Controversy developing between MSP and Lansing Police
Comments 14March 17, 2011 9:19 PM
LANSING, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – There's a controversy going on between Michigan State Police and Lansing Police.
The law enforcement agencies had made a deal that if back up was needed to control protesters, Lansing Police would step up.
However, when that call went out on Wednesday, no one showed up and state police troopers were left to deal with an unruly crowd by themselves.
Multiple credible sources tell Newschannel 3 that MSP had an agreement with Lansing Police for support in case things got out of hand. But when MSP needed help the most, Lansing Police left the capital.
Sources say it happened because Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero told the department that no protesters were to be arrested.
When protests at the capital got out of hand, state police started making arrests, but Lansing Police officers pulled away, making a dangerous situation worse.
“That's the decision I made, in hindsight I made the decision a little too early,” said Lansing Police Chief Teresa Szymanski.
When Newschannel 3 spoke to Chief Szymanski, she took all the blame, but sources say the order came down from Mayor Bernero, saying Lansing Police were not to arrest protesters.
“Mayor Virg Bernero never contacted this office last night and said 'do not help them?'” asked Newschannel 3.
“I”m not saying anything about Mayor Virg Bernero,” said Szymanski.
“So there was no communication with the mayor's office then?”
“Again, here at the Lansing Police Department I make the decisions as the Chief of Police,” said Szymanski.
“Were state police every put in danger because of your decision?”
“No sir,” said Szymanski. “If they were, I've not heard that.”
However, troopers Newschannel 3 spoke with say they did need help from Lansing Police, and say the protest could have ended up much worse.
The official statement from MSP is that they didn't require additional assistance and that there was no agreement with Lansing Police for support, but even the chief acknowledges, that while she didn't arrange it, there was an agreement.
“I never made the deal with the Michigan State Police,” said Szymanski. “I wasn't involved, I had my command staff working on that.”
Newschannel 3 contacted Mayor Bernero's office multiple times to ask him if he ordered Lansing Police to stand down. After being told several times that the Mayor's Office and Lansing Police had no comment, we left one more message for the mayor saying we were running this story, we got a call 20 minutes later, and Lansing Police had decided to talk.
“Did his office contact you today?” asked Newschannel 3.
“Did whose office contact me today?” said Szymanski.
“The mayor's office.”
“I had conversations with his office today, yes,” said Szymanski.
“Did you talk with him about this circumstance?”
“Yes,” said Szymanski.
“What did he say about it?”
“I'm not going to discuss my personal conversations with the mayor,” said Szymanski.
Mayor Virg Bernero has not yet contacted Newschannel 3 to respond to the allegations, we will continue contacting his office until we get answers.
The law enforcement agencies had made a deal that if back up was needed to control protesters, Lansing Police would step up.
However, when that call went out on Wednesday, no one showed up and state police troopers were left to deal with an unruly crowd by themselves.
Multiple credible sources tell Newschannel 3 that MSP had an agreement with Lansing Police for support in case things got out of hand. But when MSP needed help the most, Lansing Police left the capital.
Sources say it happened because Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero told the department that no protesters were to be arrested.
When protests at the capital got out of hand, state police started making arrests, but Lansing Police officers pulled away, making a dangerous situation worse.
“That's the decision I made, in hindsight I made the decision a little too early,” said Lansing Police Chief Teresa Szymanski.
When Newschannel 3 spoke to Chief Szymanski, she took all the blame, but sources say the order came down from Mayor Bernero, saying Lansing Police were not to arrest protesters.
“Mayor Virg Bernero never contacted this office last night and said 'do not help them?'” asked Newschannel 3.
“I”m not saying anything about Mayor Virg Bernero,” said Szymanski.
“So there was no communication with the mayor's office then?”
“Again, here at the Lansing Police Department I make the decisions as the Chief of Police,” said Szymanski.
“Were state police every put in danger because of your decision?”
“No sir,” said Szymanski. “If they were, I've not heard that.”
However, troopers Newschannel 3 spoke with say they did need help from Lansing Police, and say the protest could have ended up much worse.
The official statement from MSP is that they didn't require additional assistance and that there was no agreement with Lansing Police for support, but even the chief acknowledges, that while she didn't arrange it, there was an agreement.
“I never made the deal with the Michigan State Police,” said Szymanski. “I wasn't involved, I had my command staff working on that.”
Newschannel 3 contacted Mayor Bernero's office multiple times to ask him if he ordered Lansing Police to stand down. After being told several times that the Mayor's Office and Lansing Police had no comment, we left one more message for the mayor saying we were running this story, we got a call 20 minutes later, and Lansing Police had decided to talk.
“Did his office contact you today?” asked Newschannel 3.
“Did whose office contact me today?” said Szymanski.
“The mayor's office.”
“I had conversations with his office today, yes,” said Szymanski.
“Did you talk with him about this circumstance?”
“Yes,” said Szymanski.
“What did he say about it?”
“I'm not going to discuss my personal conversations with the mayor,” said Szymanski.
Mayor Virg Bernero has not yet contacted Newschannel 3 to respond to the allegations, we will continue contacting his office until we get answers.
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