Sadly, Michigan’s Criminal Justice System is broken and absolutely skewed in favor of the police and the wealthy.
The criminal justice system as it stands is structured to serve itself through what is essentially a self-created factory system; implementing policies and procedures that perpetuate recidivism and hurt families. It is designed as working, trapping people in a cycle of abuse.
Partly because police are rewarded for the wrong things, and partly because prosecutors benefit from the incentive structure of racking up convictions.
The Reality of Police Misconduct.
- According to the US Department of Justice, children with parents in the system suffer emotionally, educationally, mentally, and financially.
- This creates on-ramps for abuse and trauma. National Institute of Justice research finds that childhood abuse and neglect lead to adult criminality.
- The Criminal Justice system also profits off of families of the incarcerated and doles out financial abuse. One example of this is charging for phone calls to connect with children and loved ones.
Every day in America, the criminal justice system gets away with these abuses, hurting families and providing little to no resources for healing. Even when a law enforcement officer or state trooper scares you, threatens you, and fails to follow procedures, causing you and your children immeasurable pain, they will shift the blame and your distress on your accused spouse, washing their hands of their responsibility entirely. When someone is hurt, they will likely claim qualified immunity.
Well before someone ever reaches trial, the Michigan criminal justice system will place pending charges on a background check, diminishing one’s chances of employment. Innocent until proven guilty is a bald-faced lie told by people who work in and benefit from the criminal justice system so these monsters can sleep at night. They will begin to erode your life before you can blink your eyes. They will also do whatever they feel is necessary to get a conviction, even if that means hurting innocent women and children.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and the goal is to get as much sunlight on the situation as possible.
While this post is in no way legal advice, this is what I recommend to others who find themselves in the same shoes.
Document the Encounter
- Write everything down while it’s fresh in your mind.
- Keep a notebook nearby in case you remember things as well as any new developments.
- Save any audio and/or video of the event (if available) to aid in your complaint and requests for help.
Even though many Michigan Police Departments have Body Cam policies and footage should be available upon request, but it does not mean they will honor them.
After all, police are legally allowed to lie to you.
Learn How to Navigate the Government as a Citizen.
In spite of the craziness that is the Michigan Government, they have a well-written guide on navigating your way through it. Read it here.
Or purchase my guide and toolkit here.
Educate Yourself.
Research Michigan laws, police policies, whatever you can get your hands on to prove misconduct.
Submit a Formal Complaint against the Police Department or Agency Involved.
Where you report it depends heavily on where it occurred and who did it. For example, for Michigan State Police troopers, you can submit formal MSP complaints here.
Submit Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests and Get Your Hands on Records.
Submit requests for records pertaining to the event. Government agencies have policies that require transparency in their documentation. A quick shortcut is to Google the name of the department or agency in question + FOIA request.
For example, I googled: Michigan State Police FOIA Request.
Don’t Bother With Michigan State Representatives.
You can find look here for State House and go here for State Senate. But they are very rarely helpful.
Additionally, go here for Federal representatives.
DON’T Bother Contacting Local Media Outlets.
Yes, local media outlets have tip lines or places to contact them with a story. No, they do not care. Why? Because police misconduct is so common it’s not news anymore.
Instead, make a report at an outside public website like the Giglio Brady List. They can’t hide behind misconduct with invisible internal affairs complaints when it’s out in the open.
Submit a Complaint to the Department of Justice.
Know going into this that a civil rights lawyer is going to be impossible in Michigan.
Due to Michigan’s Arrest Warrant laws and the sheer complacency that the system is broken, I realized that no civil rights or personal injury attorney would take my case because it would first, have to go through the Federal Court system and second, will absolutely take a really long time.
However, there is still the option of going to through the Department of Justice Civil Rights Process. You can also route the complaint to the FBI.
Contact the Michigan ACLU or Other Advocacy Groups
The Michigan ACLU does take complaints regarding police misconduct and will reach out if they feel they can help. But, they are often overworked and will likely not be able to take your case unless it’s extraordinary, and even then it’s a stretch.
Above All, Stay Strong.
I don’t say any of this to discourage you. I say it to prepare you.
This is going to be a long fight and its going to suck up all of your free time. Do not let these people wear your down and discourage you. It is always worth it to protect yourself and your family.
Never be ashamed of what happened or afraid to tell your story. Remember that you were victimized, but you don’t have to stay silent. I also recommend that you find ways to take care of yourself, even if it’s just a hot shower or a quick walk. Reach out to family and friends for support and comfort as much as you can.
It’s a long road, but eventually, you’ll reach the end of it.
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