Ferndale Officer Accused Of Not Charging Intoxicated Cop

FERNDALE, MI — A Ferndale Police lieutenant is being accused of sending an allegedly intoxicated Roseville Police Officer home without charging him. The Roseville officer allegedly drove the wrong way on northbound Woodward Avenue on Nov. 9 before being stopped by a Ferndale officer, according to Ferndale Police.

The lieutenant, who was acting in a supervisory role, ordered the Ferndale officer to bring the Roseville cop and his passenger into the station. The Roseville officer was later driven home without being charged.

“On the surface, this appears to be an example of poor decision making by one of our lieutenants,” Ferndale Police Chief Tim Collins said. “As a police department, we take cases of operating and driving under the influence incredibly seriously. It’s a critical threat to public health and safety, and we as a department work regularly to educate the community to reduce instances of intoxicated driving.”

No injuries were reported as a result of the incident. On Nov. 24, a criminal complaint was submitted to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s office against the Roseville police officer for Operating Under the Influence. The case is currently active and ongoing, Collins said.

Roseville Police Chief James Berlin said his department is also investigating the incident. He said the officer involved is a 14-year veteran of the department and is currently on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

“It’s really just getting going,” Berlin said of the investigation. “We’re going to move as quickly as we can, but we want to make sure the officer is given due process.”

Ferndale Police administration was made aware of the incident by a Ferndale police officer on the evening of Nov. 1, Collins said in a news release. On Nov. 18, an internal investigation was launched. Collins expects that it will be concluded in about a week.

If the lieutenant’s actions are found to be in violation of the department’s policy and procedures, he could face disciplinary actions.

“Our jobs are complex and we trust our people to use sound judgment,” Collins said. “When somebody makes a call that is unsafe or not indicative of the department’s values and operations, we take that seriously and we act accordingly.”

Within the next month, the entire department will be going through an educational program about intoxicated driving, Collins said. He adds that it is department protocol to regularly educate and retrain to ensure continual improvement.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure that this kind of error isn’t made again,” Collins said.