Commissioner Lisa Carter (darker skin, grey sweater, black shirt) looking at pages of paper. Next to her is Commissioners Willie Bell (darker skin, bald head, mustache, black suit jacket, black tie, white dress shirt), Willie Burton (darker skin, black hair, white shirt, black lanyard) and Jesus Hernandez (lighter skin, black hair, grey hoodie).
Commissioner Willie Burton argued to postpone voting on the Detroit Police Department’s budget for fiscal year 2024.

Detroit Board of Police Commissioners meeting, Feb. 23, 2023 

Dan Ignacio

The board approved the Detroit Police Department’s (DPD) proposed budget for fiscal year 2024. The budget will need to be approved by Detroit City Council to be adopted. Police Commissioner Willie Burton was the lone “no” vote — he wanted to postpone the decision. 

“This is the place where we talk about the things that aren’t right in the police department, not the nice, shiny stuff. That’s your job — appointed or elected.”
— A public commenter criticizing the board for not focusing on police oversight. 

Commissioners also approved sending offer letters to the board’s chosen hiring candidates for board secretary, Victoria Shah, and chief investigator, Jerome Warfield Sr. Burton, the only commissioner who voted “no,” argued that the salary being offered to Warfield should be higher. 

Table of Contents

Documentation

The meeting was live-blogged on Mastodon and Twitter for Detroit Documenters, which offers its own report.

Documents available on Documenters.org, including the meeting agenda.

The agency’s last meeting on Feb. 16 was documented by Aaron Sepulveda and Alex Klaus. The next meeting on March 2 was documented by Alex Klaus.

Visit the agency’s website for official information.

Materials

Archived pages

Mastodon posts and meeting page are archived on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.

Audio

The actual start of the meeting (3 p.m.) can be heard 30 minutes into the recording. 

Images

Commissioners Annie Holt (darker skin, blond hair, glasses, grey suit coat, red top), Bryan Ferguson (darker skin, bald head, glasses, black suit jacket, white dress shirt, blue tie) and Jim Holley (lighter skin, black hair, white suit jacket) seated at table draped in blue cloth. In another video feed is Deputy Chief Chaplain Cory Chavis (darker skin, black hair, black police uniform, badge, black tie).
Chair Ferguson speaking and writing.
Deputy Chief Carrie Sloan (pale skin, black hair, black police uniform, black tie, badge) speaking. In another video feed is sign language interpreter Yakata (darker skin, black hair, glasses, black sweater, green top).
Chief of Police James White (darker skin, bald head, glasses, brown suit jacket, white dress shirt) speaking next to Commissioner Hernandez. Sign language interpreters Yakata and Lexi Gemmill (pale skin, brown hair, glasses, white earphones, black shirt) are seen in separate video feeds.
Commissioners Holt, Ferguson and Holley flanked by an empty seat on each side.
Regina Brokett (darker skin, black hair, glasses, black suit jacket, red shirt) speaking at podium with a microphone and holding a notepad.
Attorney Adam Saxby (pale skin, black hair, beard, grey suit jacket, black sweater) speaking next to Commissioner Cedric Banks (darker skin, black hair, black jacket).
Commissioner Holley, next to an empty seat, looking at Commissioner Willie Bell (darker skin, bald head, mustache, black suit jacket, black tie, white dress shirt), who is speaking. Commissioner Willie Burton (darker skin, black hair, white shirt, black lanyard) is seated next to Bell.
A person with darker skin, black hair, glasses, steel watch and black sweatshirt with embroidered symbol speaking at podium in front of microphone.
Commissioner Hernandez is seated next to Chief of Police White, who is speaking.
Eric Blount (lighter skin, grey hair, glasses, black shirt, brown suit jacket) speaking at podium in front of microphone.
Commissioner Burton looking at Hernandez speaking. In a separate video feed is sign language interpreter Yakata.
Commissioner Bell is next to Burton, who is speaking. Commissioner Hernandez is holding a cup.
Commissioner Holt speaking next to Ferguson and Holley. A side panel in the online meeting application, titled “Webinar Chat.” It displays the text, “BOPC Staff Zoom to Everyone. 16:13.” and two chat messages. Message 1: “The Board is on Agenda item XII B. DPD Budget FY 24for Oral Communications ha”. Message 2: “The Board already covered the item for Oral Communications.”
Commissioners Holt resting her head on her hand while Chair Ferguson is reaching toward a speaking Commissioner Holley, as if he is interjecting. In a separate video feed is sign language interpreter Gemmill.
A person with pale skin, grey hair, black suit jacket and white dress shirt speaking in front of microphone at podium.
Commissioner Lisa Carter (darker skin, grey sweater, black shirt) looking at pages of paper. Next to her is Commissioners Bell, Burton and Hernandez — the latter two are speaking.

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Page published Feb. 23, 2023.

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