Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS – Mayor Bill Bazzi has asked Police Director Paul Vanderplow to conduct a citywide internal affairs investigation, prompting City Council President Mo Baydoun to call for Bazzi’s investigation as well.
The surprise announcement, which was released to the press the afternoon of March 1 without any announcement to the City Council, occurred less than 24 hours after the Feb. 29 council meeting, during which no mention was made of the impending appointment, despite Vanderplow being present.
Dearborn Heights Police Department Director of Support Services and newly appointed Internal Affairs Investigator Paul Vanderplow
Councilmember Tom Wencel attempted to initiate conciliation between the mayor and council during the meeting, a gesture rendered seemingly ineffective by the mayor’s recent action.
Bazzi announced that Vanderplow will fulfill the newly-formed position of Internal Affairs Director while continuing to serve as the Police Department Director of Support Services.
Neither position, both of which were created by the mayor, were approved by the council.
Vanderplow is currently one of three plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the city of Dearborn Heights, and would be investigating defendants in the lawsuit.
Bazzi said he is focused on ensuring the effective, efficient and ethical conduct of the city’s departments and activities.
“The abuses and improprieties in this city have gone far enough,” he said. “It’s time to end it.”
Bazzi said he appointed Vanderplow to do the investigation following reports of “improprieties and borderline illegal activities within the city structure,” and said both appointed and elected officials will be investigated.
“I have been made aware of some matters that, if proven true, could result in serious legal and organizational implications for the city,” he said. “They need to be addressed legally, thoroughly and in plain sight.”
Bazzi said Vanderplow’s “internal clean-up” of the police department prompted him to expand his role to other city employees and elected officials.
Baydoun said he finds it bizarre that the mayor is creating another position without the approval of the city council.
“This is not a position that is in our charter,” he said. “This is a position that he just made up once again, and I hate that he is constantly fear-mongering people by saying there’s corruption happening, but he can never give a name or talk about the actual corruption.”
Dearborn Heights City Council President Mo Baydoun
Baydoun said some of Bazzi’s press releases seem to be fake or based on conspiracy theories.
“It’s pretty bizarre that he is appointing somebody to investigate the city when he needs to be investigated,” he said. “Who will investigate him?”
Baydoun said it is bizarre that Vanderplow is currently suing the city and that Mayor Bazzi has created another illegal role for Vanderplow.
“I wish Bill Bazzi will for once speak up and come out with stuff that’s causing fear-mongering in residents,” he said. “He’s saying things, that there is all this corruption going on, but what is it? Who is it? Talk about it.”
Baydoun said Bazzi gives “little bits and details” but “never comes out with the truth” because none of the accusations are true.
“It’s a pure lie – that’s what it is,” he said. “Everything he says is a lie.”
Baydoun said it seems as if the mayor does not want to “build bridges” with the city council.
He also said it was troubling that he had to find out about Bazzi’s appointment of Vanderplow to conduct an internal investigation from the press and not from the mayor himself.
“He could have mentioned it at the council meeting,” Baydoun said. “The games that Bill Bazzi keeps playing are getting old.”
The council president said he thinks the city’s residents are getting fed up with the mayor’s game-playing as well.
“Residents have been calling me non-stop and said, ‘Why does this man keep doing this?’” Baydoun said. “Bill, the residents are sick and tired of these little games. You’ve got to stop.”
During the Feb. 29 Dearborn Heights City Council meeting, Councilmember Tom Wencel calls for reconciliation between the mayor and council.
The council president said that everything Bazzi fought the late Mayor Dan Paletko on when Bazzi was on council he is now doing himself as mayor.
Baydoun said that all elected officials in the city will follow the law and will adhere to proper policies and procedures.
“Nobody is going to get any special treatment, including the mayor,” he said. “Since the mayor is saying he is hearing some borderline things that are being corrupt, I myself am going to reach out to the state and ask them to investigate the entire city – the entire city needs to be investigated – all the elected officials, including the mayor.”
Councilmember Hassan Ahmad said the situation was “ironic and bizarre.”
“The actions of this administration have been disheartening, as it feels like we have been constantly surrounded by meaningless investigations for the past three years,” he said. “It is crucial to remember that no one, including the administration and its appointees, is exempt from the law.”
Ahmad said the ongoing accusations against city elected officials and staff are perplexing and need to be addressed.
“The negative impact caused by the current administration is spreading throughout city departments, affecting the city staff and residents, who ultimately bear the consequences. It is frustrating to witness these repercussions.”
Councilmember Hassan Saab said the mayor’s intimidation will not deter him.
Vanderplow’s past experience includes being a special agent with the Detroit Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and with the Detroit District of the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal investigation division.
Bazzi urges anyone with information regarding waste, fraud or abuse within the city of Dearborn Heights to contact its Internal Affairs hotline at 313-277-7717 or at [email protected].