Detroit police chief plans to “terminate” two officers who contacted Border Patrol amid traffic stops
By DeJanay Booth-Singleton, Joseph Buczek
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DETROIT (WWJ) — Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison says he plans to “terminate” two officers after they contacted U.S. Customs and Border Protection during two separate traffic stops, adding that their actions were against the department’s policy.
In a Board of Police Commissioners’ meeting on Thursday, Feb. 12, Bettison says that under policy, officers are prohibited from contacting federal agents for translation services. Bettison says the calls resulted in the individuals being detained by federal agents.
“Contacting Border Patrol, ICE or other federal agencies for translation services is strictly prohibited, as it subjects individuals to extreme scrutiny,” Bettison said, adding that the department is working with a company that offers certified translation services.
“There’s absolutely no reason to contact federal law enforcement agencies to assist with translation services,” Bettison said.
Bettison says the two incidents happened in the last few months, on Dec. 16, 2025, and Feb. 9, 2026.
According to Bettison, the December incident was found during a routine audit of body-worn cameras.
Bettison said that a police officer was investigating an individual on a felony warrant at a location on the west side. The officer, according to Bettison, believed the individual was not a U.S. citizen and contacted Border Patrol. Border Patrol responded and took the individual.
Two months later, in February, a sergeant responded to a request for a supervisor at a traffic stop. The sergeant learned that the person involved in the traffic stop did not speak English and he called Border Patrol, Bettison says. The police chief says federal agents “conducted their investigation” and determined that the person was not a U.S. citizen. The person was then detained, Bettison says.
Both the officer and the sergeant were suspended with pay, but Bettison requested on Feb. 12 that the Board of Police Commissioners suspend the two officers without pay.
“I will say this to everyone that 98, 99% of our officers do it the right way each and every day. They’re out there working hard. But I do have 1, 2% that decide to violate our rules, our policies and our procedures. And to those officers, I will hold them accountable,” Bettison said.
The Board of Police Commissioners said it will discuss the matter during a closed-door session this Thursday.
“We’ll be making a decision on whether these officers violated a policy,” said Detroit Police Commissioner Darryl Woods
Woods says any decision to fire these officers will come from Bettison after the board makes its decision.
Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero released a statement on the two incidents, saying in part:
“This moment requires us to listen and to be intentional, in order to not cause greater harm. We, as a beloved community, above all else, need to practice mutual aid. I call upon residents across this great city to join together and build communities of care, whereby folks of all backgrounds support one another, care for one another, and love one another.”
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