO BE THE BEST OPTION
ON THE TABLE. WE’RE LIVE IN
MELVIN DALE TONIGHT. I’M MARA
MACDONALD. LOCAL 4. OKAY, MARA,
THANKS. NOW BREAKING NEWS JUST
IN ON DETROIT’S WEST SIDE, WHERE
STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A
VIOLENT CRASH INVOLVING A
MOTORCYCLIST RIGHT NOW, THE
WESTBOUND LANES OF I 96 AT
EVERGREEN OR SHUT DOWN. TIM
PAMPLIN IS THERE WITH THE NIGHT
CAMP. WE’RE JUST ARRIVING ON THE
SCENE HERE. EVERGREEN OVERPASS
OF I 96 WESTBOUND LANES AS WE
ZOOM IN DOWN HERE, YOU SEE
SEVERAL MOTORCYCLES ON THE LEFT
ONE DOWN ON THE RIGHT BODY. I
BELIEVE WITH IT. BLANKET JUST
BEEN PLACED OVER IT ON THE
SHOULDER THERE AGAIN. THIS IS
THE WESTBOUND LANES OF I 96 THE
LOCAL LANES. YOU’VE GOT THE
EXPRESS LANES ON THE RIGHT. THE
EVERYBODY NEXT ON THE LEFT, BUT
AGAIN, 96 WESTBOUND SHUT DOWN IN
THE LOCAL LANES AFTER WHAT
APPEARS TO BE A FATAL MOTORCYCLE
COLLISION. UPDATES THROUGHOUT
THE NIGHT CLICKONDETROIT.COM FOR
NOW, ON THE WEST SIDE WITH THE
NIGHT CAMP TIM PAMPLIN FOUR
LOCAL ALL RIGHT, TIM, AN
EMOTIONAL NIGHT IN REDFORD
TOWNSHIP WITH FAMILY OF SIX YEAR
OLD CHASE YOUNG COMING TOGETHER
TO HONOR HIS LIFE. HE WAS HIT
AND DRAGGED BY A CAR LAST WEEK
WHILE RIDING HIS BICYCLE DRIVER
NEVER STOPPED TO CHECK ON HIM.
PAMELA OSBORNE LIVE AT VASSAR
DRIVE AND BRADY. THAT’S WHERE
TONIGHT’S VIGIL WAS HELD IN PAM
. THAT FAMILY NOW GRIEVING AFTER
CHASE DIED FROM THOSE INJURIES.
DEVIN YOU’RE RIGHT. HIS INJURIES
WERE SIGNIFICANT, BUT HE HELD ON
AS LONG AS HE COULD HIS FAMILY
NOW VOWING TO FIGHT LIKE CHASE.
HE FOUGHT VERY, VERY HARD. AS A
CHILD, AND HE HAD THE WILL TO
LIVE GRIEF HANGS HERE AT BRADY
AND VASSAR. A WEEK AFTER CHASE
YOUNG WAS STRUCK BY A HIT AND
RUN DRIVER, HE DIED FROM HIS
INJURIES ON AROUND THIS MOTHER
AND HIS FATHER LORD, THEY HAVE
TO BURY THEIR SIX YEAR OLD LORD
REAL HARD. I’M TRYING TO BE
STRONG FOR MY SISTER ALEXIS’S
CHASES. AUNT WAS AMAZING, KID.
AMAZING. HE HE BRINGING
EVERYBODY DAY. BUNNY BUSY, BUSY,
KID. BUSY KID. FUNNY ALWAYS HAD
PEOPLE LAUGH AND FULL OF LIFE.
YES WEDNESDAY, FAMILY, FRIENDS
AND NEIGHBORS GATHERED TO HONOR
HIS YOUNG LIFE AMONG THE
MOURNERS TO FIREFIGHTERS WHO
RESPONDED TO THE SCENE THAT
NIGHT. THEY TELL US THEY WANTED
TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS. THEY
LEANED ON EACH OTHER BY
CANDLELIGHT AND ALL AT ONCE. LET
GO. IT’S BEEN TOUGH, EVEN
TOUGHER. GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
, IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE THAT
SOMEONE WOULD BE SO RECKLESS AND
SO ON ACCOUNTABLE THAT THEY
WOULD DRIVE AND KNOW THAT THEY
HIT SOMETHING THAT WAS ACTUALLY
A MOVING PERSON AND DIDN’T STOP
THE FAMILY NOW PICKING UP
CHASE’S FIGHT AND CARRYING IT
FORWARD IN THEIR SEARCH FOR
JUSTICE PERSON WHO DID THIS?
RESPONSIBLE MAN WOMAN. HOW ARE
YOURSELF IN. AND IF YOU KNOW
ANYTHING IF YOU HAVE ANY
INFORMATION AT ALL ABOUT THE
PERSON WHO WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL
OF THAT CALL CAR, GIVE POLICE A
CALL. THE FAMILY HAS ESTABLISHED
A GO FUND ME ACCOUNT TO HELP
WITH FUNERAL EXPENSES. WE HAVE A
LINK TO THAT GO FUND ME ON OUR
WEBSITE CLICKONDETROIT.COM
REPORTING LIVE IN REDFORD
TONIGHT AND PAMELA OSBORNE.
LOCAL 4 ALRIGHT, PAM, THE BATTLE
OVER ABORTION RIGHTS IN MICHIGAN
CONTINUES TOMORROW IN PONTIAC
TODAY, LAWYERS ARGUED OVER A
RESTRAINING ORDER PREVENTING
PROSECUTORS FROM CHARGING PEOPLE
UNDER MICHIGAN’S 1931 BAN ON
ABORTIONS. THE JUDGE ISSUED THAT
RESTRAINING ORDER AT GOVERNOR
WHITMAN’S REQUEST WHEN AN
APPEALS COURT RULED PROSECUTORS
COULD ENFORCE THE BAN, IF THEY
CHOOSE TO DO SO. IF THE COURT
ORDER IS LIFTED, IT WOULD MEAN
COUNTY PROSECUTORS. COULD
ENFORCE THAT LAW. SOME HAVE SAID
THEY WOULD REFUSE TO DO SO,
MEANING THE LEGALITY OF ABORTION
COULD VARY FROM COUNTY TO COUNTY
. OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM,
PROTESTERS ON BOTH SIDES MADE
THEIR VOICES HEARD. IF IT FALLS
IN OUR FAVOR, WE WILL BE PUTTING
PRESSURE ON THESE PROSECUTORS,
ABORTION CLINICS THAT ARE THAT
ARE LOCATED IN PARTICULAR
COUNTIES NEED TO BE CLOSED BY
CHOICE. I’M A MOTHER FOR CHOICE.
ALMOST DIED WHEN I HAD MY SON
AND I KNOW THAT IF I CARRIED
ANOTHER PREGNANCY TO TERM, I
WOULD VERY LIKELY DIE. THERE ARE
THREE WITNESSES LEFT TO GO WHEN
COURT RESUMES TOMORROW MORNING
AT 9 30 MORE THAN 130,000 METRO
DETROITERS REMAIN UNDER A BOIL.
WATER ADVISORY FOR 1/5 STRAIGHT
DAY. GREAT LAKES WATER AUTHORITY
IS NOW ASKING RESIDENTS IN ALL
23 COMMUNITIES THAT WERE
INITIALLY TOLD TO BOIL WATER TO
NOW HOLD OFF ON WATERING THEIR
LAWNS. CREWS WORKED THROUGHOUT
THE DAY TRYING TO STABILIZE THAT
BROKEN PIPE SO THAT IT CAN BE
REMOVED. THE REPLACEMENT PIPE IS
EXPECTED TO ARRIVE ON TUESDAY OF
NEXT WEEK. BUT THE TIMELINE ON
FIXING IT ALL REMAINS AT THREE
WEEKS. TWO MEN WHO PLEADED
GUILTY IN THE PLOT TO KIDNAP
GOVERNOR WHITMER TOOK THE STAND
TODAY IN A NEW TRIAL. TIGAR BEEN
TESTIFIED THE FBI AND NO WAY AND
TRAPPED THE MEN WHO ARE MEMBERS
OF THE WOLVERINE WATCHMAN. HE
DID ADMIT HE AGREED TO HELP
PROSECUTORS IN EXCHANGE FOR
LIGHTER PRISON SENTENCE FOR
HIMSELF. THE OTHER MAN WHO
PLEADED GUILTY, KALEB FRANKS
TOLD THE JURY ADAM FOX PLANNED
THE WHITMER KIDNAPPING AND THAT
IT’S ALL FOX AND BARRY CROFT JR
TALKED ABOUT. FOX AND CROFT ARE
NOW BEING RETRIED. THE FIRST
JURY FAILED TO REACH A VERDICT
IN THEIR CASES. TRIAL CONTINUES
TOMORROW MORNING. THE CDC HAS
SEARCHING FOR THE SOURCE OF E.
COLI THAT IS SICK IN PEOPLE IN
MICHIGAN AND OHIO. THE AGENCY
REPORTS. 29 PEOPLE WERE SICKENED
IN BOTH STATES BETWEEN JULY 26TH
AND AUGUST 6TH. YESTERDAY THE
STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REPORTED
98 CASES AND KENT, OTTAWA AND
OAKLAND COUNTIES FOR THE MONTH
OF AUGUST GENETIC MARKERS ON THE
BACTERIA SHOW ALL THE PATIENTS
LIKELY GOT SICK FROM EATING THE
SAME FOOD. NEW TONIGHT. MORE
MARIJUANA FACILITIES COULD BE
COMING SOON TO INKSTER. MOMENTS
AGO, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED FIVE
MORE APPLICANTS. IN ADDITION TO
THE THREE BUSINESSES ALREADY
OPERATING IN THE CITY. SIX
APPLICANTS PLEADED THEIR CASE
BEFORE CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT. ONE
OF THEM WAS DENIED. BUT SOME
RESIDENTS EXPRESSED CONCERNS
ABOUT PLACEMENT OF THESE
FACILITIES WITHIN THE CITY’S SIX
SQUARE MILES. TH WOULD BE
EIGHT IS THAT I’VE JUST
MENTIONED PROPOSALS WILL HEAD TO