A Detroit police sergeant has filed a federal lawsuit against the Detroit Police Department, alleging her due process rights were violated after she was suspended without pay for contacting Customs and Border Protection during a traffic stop.
The case centers on Sgt. Denise Wallet, a 27-year veteran of the force, who was disciplined following an encounter earlier this month involving a Venezuelan man who officers were unable to identify.
Bill Hemmer introduced the issue on air by outlining the dispute.
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“Says she was suspended without pay after calling customs and border protection during a routine traffic stop, the department saying that Sergeant Denise Wallet violated police policy by contacting immigration agents, but Wallet says she was ordered to do so. What’s the truth? Garrett Tenney tries to wade through that today. Good morning. Garrett. What did you find out?” Hemmer said.
Garrett Tenney reported that Wallet has now taken legal action.
“Yeah, Bill, good morning to you that officer is now filing a federal lawsuit against the Detroit Police Department for violating her due process rights,” Tenney said.
He explained that Wallet responded to a traffic stop where officers encountered difficulty identifying the driver.
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“Earlier this month, Sergeant Denise Walletr esponded to a traffic stop when officers were having trouble identifying the driver, a Venezuelan man, when a fingerprint scanner didn’t work and they found out he had a fake ID,” Tenney said.
According to Tenney, the department claims Wallet violated policy by reaching out to Border Patrol, which resulted in the man being taken into federal custody.
“DPD claims Wallet then violated department policy by calling Border Patrol to help figure out who the guy was, which led to him being taken into federal custody,” Tenney said.
However, Tenney said body camera footage appears to support Wallet’s version of events.
“But this new body camera video supports her claims that her Lieutenant instructed her to call Border Patrol listen to this,” Tenney said before playing the clip.
Solomon Radner, Wallet’s attorney, disputed the department’s characterization of events.
“At no point in time did she contact them for translation purposes. Absolutely no policy was violated whatsoever. And at some point she called her lieutenant and said, What do I do? We can’t identify this man. What do I do? And the lieutenant, knowing the policy and following the policy, told her call Border Patrol,” Radner said.
Tenney also reported that the department’s police chief initially called for Wallet to be fired but later opted for a suspension.
“Yeah, the police chief initially called for the 27 year veteran of the force to be fired, but she ultimately was suspended without pay for 30 days, not for calling Border Patrol, the department, says, but for violating department policy that no officer should use differential treatment of individuals in the context of rendering police services based on a citizen’s classification or the member’s perception of any such classification,” Tenney said.
He added that Wallet’s attorney is pushing back on the department’s explanation and its initial account that she had been called to the scene to assist with translation because the driver did not speak English.
The controversy has extended beyond Wallet’s case. Tenney reported that another Detroit police officer was suspended in a separate incident involving contact with Border Patrol.
“Last week. DPD also suspended a second officer for contacting border patrol in an entirely separate incident, something DHS is criticizing, while Michigan Democrats like Rashida Talib are celebrating the suspensions,” Tenney said.
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