Tuesday, February 12 2013 7:49 AM EST2013-02-12 12:49:50 GMT
Violent crime is up in Detroit, but arrests are significantly down. It's a bad time for low morale to affect how police do their jobs, but one officer says that's exactly what's happening.
Violent crime is up in Detroit, but arrests are significantly down. It's a bad time for low morale to affect how police do their jobs, but one officer says that's exactly what's happening.
DETROIT (WJBK) -
A Detroit police officer says plumbing problems at a city precinct forced he and his colleagues to step over feces, toilet paper and urine for weeks as officials tried to deal with the mess.
The veteran officer says the backup at the city's 12th Precinct along 7 Mile Road made working conditions unbearable.
"Everybody needs to know," said the officer, who sat down with FOX 2 but wished to remain anonymous. "Everyone needs to know how we're being treated."
According to the officer, the sewage smells began to take over the men's locker room three weeks ago. "We complained about it," said the officer. "Everyone who came out made noise about it." But he says all that noise-making never made a bit of difference. "We just dealt with it like we've been dealing with everything else."
The officer says his colleagues were forced to step over feces, toilet paper and urine coming up from the floor drain in order to get their lockers. (See the photo gallery above for more pics sent in to FOX 2)
The officer says a shoddy cleanup job was executed, and yellow caution sign with a "bio hazard" paper taped to it was placed in the locker room. Officers were told to avoid the area and use the facilities in the front of the precinct.
The officer says since then, the building's plumbing problems have only gotten worse. He says a sewer backup in the prisoner area forced officers to move the inmates to different quarters. "They got them out of harm's way immediately. They basically told us we had to deal with what's coming up through the floor."
Detroit police spokeswoman Sgt. Eren Stephens did send FOX 2 photos Monday night of the cleaned up locker room. She did admit, however, that it took several days to clean up and disinfect the area.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 11:29 PM EDT2013-06-19 03:29:11 GMT
An angry pastor is trying to keep his cool. He is mad at whoever tore apart his air conditioning unit to steal the copper, but he also says the entire community shares the blame.
An angry pastor is trying to keep his cool. He is mad at whoever tore apart his air conditioning unit to steal the copper, but he also says the entire community shares the blame.
Friday, June 14 2013 11:32 PM EDT2013-06-15 03:32:46 GMT
Kevyn Orr's numbers show increased wait times in some DPD precincts, but Detroit's emergency manager is talking about pumping money into public safety and not continuing the path of stripping them down to the bone.
Kevyn Orr's numbers show increased wait times in some DPD precincts, but Detroit's emergency manager is talking about pumping money into public safety and not continuing the path of stripping them down to the bone.
Thursday, June 13 2013 11:43 PM EDT2013-06-14 03:43:47 GMT
Police try to make a traffic stop, but say two men in the vehicle made a run for it. The driver was caught, but his passenger remains on the loose. During a search, police say they recovered a gun and body armor.
Police try to make a traffic stop, but say two men in the vehicle made a run for it. The driver was caught, but his passenger remains on the loose. During a search, police say they recovered a gun and body armor.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 11:40 AM EDT2013-06-19 15:40:48 GMT
Nearly a hundred years ago, two girls from Detroit put a message in a bottle and threw it into the waters of the St. Clair River. Now that message is back on dry land after being found by a diver in 30 feet of water.
Nearly a hundred years ago, two girls from Detroit put a message in a bottle and threw it into the waters of the St. Clair River. Now that message is back on dry land after being found by a diver in 30 feet of water.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 11:20 AM EDT2013-06-19 15:20:12 GMT
Detroit mayoral candidate Mike Duggan ended his campaign Wednesday and will not challenge an appeals court ruling that bars him from the August primary ballot.
Detroit mayoral candidate Mike Duggan ended his campaign Wednesday and will not challenge an appeals court ruling that bars him from the August primary ballot.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 11:13 AM EDT2013-06-19 15:13:58 GMT
A search of a rural field in suburban Detroit has failed to turn up the remains of former Teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa, an FBI agent announced Wednesday as authorities ended the dig.
A search of a rural field in suburban Detroit has failed to turn up the remains of former Teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa, an FBI agent announced Wednesday as authorities ended the dig.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 9:45 AM EDT2013-06-19 13:45:33 GMT
Kid Rock has added an eighth date to his "$20 Best Night Ever" tour at DTE Energy Music Theatre. Officials say tickets for the Aug. 20 show will go on sale at 10 a.m. on June 22.
Kid Rock has added an eighth date to his "$20 Best Night Ever" tour at DTE Energy Music Theatre. Officials say tickets for the Aug. 20 show will go on sale at 10 a.m. on June 22.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 9:22 AM EDT2013-06-19 13:22:54 GMT
FBI agents in suburban Detroit began a third day of digging Wednesday in the search for the remains of former Teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa, who disappeared 38 years ago.
FBI agents in suburban Detroit began a third day of digging Wednesday in the search for the remains of former Teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa, who disappeared 38 years ago.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 8:41 AM EDT2013-06-19 12:41:21 GMT
Mike Duggan is expected to lay out his future plans Thursday, one day after an appeals court ruled that he doesn't meet Detroit residency requirements to put his name on the ballot for the Aug. 6 primary elections.
Mike Duggan is expected to lay out his future plans Thursday, one day after an appeals court ruled that he doesn't meet Detroit residency requirements to put his name on the ballot for the Aug. 6 primary elections.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 7:35 AM EDT2013-06-19 11:35:18 GMT
Detroit City Council member Kwame Kenyatta says he quitting Friday. Kenyatta didn't give a specific reason, but he says the council is virtually powerless now that Detroit is being run by an emergency manager.
Detroit City Council member Kwame Kenyatta says he quitting Friday. Kenyatta didn't give a specific reason to radio station WWJ, but he says the council is virtually powerless now that Detroit is being run by an emergency manager.
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A photo taken in the 12th Precinct's locker room.
