Inkster to pay $1.4 million to Detroit man beaten by police officer

[gollygee]

And the police officer is facing criminal charges.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2015/05/inkster_to_pay_14_million_to_d.html

Floyd Dent, the 57-year-old Detroit man beaten by police in Inkster during a traffic stop Jan. 28, will receive a significant sum for his pain and suffering.

"I can confirm that there was a settlement (with Inkster) for $1.4 million," a representative for Gregory Rohl, the attorney representing Dent, said Thursday morning. "I can give any more information than that."

Rohl previously said he was in talks with Inkster officials about a settlement and planned to file a civil lawsuit if those negotiations broke down.

Fired Inkster Police Officer William Melendez, 46, who delivered at least 16 punches to Dent's face and head seconds after pulling him from his vehicle during a traffic stop for an alleged minor violation, is now facing criminal charges.

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Good!

He deserves it!

[gollygee]

2. Police officers need to be held accountable, and

the cities that know they're racist and know they're violent and keep them employed also need to be held accountable.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. Exactly

In an ideal world - I wish PD Unions were the ones held accountable for when of their members fucked up instead of the citizens of the community.

[Taitertots]

4. Why the union and not the people personally responsible (the police)?

Make cops personally responsible for the settlement and watch how fast they stop being criminals.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Not opposed to that

But the reality is - they pay into that for protection. That union protects them. Union or the Cop him/her self. I don't care. It's just not fair that this jerk did what he did and now he's going to take money that could spent on educating the children of Inkster away from them.


If the Police Unions and by virtue of the Union -the entire Police Force MEMBERSHIP was held accountable -

We'd see cops start throwing elbows at each other.

They have no motivation to throw elbows at each other to get ahead in today's environment.

[Taitertots]

7. I think accountability should follow responsibility

The police union shouldn't be expected to control the behavior of their members. So they shouldn't be held accountable for something the have no responsibility over.

The department and the individuals are responsible for their behavior and they should be held accountable.

[JustAnotherGen]

8. Should they defend their members too?

Should they provide legal counsel? Protection? Because that's what I see. They all pay dues, they are all the wall of blue, they stick together, they never throw elbows and they always hide behind their unions.

Or should it just be about benefits and pay - which is really what the Telecom unions do (seen this first hand).

[gollygee]

9. What if the union defends a racist/violent cop they know is racist and violent

and that cop therefore keeps his/her job, and then is a part of an unjustified shooting? There could be cases where the union has some responsibility. Though you're right that they can't be arbritrarily held responsible.

[JustAnotherGen]

11. Arbitrary responsibility

I agree with that. But then - I think they shouldn't be providing legal counsel to their members.

If it is everyone for him/her self - then it should be that way all the way through.


I don't see how Police Unions benefit all of the workers (majority in enterprise and small businesses) in America. CWA has benefitted everyone in the industry. Those benefits and perks we have today in our offices and cubes are result of their efforts. And if one of their members beat up someone on the job for some arbitrary reason -

They'd throw that person's ass under the bus - because that's NOT who they are. That's not what they are about - at all.

[gollygee]

14. Good point

Some level of responsilbity comes from their defending every single cop who commits every single crime no matter how obviously wrong and guilty they are.

[gollygee]

6. The union might be the most effective at changing things

They're nationwide. Getting rid of individuals in the current criminal justice system doesn't do much because they just get replaced by similar individuals. But if the union started taking hits, there might be nataionwide police anti-racism work and anger management counseling.

[sufrommich]

10. I wonder if Inkster has the 1.4 million to pay?

I know this is off topic,but I wonder if Inkster taxpayers are going to get the bill for this.

[Angry Dragon]

12. probably insurance

[JustAnotherGen]

13. Old data but this can't be good . . .

2000 Census - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inkster,_Michigan

The median household income was $35,950, and the median family income was $41,176. Males had a median income of $37,986 versus $26,567 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,711. About 15.2% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.8% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.

Can't be good because its make up was driven by Ford - considering the turn down in the Auto Industry and Detroit's slow recovery. . .


Didn't realize that the racial make up (73% African American) was driven by auto workers that didn't want to commute to Detroit -

But who were not allowed to live in Dearborn.

[sufrommich]

17. We lived in Inkster when I was a little girl,I lived most of my

life in the town that borders it (Westland). This whole area suffered immensely from the turn down in the auto industry.It was terrifying to watch happen.

[gollygee]

16. Yeah, not a wealthy area

If the city hired and kept employed a violent and racist cop, they have responsibility, but yes the debt goes down to the citizens and not the people who kept the cop employed. Even if it's paid by insurance, their insurance rates will go up. And it does make me wonder if this had happened in Grosse Pointe, if that city would have been held responsible.

[sufrommich]

18. Another blow to people who can't afford another blow. nt

[aikoaiko]

15. I thought Inkster was a tattoo artist. Regardless, good for Mr. Dent.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

20. Well, that too ...

Inksters Tattoo

Except the shop is in Florida.

Yeah, Mr Dent deserves a break. Officer Melendez, on the other hand, deserves something else.

[Liberal_in_LA]

19. good