150 Detroit Police Raid Most Problematic Building In City

**Sehv313** · November-19-13, 02:04 AM

The crazy thing about it is this building on Jefferson & McClellan [[which has been like that for a few years) is not even a block away from the Manoogian Mansion [[on Dwight st & Lodge Dr), which always has at least 2 police units present, ...so you mean to tell me Bing didn't even notice?

**Gannon** · November-19-13, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by Sehv313

The crazy thing about it is this building on Jefferson & McClellan [[which has been like that for a few years) is not even a block away from the Manoogian Mansion [[on Dwight st & Lodge Dr), which always has at least 2 police units present, ...so you mean to tell me Bing didn't even notice?

Oh, it is a l-o-n-g block...and those officers were tasked with protecting the mayor. As long as these perps kept to the region defined by the Franchise Agreement created by Kwhyme, I'm sure they were given free reign.

Until that agreement expired. You'll see this in other odd arrangements in the city, not unlike how Matty Maroun gets away with his abuses...and Illitch...and Gilbert even now. The drug dealers were given the same status as those heavy hitters...

...one of Kwhyme's protection gang revealed there were meetings in the mayor's office when he first began his terror...with the biggest drug dealers in town. I'm betting that is when the franchises were proposed...

**motz** · November-19-13, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by canuck

My only problem with the legalized drugs argument is that the non-Lance Armstrongs of this world will need to get with the program.

How will you be able then to tell someone they cant operate machinery or just plain work and consume drugs at the same time. How can you tell athletes they cannot do performance enhancing drugs?

Well, alcohol is legal, but you can be fired for being drunk, yes? I'd assume it'd be the same way and that private organizations specifically would be allowed to dictate the rules on intoxicating substances. If you wanna play baseball, don't do heroin.

Anywho, end the war on drugs, etc. I agree with that all, but we need to also be concerned with working within our current framework to reduce the impact on the citizens who do not engage in criminal behavior. This is a start, we just need to keep pushing and getting the VIOLENT offenders behind bars.

**NoHeartAnthony** · November-19-13, 12:23 PM

Craig was on WDET this morning promising more raids soon.

**Gannon** · November-19-13, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by NoHeartAnthony

Craig was on WDET this morning promising more raids soon.

That segment was excellent...this new Chief is really great.

Funny how much he called out on previous administrations...but isn't it a bit odd that he doesn't know why they dropped the ball on all this?!

If he aims at Kwhyme, he has to include Archer and Bing. He might be simply politically astute.

**Django** · November-21-13, 03:56 PM

They just raided the building on Cass at MLK about an hour ago. Seemed to be a smaller bust, they had three people in cuffs and some type of paddy wagon.

greekt0wn · November-21-13, 04:24 PM

This is all show. Every heavy hitter in the city has connections in the PD and are no doubt tipped off when these raids are coming. So they arrest a few clueless low lifes for warrants and they're back on the street by late morning tomorrow. YAWN

**corktownyuppie** · November-21-13, 11:35 PM

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE

If it's a show, it's one of the better ones we've seen from DPD.

**antongast** · May-06-14, 07:04 PM

Somebody followed up on that Colony Arms raid, and came to something of an interesting conclusion. From this story, it sounds like the cops indiscriminately rounded up anyone who had an unpaid traffic ticket or a little personal-use bag of weed, and then let them all go after a night or two in jail. Some of the folks they got were harmless and relatively law-abiding [[some had been repeatedly calling the police trying to get them to do something about criminal activity in the building), while others were hardcore violent criminals who held up pregnant women at gunpoint in the alley. All of them were treated the same way, and all of them were back home a few days later.

Is it possible that DPD is prioritizing splashy headlines over substantive police work? Is it possible that mainstream Detroit media outlets are prioritizing splashy headlines over substantive journalism? Why would they want to do a thing like that? It's almost like all their incentives are perfectly aligned.

**eliboyer** · May-06-14, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by antongast

Is it possible that DPD is prioritizing splashy headlines over substantive police work? Is it possible that mainstream Detroit media outlets are prioritizing splashy headlines over substantive journalism? Why would they want to do a thing like that? It's almost like all their incentives are perfectly aligned.

Dope on the table!

**compn** · May-06-14, 07:51 PM

a few of us called it back in november and in subsequent "raids". thanks for the article, it looks like a dooozy.

**compn** · May-06-14, 08:33 PM

heartwrenching. predictable but heartwrenching.
james craig isnt doing shit for this city.

whats that do for morale of the police involved? a bunch of outstanding traffic tickets and small amounts of marijuana. i mean, as a cop, would you feel proud of 150 officers and helocopters taking down ... a guy with a moving violation?

its a photo op. thats the excuse they have to tell the officers. over and over. many photo ops. i hope the author of this article can find some officers involved and get their opinions of the raids and james craig.

**Wesley Mouch** · May-07-14, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

Compn, I agree that violent carjackers [[note: I have never, ever heard of a non-violent one) should be in jail. But knowing people who have been killed in overdoses, shot by a dealer thinking it was a bust, and losing more than one friend to another friend's drugged driving leaves me to conclude that drug crimes are not non-violent. I don't think someone busted with a joint should do a life term, but even casual users support the dealers and kingpins. This is to say nothing of the people who aren't killed who ruin their lives with drugs. Known a few of those as well. I think the harsh sentences should be reserved for dealers and kingpins. Buy a joint, and put a buck in the pocket of someone who uses a gun for a living. I know legalization is all the rage and I will be fried for this post, but hey, it's still true.

Mikey -- I think we can all agree that drug abuse is a really bad thing. Same for alcohol. Abuse is bad. The question is how we minimize abuse.

We've tried aggressive policing -- and its not working. You might call it police abuse. We're asking the policy to control something our citizens clearly believe they can use responsibly. Much of the pain you and I feel from drug abuse isn't the actual abuse -- but are side-effects of criminalization.

**Wesley Mouch** · May-07-14, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by antongast

Somebody followed up on that Colony Arms raid, and came to something of an interesting conclusion. From this story, it sounds like the cops indiscriminately rounded up anyone who had an unpaid traffic ticket or a little personal-use bag of weed, and then let them all go after a night or two in jail. Some of the folks they got were harmless and relatively law-abiding [[some had been repeatedly calling the police trying to get them to do something about criminal activity in the building), while others were hardcore violent criminals who held up pregnant women at gunpoint in the alley. All of them were treated the same way, and all of them were back home a few days later.

Is it possible that DPD is prioritizing splashy headlines over substantive police work? Is it possible that mainstream Detroit media outlets are prioritizing splashy headlines over substantive journalism? Why would they want to do a thing like that? It's almost like all their incentives are perfectly aligned.

Its not either or. Either substantive policing or splashy headlines.

In the perfect world, the police could just do good work, quietly, and with perfection.

In the real world, police are a very blunt tool. They don't do things with elegance. Its their job to 'round up the usual suspects', so to speak -- and let the justice system do its part of the job. We The People pass the laws. The police round up people who break them big and small. And the courts deal with it.

If you live in a building with drug problems -- you might want to rethink keeping your 'personal use' bag around for just that moment when the place is raided.

Right now, Detroit's lawlessness needs good policing AND headlines.

**jt1** · May-07-14, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Its not either or. Either substantive policing or splashy headlines.

In the perfect world, the police could just do good work, quietly, and with perfection.

In the real world, police are a very blunt tool. They don't do things with elegance. Its their job to 'round up the usual suspects', so to speak -- and let the justice system do its part of the job. We The People pass the laws. The police round up people who break them big and small. And the courts deal with it.

If you live in a building with drug problems -- you might want to rethink keeping your 'personal use' bag around for just that moment when the place is raided.

Right now, Detroit's lawlessness needs good policing AND headlines.

I agree with your last statement but it sounds like, from the linked article, that the good policing should have come first.

**rex** · May-07-14, 03:09 PM

The interviews in the followup and the news reports painted the residents of McClellan and Jefferson in a poor light. Not sure how else to put it, maybe they should ask permission to paraphrase and be more selective of who they interview. The most important message is loud and clear: police arent doing their jobs. I think some might read the article or watch the news reports and not feel much compassion for the people involved.

**jt1** · May-07-14, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by rex

I think some might read the article or watch the news reports and not feel much compassion for the people involved.

How? What I took away from the article is that [[1) the residents were calling police because they did want the place to get better [[2) the residents were not afraid to tell the cops who was causing the trouble [[3) the cops didn't appear to care when called and [[4) there were so many calls to 911 because the police didn't care.

**Wesley Mouch** · May-07-14, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by jt1

I agree with your last statement but it sounds like, from the linked article, that the good policing should have come first.

Well, we can't change the past. But today we can change the future.

I believe most crime fighting is attitude. Attitudes change by consistent pressure by those who care. Why did NYC's crime rate drop so much? Because everyone got fed up and decided that at each individual level, we care. Stop and Frisk is one way of showing you care. Maybe its not the best way. Maybe its illegal, racist, and mean. But it most certainly tells criminals in a concrete way that their behavior is unacceptable. These DPD raids will have the same effect. Be a criminal. And someone will care and do something to change your behavior. Over time I hope the change isn't at the bad end of a gun. And that the headlines tell criminals that its time to stop and do something else.