The Arab American News met with Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano Tuesday, at the paper’s office in Dearborn, to discuss with him some issues of interest to the Arab American community in Wayne County. 

Ficano candidly shared his thoughts on a range of topics, including the controversies that have plagued his administration and that are now the subject of a federal investigation, his close relationship with the Arab American community over the past 30 years of his career in public office, and whether, or not the next election could determine the fate of his political career. 

Ficano served as Wayne County Sheriff for nearly 20 years, before being elected to his current office in January 2003. He presides over more than nearly two million residents in the largest county in the State and the thirteenth largest county in the nation.  He oversees an annual budget of $2.2 billion.

Ficano in a sit down interview with The Arab American News.

The Arab American News: You’ve had a strong relationship with the Arab American community for decades now, but a lot of the controversy that has surrounded your administration may have caused much of that support to diminish. What do you want to say to Arab Americans, who once supported you, and now may not? 

Robert Ficano: First of all, I haven’t changed in the 30 years that I’ve been in office. Back when I was Sheriff, we made sure we brought in a number of Arab Americans who would be qualified for, not only deputy sheriff, but also to move up through, what we call, the command structure. I’ve carried that on throughout my whole career, as county executive as well. I haven’t shied away from the community, and we’ve done things, historically, that others have shied away from.

Once 9/11 happened, I was there, and we were telling people not to stereotype the community, and to do things that were going to be positive in terms of facing the crisis that the country was facing, and not to scapegoat individual groups, or ethnic groups.  

RF: I think people were concerned at first, but that was well over three months ago, and you haven’t seen the roof fall in. 

What has happened is that we’ve tried to protect the criminal justice system as much as possible. We’ve been making cuts over the past three, or four years.  The prosecutor didn’t take any cuts, and the Sheriff’s Department budget had grown as well.

Unfortunately, we depend on property taxes, and property taxes have continuously declined, so at this point it is like a family:  You try to do the best you can, but at some point, everybody in the family takes a situation where they have to do more with less, and that’s what we’re asking everybody else to do as well. 

The prosecutor in the last two years, while everybody has been taking cuts, has been protected and has not been touched. 

RF: She filed a lawsuit, which has aggravated the Commission obviously. When somebody isn’t happy, they sue, and it takes a lot of attorneys and resources like that. The Wayne County Corporation Counsel tried to negotiate a settlement and brought the settlement to the Commission, and it was soundly rejected. They said, ‘we’ll talk settlement with you if you stop suing,’ because next year, if she doesn’t agree with the budget, she’ll sue again. If the Sheriff doesn’t agree, does he sue?  Does the Register of Deeds? 

Ficano answers questions by The Arab American News staff.

TAAN: But are there enough prosecutors to handle all the cases?  That’s really the concern. 

RF: So far, it’s my understanding that the 36th District Court has functioned. I’ve checked. I’ve called some of the district court judges.  They say that things seem to function, and it’s like anything else:  At first there is difficulty. 

Think of it as a family budget:  At first, when changes are made, they’re reluctant and resistant, but eventually people learn what they are and aren’t able to do, and then they start putting their behavior in pattern with what resources they have available. I think that’s what you’re starting to see now. 

RF: Look, I’ve had a 30-year record.  If people are going to judge me on a year and a half of difficulty, then I have been very fortunate.  I’ve had close to a 30-year career and not had any major problems. It’s like anything else:  You know in your heart and your soul what you have, and have not, done and how you can go head in good conscience. If I felt like I had done something personally wrong, then obviously I would not proceed to even be in office. But I know, in my own inter-being, heart and soul that I have not done anything wrong, so I am going to make the case of what I’ve been able to accomplish in the course of 30 years. I think people are willing to listen in, and not just judge, on a situation of a year and a half, over 30 years, of what I’ve been able to accomplish. 

RF : I first actually started as the deputy county clerk for James Killeen, back in the county clerk’s office.  That was in the beginning of the 1980s. Previously, before that, I was the Assistant City Attorney for Westland.  I was appointed as Sheriff in 1982 and assumed office, as county executive, in 2003. 

 

RF: It was very open and supportive; we wanted to make sure that there would be equal opportunity for everybody to get employment in what is now one of the older jails.  When it first opened, as a new jail, in 1984, I went and met with a number of Arab American groups, and we actually got applications of people who would qualify to be deputy sheriffs, and inspectors. 

 

RF: We’ve had a number of Arab Americans, and let me just say, they were very qualified.  It wasn’t just picking people off the street.

Some of the obvious ones we helped promote were Turkia Mullin and Azzam Elder, who were a part of the administration. Like I said, there was a talent pool that was there to pick from, and we wanted to make sure that the administration reflected the diversity of the county.  Therefore, we were aggressive in bringing and pursuing those who were qualified on board. We still have a very strong presence of Arabs, Chaldeans and African Americans. 

TAAN: There are some people in the community who believe that you threw some Arab Americans under the bus after the controversy surfaced.  What is your response to that? 

RF: We have followed the normal process of what happens in any administration. If somebody has done something that we don’t think is right, they simply move on. I think you’ve seen, in the case of the deputy, on his own free will, he voluntarily stepped down. I think you saw that Ms. Mullin moved on to the airport and any of the controversy and issues that she had were with the airport.  It wasn’t with the county at that point.  I, in good conscience, believe that I have done everything possible and have been open and reliable with the people that I’ve dealt with. 

TAAN: Can you speak a little about the federal investigation? 

RF: Yes.  We’ve completely cooperated with them and anything they’ve needed, we’ve completely turned over.

RF: Me, I feel comfortable with my own situation.  There is a protocol that they have to go through to check everything, and once they start, they go and run through a list. That’s what they’re doing right now. 

RF: I certainly hope so; for everybody’s sake. 

RF: I think it is going to be important, but at the same time, I have faith in myself. I don’t give up just because you run into a tough spot. What a good leader does is correct what you think the problems are and move on in the process. Everything is a learning experience; Even after 30 years in office. 

I know myself.  I have done nothing wrong, and I have a lot of good things that I’ve been able to do for Wayne County.  Wayne County makes up 41 percent of all the new jobs that were created in the State of Michigan over the past three years and 38 percent of all new investment that has happened in the State of Michigan in past years.  However, people should also look at some of the results we were able to achieve. I think, if you look at the results, you look at the achievements, that’s going to far outweigh any of the controversies. 

RF: I think that if anybody has done something wrong, a good leader would correct it and move on. You don’t let the situation fester, and I’ve always believed in that. As Sheriff I’ve done it, and as county executive I’ve done it. Some people, sometimes, make personal choices. You put people in.  You trust them.  You want them to make the right decision, but if they don’t do good; at that point, you make a decision to move on and clear the situation.