Suspended Melvindale police chief accused of breaking the law

Monday meeting revealed details of formerly secret suspension

MELVINDALE, Mich. – Melvindale's suspended police chief was on the defense Monday night as the reasons he's been sidelined were finally revealed.

Chad Hayse has been off the job since Aug. 3, but the reason has been surrounded in secrecy. But much of it was made public Monday, and it's quite a list of allegations.

Within the charges are allegations that the chief hated the towing company that landed the city contract last year -- Goch and Sons. He allegedly hated it so much he ordered his guys to stop towing cars unless absolutely necessary -- an order he issued soon after violated the law, according to the city council and its attorneys.

Monday brought more than three hours of contentious grilling by the City Council, the mayor and outside counsel.

Four charges discussed tonight include:

  • Making disparaging social media posts and then lying to council and the mayor about them
  • Making misleading statements about the future of a 911 dispatch merger
  • Suspending an officer without going through proper procedures
  • Issuing an illegal order to officers that said, "You will notify the desk officer the conditions which merit towing the vehicle, including driver gender and age..."

The City Council argued that there was clear discrimination and a violation of the law.


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