City settles with GRPD cop for $75,000

Why exactly WHY did the GRPD pay him the money?

Just a guess, but .... maybe because they were WRONG to fire him?

ListenUpNow wrote:

Why exactly WHY did the GRPD pay him the money?

Because they knew that the taxpayers of the city of GR would cough it up. Better though that they give him that much now than to lose a multi million dollar suit later on.

Is there more to this story because I wonder why they paid him money too. Did he know VanVels was in custody when he fired his gun ?

This is a travesty, this cowardly liar actually comes out a head while KOZ had to loose his life. This pansy should have just quit and went away. I hope to God no other police department hires this liar. From what I hear this wasn't the first time he "incorrectly documented" a police incident and he had been disciplined from his earlier report falsification yet the city chose to pay him off. I also hear the city gave him credit for 3 months of service so he could be vested and draw off the police pension of the hardworking honest officers that actually do work here and didn't falsify a report.

I'll leave the city for 50k

I agree with the firing, but NOT with the $$ settelment. Writing an 'incorrect' statement is poor judgement for sure, but firing at "someone" inside the house?! Umm, that was another officer!! You just don't shoot at something not knowing what or WHO you are shooting at, period! How would this 'fine?' officer have felt if he shot and killed another officer?

I agree with Francis 100% all the coward should get is fired.

police file false reports everyday. they lie as much as the people they are arresting. they make up things that did not happen to make their case stronger, and to cover their butts!

I want to know why he wasn't ready to write a report? Doesn't it make sense to do so right after the incident? When details are fresh?

And as far as "shooting at somebody" WHO TRAINED THIS GUY TO BE A POLICE OFFICER??

If this really was not the first time the officer has incorrectly documented a crime scene, he should have been let go. His sloppy work is unacceptable. The money should have been put towards the officer who was killed (Bob K)Memorial fund if anything.

Good police work should be rewarded. Sloppy police work should have appropriate repramands.

Such Gross incompetence on the part of Grand Rapids PD.
All GRPD officers need retraining as to the Mich., laws
pertaining to the use of deadly force by police officers.
Thank God no innocent civilians were killed by these
corrupt incompotent excuses for police officers!!!

theduck wrote:

police file false reports everyday. they lie as much as the people they are arresting. they make up things that did not happen to make their case stronger, and to cover their butts!

Yup the cops (most of them) are above the law and a good portion break the law - but get away with it. They do what citizens do - but have no consequences. All bs!!! Power trips to all cops!

Wish I could make that kind of money every time I lied!! I'd even lie more!!!

ListenUpNow wrote:

I want to know why he wasn't ready to write a report? Doesn't it make sense to do so right after the incident? When details are fresh?
And as far as "shooting at somebody" WHO TRAINED THIS GUY TO BE A POLICE OFFICER??
If this really was not the first time the officer has incorrectly documented a crime scene, he should have been let go. His sloppy work is unacceptable. The money should have been put towards the officer who was killed (Bob K)Memorial fund if anything.
Good police work should be rewarded. Sloppy police work should have appropriate repramands.

I'll tell you why he wasn't ready to write his report....because of the trauma that is present after a situation like this! A persons recollection of events is not as sharp as it is a few days later. Normally in an instance when a shooting of this calibre takes place, most places don't want you to write the report immediately. I cannot speak about this officer, as I don't know him, but I can speak for traumatic situations and they can be very stressful. I find it extremely interesting that most of you are judging this officer, but I ask you....Where exactly do you feel you have the training and experience to question and critique what this officer's choices were? Especially when you weren't there! All of you who sit in your homes, expecting the Police to protect you and yours while you criticize every move they make. It's really easy to go to your jobs, but I wonder how much you could take if you walked in our shoes for even a day. Would you cowar under the pressure? Would you shoot at a "possible" suspect in the house, if he had just taken out your best friend and brother? I mean....seriously....what's the hardest thing you've ever had to endure? You live your "cookie cutter" lives and remember, the Police you so frequently criticize, may very well be the ones who give up their lives so you can remain safe and judgemental!!

Bravo, Zuker!

Got That Right...Loved What You Said. Totally Agree. So We Have Cops That Think They Are Above The Law And A Mayor In Detroit That Thinks He Is Above The Law. No One Is Ever Taught A Lesson. What Does This Show To Everyone Who Already Thinks MI Is In Trouble With Everything Else We Have Going On? Sad. I Know Quite A Few GR Cops...One Uses His Badge To Get Tickets From Scalpers For Concerts For Free (Even When He Is Off Duty) The Other Is An Arrogent Jerk Who Threatens Certain People That If He Sees Them He Will Pull Them Over. That's Where Our Tax Dollars Go To. I Know That There Are Good Cops Out There That Do Good...But You Will Always Have The Few That Give The Others Bad Names.

ListenUpNow wrote:

If this really was not the first time the officer has incorrectly documented a crime scene, he should have been let go. His sloppy work is unacceptable. The money should have been put towards the officer who was killed (Bob K)Memorial fund if anything.
Good police work should be rewarded. Sloppy police work should have appropriate repramands.

I agree.

His past work record should have gotten him fired years ago.

What he did the night of Koz's shooting should have gotten him fired sooner.

He chose to do something stupid and then tried to lie about it. He didn't make a mistake, he chose his course of action knowingly.

He made the rest of us look bad and didn't deserve any more than what anyone else would get when they get fired.

All I can think of is that the city didn't dot their I's and cross their T's so they made a payout instead of hiring this un-desirable back on a technicality of the law.

Just my opinion.

His comrade just got his face blown off by that a-hole. Not a good time to write your report.

He should not have received a dime. He deserved to be fired.
This is just another example of the "good ol' boy" system. Dwyer screwed up so bad that the dept. had no choice but to fire him, but conveniently slipped him $75k and changed his files to say he quit.
We deserve to have honest cops who write truthful reports, not trigger-happy liars who get rewarded with severance payments.

John Q wrote:

Such Gross incompetence on the part of Grand Rapids PD.
All GRPD officers need retraining as to the Mich., laws
pertaining to the use of deadly force by police officers.
Thank God no innocent civilians were killed by these
corrupt incompotent excuses for police officers!!!

GRPD has very good training. I've worked at other departments and have many friends from other departments. GRPD training is as good as any and better than most. It was not the training that failed that night.

One officer CHOSE to do something stupid in a high stress situation. He deserves to be fired for that choice (in my opinion). There were many more of us at the scene that night that made smart choices and exhibited bravery and good judgment in the same stressful situation.

Again, all just my personal opinion.