Some officers say the poor working conditions are reflective of the city's overall attitude toward the police force. Officers complain of low pay, insufficient staffing and problems with equipment. We've got the worst fleet of vehicles. We have to fight for everything. One officer holds up a pen.
Pay is another complaint.
Hamtramck police are the lowest paid in the state according to their lawsuit, and they've been working two years without a contract. If conditions don't improve, says Tripp, officers and the public will continue to be at risk. Ann Mullen is a Metro Times' staff writer.