The Michigan State Police is investigating a police issue on the island of Grosse Ile, where a lawsuit alleging wrongdoing by a high-ranking police official has triggered a firestorm of controversy in recent weeks.
Without offering any specifics, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy confirmed on Thursday, Oct. 7, that an MSP investigation is being conducted "relating to Grosse Ile police matters." That's what she wrote in a letter to Grosse Ile resident Kyle de Beausset, who had reached out to Worthy for help in requesting an independent investigation into allegations that a police official had threatened a witness in a criminal investigation to protect a son's friend from prosecution.
That allegation, which was disclosed in a lawsuit and first
reported by the Free Press, involves Grosse Ile Police Commission Chairman Scott Longton, who is accused of using his job to interfere in a criminal investigation on behalf of a friend. In a previous phone call with the Free Press, Longton laughed at the allegation and made comments that included “Oh jeez” and “that’s funny." After the Free Press forwarded him a copy of the lawsuit, he did not respond.
Worthy has not offered any specifics about the MSP probe, stating in her letter to de Beausset: "I cannot discuss this in any further detail due to the active and ongoing investigation. It is important to allow the MSP to do the necessary work that is needed."
News that an MSP investigation was underway came as a pleasant surprise to de Beausset, a former Grosse Ile Township trustee who said that he spent weeks trying to get the township to address the community's concerns over the allegations. But nothing has happened, he said, so he got more than 300 people to sign a petition requesting an independent investigation into allegations that surfaced in a lawsuit.
"The allegations are disturbing," de Beausset said in a recent interview with the Free Press, noting that if the allegations are true: "It's a huge breech of public trust ... this is about peoples trust in public officials."
On Oct. 1, de Beausset emailed a letter to the Wayne County Prosecutor's office, expressing his frustration with the township's inaction on the matter, and noted that he and 300-plus residents had signed the petition. Six days later, Worthy responded that an investigation was already underway, though she didn't elaborate.
In an email late Wednesday, Maria Miller, spokesperson for the Wayne County Prosecutor's office, said: "This was not because of the petition." She said that Worthy was only responding to de Beausset's email, and offered no further details.
For de Beausset, the confirmation of an investigation was all he needed.
"Hi All, I have better news, and much sooner, than I expected," de Beausset wrote late Wednesday on his "Kyle for Grosse Ile" group Facebook page, where he attached a copy of Worthy's announcement. "I believe the nearly 350 of us who took action helped demonstrate how strongly our community wants an independent investigation."
His post continued:
"Honestly, this is bittersweet for me ... I know my decision to push the way I did made some people unhappy ... please do not let anyone convince you that ordinary people coming together cannot accomplish important things in our communities, whether or not we hold positions of power. Speaking up locally is not always easy. It can carry personal and professional risks ... but I am proud that nearly 350 of us chose to put our names behind a request for transparency, accountability, and an independent investigation."
He continued: "For now, I believe the responsible thing is to allow the Michigan State Police to conduct its work."
Former Grosse Ile officer's lawsuit
The controversy stems from an employment lawsuit filed by Grosse Ile police officer Susan Dalpiaz, who alleges she got demoted at work for blowing the whistle on Longton. Specifically, she alleges that Longton interfered in a home invasion that she was investigating, where $350 was stolen. The suspect was a teenage boy who, according to her suit, "was captured on home surveillance video entering the victims’ home in a ski mask … and admitted on (police) body camera that he was the person on the video.”
But that boy's mom was friends with Longton, who is accused in the lawsuit of threatening a teen witness to the crime to silence him. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that Longton delivered this threat in a phone call to the boy's father, not knowing that this father was a federal agent, who saved the phone records. Dalpiaz would ultimately get those phone records, and use them in her lawsuit, which alleges that Longton also was protected by the higher ranks at the police department.
Dalpiaz's lawsuit is against both the township and Longton, who previously called Dalpiaz a "crooked cop" when contacted by the Free Press, but without elaborating.
Township Manager Derek Thiel has declined comment on the case, citing policy not to comment on pending litigation. Grosse Ile Police Chief Todd Brozek also has declined to comment.
This is a developing story that may be updated.
Tresa Baldas:tbaldas@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: MSP investigates Grosse Ile police in wake of corruption allegations
