Detroit police officer hit with 85 allegations of misconduct, mostly toward POC
The Detroit Police Department is launching an investigation into numerous misconduct allegations against a police officer, Interim Police Chief James White announced on Wednesday.
The announcement was made within hours after a 7 Action News investigation of the matter was published.
A history of alleged abuse: In his 12 years of service, Sgt. Stephen Kue received 85 citizen complaints, accusing him of repeated excessive force, harassment and use of racist language toward other people of color, the 7 Action News investigation uncovered.
- White said that Kue has been removed from his patrol assignment and placed on administrative duty as they look into the matter.
- According to White, he “will personally review each complaint against Sgt. Kue, as well as, review the previous actions of the command team member(s) who dismissed the disturbing allegations.”
A pattern discovered: Complaints against Kue dwarf the city’s average of eight citizen complaints per officer, based on data obtained from the department. Some officers go their entire careers without receiving any.
- Nearly all complainants who identified their race listed themselves as a person of color: 75 Black, one bi-racial, one Chaldean, zero white and 21 unknown or not listed, according to 7 Action News.
- Complainant Quory Collins said he was frisked and cuffed by Kue and a partner in 2017 for reportedly “impeding traffic when he crossed the street.”
- After the officers did not find anything illegal on Collins, Kue allegedly told him, “My trigger finger is itching. I dare you to move. I dare you to move.”
- Collins, who was not charged with anything, filed a complaint, but an investigation later concluded that there was no evidence to prove it ever occurred.
- Most of the citizen complaints against Kue and other officers faced similar results.
Nearly terminated: Kue was reportedly almost fired in 2018 after his involvement in a botched drug raid where a dog was fatally shot but was instead promoted to sergeant three months later.
- During the investigation by internal affairs, Kue claimed he never fired his weapon, but ballistics determined otherwise. Kue then reportedly said that he forgot.
- While the disciplinary sergeant recommended Kue be terminated, the entire case was dismissed for “timeliness.”
A quick Google search found that Kue has one acting credit as Officer Chang in the final scene of the 2008 film “Gran Torino.”
Featured Image via THESSALONIAN31N
