Detroit police officer hit with 85 allegations of misconduct, mostly toward POC

July 22, 2021

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

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