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Some community members and elected officials are outraged that hundreds of complaints against Detroit police aren't being investigated, raising more questions about accountablity for the department, the Detroit Free Press reports.
The problem comes in the face of the city's challenge to fill seven vacant investigator positions.
Andrea May Sahouri of the Freep reports:
In early July, the Board of Police Commissioners reported the backlog had reached 850 uninvestigated complaints against Detroit police officers. After some efforts to address the backlog, the Office of the Chief Investigator told the elected civilian oversight board Thursday that the number was down to 779.
The pile of backlogged cases has prompted concerns that police are not being held accountable and citizens are not being heard.
“The board has so much untapped potential to make meaningful recommendations towards police reform and accountability," said Victoria Shah, a Littlefield neighborhood resident and community organizer. "We're missing the mark. It's entirely unacceptable."
City policy calls for complaints against police to be turned around in 90 days, the Freep notes.
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