In Search of SHPD Police Chief Answers: FOIA Costs $643

Help me overcome the City of Sterling Heights' red tape and exorbitant FOIA fees to find out the truth about our likely next Chief of Police!

As many people know, the well respected former Chief of Police Dwojakowski accepted a new position as Assistant City Manager earlier this year, kicking off a search for his replacement. Three candidates quickly emerged.

One candidate who already has some support on council is the current Deputy Chief, Kenneth Pappas.

Deputy Chief Pappas has been the subject of allegations relating to his domestic violence arrest in 2008 and participation in the police time card fraud scandal in 2012. These rumors and allegations have gone beyond whispered words, advancing to anonymous letters sent to myself as well as other members of the Sterling Heights community, including City Council. There are other alleged misdeeds that I will not repeat here without documented proof. This is just simple fairness to DC Pappas: baseless allegations should not be repeated.

The arrest for Domestic Violence against his ex-wife apparently has not been enough to disqualify him in the eyes of council. Despite a luridly detailed police report describing her injuries, his ex-wife chose to not follow up on his prosecution, as so many battered women do. So he was never convicted for the alleged assault, which allegedly included placing her in a choke hold, threatening to kill her, throwing her down on the ground, dragging her out of the house and throwing her into the bushes. There was photographic evidence taken at the time of her injuries from the alleged incident.

In an effort to determine what is true and what's not, I have submitted a FOIA request to both the Macomb County Sheriff as well as the City of Sterling Heights regarding these alleged incidents. MCS responded within a few days with the arrest report from 2008, provided to me for free. Kudos to Macomb County!

On the other hand, we have the City of Sterling Heights, which has been deliberately stalling, throwing up barriers of red tape, and demanding exorbitant amounts of money to gather simple information.

The City of Sterling Heights request concerned DC Pappas' disciplinary record. And it has been met with resistance, delays, and a financial roadblock. After a long delay, the original FOIA to Sterling Heights came back to me with an estimated cost in excess of $2,400. The explanation I received for this cost was that the material would take time and labor to retrieve, as well as additional time and labor for necessary redactions. Having not seen the information, I'm not sure this can be believed.

Feeling this cost was unreasonable -- after all, how much is in this man's disciplinary record if he's Deputy Chief? -- I narrowed the request to four incidents I've been made aware of. After another long delay, the estimated cost came back in excess of $600.

The city appears to be hiding this man's disciplinary record behind a wall of red tape and exorbitant fees. They don't want us, the voters, to know the truth about the man some want to appoint as our next Police Chief. It's an election year, and the truth would likely cause them to select another candidate for chief.

I cannot afford to pay the costs the city is demanding for the information. $600 is a lot of money to pay out when you're not a law firm representing a client in a lawsuit and able to charge the costs off. They've made it nearly impossible to get the truth out without my publicly raising the money.

This GoFundMe seeks to pay for that FOIA request to be fulfilled. I have an estimated total cost of $643.87. I deposited $45 of my own funds already, leaving a balance of $598.81. Keeping in mind that the actual price to come in may be slightly above or below the estimated cost, I am looking to fund the entire amount. Any funds received in excess of the actual cost will be donated to my favorite charity: Gift of Life of Michigan.

Your contribution will help in my quest for the truth about Deputy Chief Pappas. If, after all, there is nothing in his disciplinary record that would disqualify him (beyond an arrest for alleged domestic violence, that is) then so be it. But if there are incriminating incidents, it will enable me to confidently speak to them in full knowledge that I am not committing slander or libel.

This is extremely important for all of us residents in Sterling Heights: we must have leadership in the police department which will protect our sisters and daughters from domestic violence. We must have a chief who is beyond reproach. The man or woman at the top of that organization sets the tone for the entire department. He must be of solid character.

If you agree with me, please donate today!