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Committee advances $310,000 settlement and presses DPD on officer driving safety and insurance
Summary
The committee voted to advance a $310,000 settlement in a suit arising from a police vehicle crash and pressed Detroit Police Department and risk management for details on disciplinary action, training and the city's self-insurance status.
The Internal Operations Standing Committee voted April 16 to send to formal session a settlement request for Curtis Ward and Rendell Ward v. City of Detroit for $310,000 related to a police-department incident. Members used the discussion to press department officials on what discipline, training and vehicle policies apply to officers involved in crashes.
Council member Angela Whitfield Calloway asked whether the officer involved in the case had been disciplined, had driving privileges restricted, or lost access to a city vehicle. Assistant Police Chief Franklin Hayes said he needed time to gather specifics but described a two‑category system—"preventable" and "unpreventable" crashes—and said retraining for officers involved in preventable collisions is automatic. Sherman Anderson, director of risk management for the Detroit Police Department, said the department is developing an "intensified driver improvement program" and expected a rollout in about 30 to 60 days.
Graham Anderson of the Law Department told the committee the city is self‑insured and noted limitations that followed the city's bankruptcy. Committee members and the DPD agreed to provide additional factual answers; Assistant Chief Hayes committed to delivering responses to the committee by the end of business the same day.
Council members emphasized the frequency and cost of vehicle-related settlements and asked the department to consider measures to change officer behavior to reduce preventable collisions. Member Mary Waters said she wants to see how discipline and training are producing behavior change and asked for recurring conversations with department leadership on the subject. The motion to send the settlement to formal with a recommendation to approve passed "hearing no objection."
