Police Accountability Fail: Saginaw Officer Rehired Post-Misconduct

by | May 2, 2024 | Black New-US, Black Sociology and Politics, Current News Headlines | 0 comments

A dark and unsettling scene showing a mobile device in the hands of an African-American person. The device displays a video of a white police officer, partially visible, engaged in a heated and offensive conversation. The background is shadowy, emphasizing the controversy and tension of the captured conversation.
Revealing the Truth An African American Hand Exposes Misconduct

Michigan Cop Resigns After Racist Rant and Drug Bust, Gets Rehired a Year Later

By Darius Spearman (africanelements)

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A disturbing case highlights issues with police accountability after a Michigan police officer resigned in 2022 when a video caught him using racial slurs and attempting to buy drugs while off-duty. The same department shockingly rehired him just a year later in 2023 (NewsOne).

Video Shows Officer Greg Marohn’s Offensive Behavior

The incident occurred in Saginaw, Michigan, where Officer Greg Marohn had served since 2015.

“In the video, Marohn can be heard repeatedly using the n-word and other offensive language. He also discusses trying to purchase cocaine.” (NewsOne)

Marohn Resigns, Then Gets Rehired a Year Later

After the video surfaced, Marohn resigned from the Saginaw Police Department to avoid termination. However, in a stunning turn of events, the same department rehired him just a year later in 2023. The city has not provided any explanation for allowing him to return. (Seespotrun, CWSF 2005)

Critics Say Case Highlights Lack of Police Accountability

Bar chart with two bars in dark olive green, showing that 1,881 officers were fired for misconduct, and 450 were later reinstated. The chart highlights issues with the appeal and arbitration processes in law enforcement.
Bar chart displaying the number of officers fired for misconduct and those reinstated after appeals since 2006 illustrating challenges in police accountability

Incidents like this severely undermine public trust in law enforcement, especially among communities of color that have long experienced discrimination and abuse from police. It points to the urgent need for more robust accountability measures to prevent unfit officers from remaining on the force. (NewsOne)

“This case highlights issues with police accountability and reform. Critics argue that rehiring officers with documented misconduct enables problematic behavior to continue.” (NewsOne)

More Accountability Needed to Restore Trust

Pie chart divided into two segments, one in bronze representing 40% of Republicans and the other in dark olive green representing 13% of Democrats, showing the disparity in confidence levels in the police between the two political groups.
Pie chart illustrating the stark contrast in confidence in the police between Republicans and Democrats as of November 2020 with 40 of Republicans and only 13 of Democrats expressing a great deal of confidence

To restore public faith, police departments must take misconduct seriously and permanently remove officers who commit egregious offenses. Rehiring problem cops implies law enforcement tolerates racism and criminal behavior within its ranks.

Systemic changes can rebuild police-community relations and ensure all citizens receive fair treatment, regardless of race. Implementing strict accountability and zero-tolerance policies for misconduct is the only way to repair trust in policing. The rehiring of Greg Marohn in Michigan is a step in the wrong direction that must be corrected. (NewsOne, Baltimore.BinNews)

Declining Public Trust in Police Amid Calls for Reform

Line graph showing a downward trend in trust in police over three years, with data points starting at 51% in 2020, 48% in 2021, and falling to 45% in 2022. The graph has a dark olive green line against a white background.
This line graph depicts the declining trend in public trust in police from 2020 to 2022 highlighting a decrease from 51 to 45

Public confidence in law enforcement has eroded in recent years, particularly among communities of color. A Pew Research Center survey found trust in police fell from 51% to 45% over three years (Pew Research Center). The decline was especially steep among Black Americans.

Bar chart with three bars in bronze color, representing the percentage of Black, Hispanic, and White adults who reported unfair stops by police. The percentages are 67% for Black, 19% for Hispanic, and 9% for White adults.
Bar chart showing the percentages of Black Hispanic and White adults who reported being unfairly stopped by police Black adults reported the highest rates particularly Black men

Racial disparities in policing experiences are stark. Almost half of Black adults, including two-thirds of Black men, reported being unfairly stopped by police (Pew Research Center). In contrast, only 19% of Hispanic adults and 9% of white adults said the same.

Gaps in Police Misconduct Data and Accountability

Holding officers accountable for misconduct remains a challenge. Since 2006, major departments have fired over 1,800 officers, but arbitrators later reinstated many of them (Pew Research Center). Significant gaps also exist in misconduct data reporting.

“In 2021, just over two-thirds of law enforcement agencies submitted crime data to the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System. Less than half provided data to the FBI’s use-of-force database in 2022.” (The White House)

Broad Public Support for Police Reforms

Rebuilding public trust will require robust data collection, increased transparency, and meaningful accountability for misconduct. While the path forward is challenging, the broad consensus around common-sense reforms offers reason for hope. Policymakers must act with urgency to implement changes that can repair police-community relations.

Horizontal bar chart with bars in dark olive green, bronze, and black showing high levels of support for police reform measures. The measures include 90% support for training in nonviolent alternatives and a federal misconduct database, and 75% for civilian oversight.
Horizontal bar chart showing strong public support for police reform proposals including training in nonviolent alternatives a federal misconduct database and civilian oversight with support ranging from 75 to 90

Despite eroding trust, widespread support exists for specific measures to improve policing. Around 90% of Americans favor requiring de-escalation training and creating a federal misconduct database (Pew Research Center). Majorities also back giving oversight boards investigative powers, residency requirements for officers, and banning chokeholds.

About the author

Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College, where he has been pursuing his love of teaching since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.

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