New  police captain position under scrutiny 

DEARBORN — On Tuesday, the Dearborn City Council voted to approve the creation of a new captain position within the Dearborn Police Department, despite recent cutbacks given to all city employees.

The latest measure, approved by the council in a 5-1 vote, will replace an existing position of a supervisory officer, essentially giving that person a “promotion.” One individual who took great issue with the move was Greg Allgeier, president of the Police Officers Association of Dearborn, who felt the eight percent higher payrate of the new position was unfair to the other 143 members of the POAD, who over the last couple of years took legacy cuts and saw increases on health care costs.

Police Chief Ronald Haddad however was in favor of the move arguing that the change in supervisory staff is necessary. He also pointed out that the request came after the council had recognized that the police department had secured a  total of $120,000 in grant funding. 

In addition to the 143 members of the POAD, there are also 39 members of the lieutenants and sergeants union in the department, and 65 civilian employees.

Allgeier pointed out that according to a 2004 city charter, the department should have 205 officers based on the city’s population, and because of the shortage of necessary officers, this was not the right time to increase the higher ranks of the department. 

Chief Haddad argued that he was in need of a total of four supervisors who can fill in for each other, and at least one supervisor who would need to oversee every shift. Haddad says the new position will not have an effect on the police department’s overall budget.