The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)’s Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) policy and the Michigan State Police (MSP)’s interpretation of that policy are preventing the Board of Police Commissioners’ (BOPC) direct and unfettered access to police body worn camera (BWC) and dash cam video footage critical to the BOPC being able to fulfill its investigatory obligations, and is thus blocking Detroiters’ right and Will to maintain effective civilian oversight of its Detroit Police Department (DPD).  

The Background

In 1974, Detroit voters established the Board of Police Commissioners (BOPC) in response to a history of DPD’s brutality and abuse of power, concentrated against black and brown residents. Detroiters then voted in the 2012 Charter (pages 66-70) to expand the powers of the (BOPC) to include the following:

• In consultation with the Chief of Police, and with the approval of the Mayor establish policies, rules and regulations;
• Review and approve the departmental budget before its submission to the Mayor;
• Receive and resolve, as provided in this chapter, any complaint concerning the operation of the Police Department and forward all allegations of criminality to the appropriate internal or external law enforcement agency for further investigation;
• Act as final authority in imposing or reviewing discipline of employees of the department;
• Make an annual report to the Mayor, the City Council, and the public of the department’s activities during the previous year, including the handling of crime and complaints, and of future plans.
• The power to subpoena witnesses and evidence.
• Participate in the process of selecting the Police Chief
• Select and appoint the Police Department’s HR Director

Additionally, effective May 2021, the Community Input Over Government Surveillance ordinance also gave the BOPC the authority to approve the technical specifications of any new surveillance technology DPD seeks to purchase before they go out to bid.

Effective civilian oversight of law enforcement requires “unfettered access to records and facilities”. The BOPC staffs the Office of the Chief Investigator (OCI) to investigate citizen complaints against members of the police department. The BOPC and OCI are separate and independent of DPD. For years, OCI investigators have had direct and unfettered access to Body Worn Camera (BWC) footage and other records to support independent investigations of complaints. As such, OCI investigators are subject to thorough background checks and annual CJIS compliance training. In May 2026, the DPD, at the direction of MSP and the FBI, removed OCI’s direct and unfettered access to BWC footage and other records. The FBI and MSP cited that the BOPC and OCI are not law enforcement agencies and that according to the CJIS policy are not eligible to have access to incidental Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) content that might inadvertently be seen in BWC footage and other records.   

What’s At Stake?

Now, anytime YOU have a complaint against DPD, OCI must ask and rely on the DPD -- whose officers are being investigated -- to find the relevant video footage and other records, redact Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) content, and send it to the investigator. Intentionally or unintentionally, relevant footage and records to support the complainant’s allegations may not be “found” or may get redacted. Such a process flies in the face of public trust, effective and efficient civilian oversight, and the Will of Detroiters.

Sign and Share 

Sign this petition and stand with other Detroiters to tell State and Federal elected officials and candidates that:

• Detroiters remain committed to meaningful local civilian oversight of DPD through the BOPC and it’s OCI.
• Detroiters demand that the BOPC and OCI have unfettered access to all footage and records necessary to effectively perform their respective duties mandated by the Detroit City Charter.
• The FBI must reform their CJIS policy to allow civilian oversight entities to have access to criminal justice information necessary to perform the duties mandated by the Will of their local electorate.