Detroit’s internal watchdog has cleared newly elected police commissioner Darious Morris of misconduct and, in the same breath, told the Detroit Police Department and the Board of Police Commissioners to tighten up how precincts screen visitors and how commissioners behave on social media. The review focused on a January 24 traffic stop near Lafayette and I-375 downtown and a separate January encounter at the 9th Precinct that sparked complaints, Facebook posts and a whole lot of friction between Morris and officers. City officials now say they will move to draft uniform station-security rules and training in hopes of avoiding similar standoffs at precinct doors.
What the inspector general found
The Office of the Inspector General concluded the allegations against Morris were unfounded and urged the department to adopt a single, citywide station-security guideline, while also recommending that the police board set rules limiting what commissioners may post online and provide training on how they should manage interactions with officers, according to The Detroit News. The report also noted that the department does not have written universal policies that specifically address station security and said investigators reviewed video and records before reaching their conclusions.
DPD to rewrite precinct security directives
"The Planning Unit is working on developing a new station security directive," Sgt. Daron Zhou told The Detroit News, signaling that the department plans to spell out in writing how visitors enter precincts and how officers should respond when non-officials arrive at active scenes. The directive is expected to clarify the use of metal detectors, options such as hand-held wanding, and how commanders should handle requests from board members who show up at crime scenes.
Prosecutors say evidence no longer available
Wayne County prosecutors declined to reissue a 2021 weapons warrant against Morris after officials confirmed that the 9mm Taurus tied to that case was destroyed by the Detroit Police Department in 2024, the prosecutor's office said in a January 22 press release. Wayne County said the case had been dismissed at a preliminary exam when officers did not appear to testify and that reissuance was denied because the key piece of evidence no longer existed, an outcome also reported by BridgeDetroit.
Commissioner’s posts and record
Morris drew criticism after he posted photos and details about 9th Precinct officers on Facebook and tried to enter the precinct without going through a metal detector, actions that led to calls for his resignation and an oversight review, according to WXYZ. That station’s reporting also outlined Morris’s prior convictions for assaulting a police officer, impersonation and forgery, a history he has publicly discussed while running as a write-in candidate.
What this means for residents
The inspector general’s recommendations are aimed at preventing ad hoc confrontations at precinct doors and protecting officers from being publicly targeted while still preserving civilian oversight of the department. Meeting minutes and city documents indicate the Board of Police Commissioners and department leaders will review draft rules and training at upcoming sessions as the department moves from watchdog review to actual policy-writing. For details on when those discussions land on the agenda, see upcoming meetings listed in City records.
