Dearborn Heights mayor accused of violating police union contract
DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — The Mayor of Dearborn Heights is accused of violating the police union's contract after recent department appointments, according to the city's Police Supervisor's Association.
The union filed grievances and unlawful labor practice claims against Mayor Bill Bazzi for what the union president calls egregious wrongs against the department and the city.
Late last year, the mayor appointed two deputy chiefs from outside the police department, which the Dearborn Heights Police Supervisor's Association said was in direct violation of its contract and Act 78 of the Police and Fire Service Commission.
"Deputy chief is a position that's within our contract and within our union, and it has to come from within the union. You get promoted to that position. You can't be appointed from the outside," said Nick Szopko, Police Supervisor union president.
Szopko says the mayor has also demoted then-Interim Chief Hussein Farhat back to deputy chief and moved then-Director of Support Services Paul Vanderplow to a new position called director/interim police commission.
"By doing this, he's denying our employees equal employment opportunities for advancement within the department, employees have worked their entire careers to be promoted to these positions," Szopko said.
The union president said when Bazzi took office, there were 80 sworn officers in the department, but 40 left either through resignation, termination or retirement.
"We're running at bare minimum, and for the sake of public safety, we can't afford to lose any more officers or have another mass exodus like we already had," Szopko said.
In a post on Facebook this week, Bazzi addressed the controversy.
"To clarify any false narratives and misinformation, there has been NO recent firing, demotion, or investigation of our PD leadership team including the Interim Chief, Deputy Chief, or Director," Bazzi said. "We will not take a step back and recreate a new circle that gets promoted based on a leader's personal preference but rather on merit, work ethic, performance, and the passing of a promotion's exam."
Members of the Dearborn Heights City Council claim that the mayor is not being truthful.
"He's weaponizing these words and saying people are corrupt, and in five years, zero charges have been (filed) on any officer in Dearborn Heights," said City Council Chair Mo Baydoun.
In June of last year, the city council passed a resolution restricting the reallocation of budget funds without council approval.
"The mayor is not following that rule. The mayor doesn't follow any rules. To be honest. The mayor does whatever he wants," Baydoun said.
"The mayor believes, because he was in the military, that he's the general and we're all his soldiers, we have to abide to him. It doesn't work like that. It's checks and balances. And will the legislative body we control the money," said Councilman Hassan Saab.
Sources say the dispute is wreaking havoc on the department and creating a hostile working environment with fear of retaliation, including alleged physical harm.
"The mayor has targeted myself and a few other officers force for sticking our grounds and not following anybody's agenda," Saab said.
Members of the Dearborn Heights Police Supervisor's Union said they planned to attend Tuesday's city council meeting to speak out against the mayor.