Crime & Safety

Lazy Cops? Chief Explains Why Officer Just Sat There

Community blogger didn't see what she thought she saw during in-progress bank stake-out.

When a Patch blogger wondered, "Are the police around here lazy?" it piqued the interest of Royal Oak Police Chief Corrigan O'Donohue. After getting more information – day, time and model of the police vehicle  – O'Donohue had this response for blogger Patience is a Virtue:

I have looked into the incident you described in the Patch regarding a Royal Oak officer not stopping a red light violator at Sixth and Washington on Jan. 9 around 12:30 p.m..  Thank you for providing the details necessary to make investigating this incident possible.  

On Jan. 9, this department had two SUV style police vehicles on the road.  Neither vehicle was in the area of Sixth and Washington.  One was patrolling in the northern portion of the city at the time, and was responding to a bank near 13 Mile and Woodward to investigate a fraud complaint; the other was on Woodward near 11 Mile searching for the same bank fraud suspect who had just left the scene. 

This in-progress bank fraud was broadcast over our police radio.  What I have discovered is that there was a Pleasant Ridge police car (all black, SUV style) assisting us in locating the suspect who had fled the bank.  The Pleasant Ridge officer was in the Sixth and Washington area looking for the suspect. Neighboring departments often assist each other with these types of calls.  It is very likely that the police vehicle you saw was the Pleasant Ridge vehicle.  Unfortunately, Pleasant Ridge is not able to enforce traffic violations that far outside of their jurisdiction.  Also, locating this suspect is a higher priority than traffic enforcement so it would not have been appropriate for that officer to radio in a traffic violation.

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I am very pleased to inform you that the suspect in the bank fraud was ultimately located and arrested by our officers.  The suspect was responsible for stealing over $20,000 dollars from various bank accounts and we were able to put an end to his fraud crime spree.

We have a great police department in Royal Oak and my officers work very hard.  They are human however, and can make mistakes. If our investigation proves that to be the case and a complainant is wronged; we will readily admit it and take corrective measures.

Find out what's happening in Royal Oakwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Should you have questions or concerns regarding Royal Oak police activity in the future, please afford me the opportunity to address any complaint or concern you may have, before posting it on your blog.  It is unfair to negatively criticize our police officers before you have all the information. 

  


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