Mayor Dave Bing reiterated Friday that he will conduct his own investigation using the City's human resources department into the alleged personal affair Detroit's Police Chief, despite the Board of Police Commissioners arguing that the matter falls under their jurisdiction.
Officer Angelica Robinson, employed by the DPD's Internal Affairs department, said this week that she was having an affair with Chief Ralph Godbee for almost a year. Robinson allegedly became upset when she learned he was at a conference out of town and sent several upset tweets, including a photograph of her with her police-issued gun in her mouth.
Robinson also claimed DPD officers located her through her cell phone and came to her home in Farmington.
Bing suspended Godbee, who previously had an affair with an officer that was made public when he rose to Chief in 2010, for 30 days and said he would investigate the matter. On Thursday, the Board of Police Commissioners sent a letter to the Mayor, according to the Detroit Free Press:
“The news media has reported that Chief Godbee may have used department resources in violation of Departmental policy to address an individual and personal matter ... As the head of the Detroit Police Department, the Board believes that it has the authority and mandate to conduct the investigation in this case, with that authority rooted in the clear and unambiguous language of the Detroit City Charter.”
Bing issued his own statement Friday:
“I fully expect that the Board of Police Commissioners will execute their duties as outlined in the Detroit City Charter. However, due to the fact that Chief Ralph L. Godbee, Jr. is a mayoral appointee, I must conduct my own independent investigation to determine the validity of any allegations of personal misconduct that violate my standards for appointees. I will address these issues publicly on Monday.”
Godbee has not commented on the situation.
Bing's administration has been plagued by firings and resignations. He has already fired two police chiefs in less than four years. For a look at the officials who have left during his tenure, check out the slideshow below.
