MEMBERS OF THE DURAND CITY COUNCIL (from left): Brian Boggs, Connie Cobley, Patrick O’Conner, Mayor Ken McDonough, Matthew Schaefer, Rich Folaron and Jeff Brands during the Monday, Aug. 1 meeting at city hall.
(Independent Photo/Melissa Shepard)
During the Monday, Aug. 1 Durand City Council Meeting, Durand citizen Susan Carsten stood up during citizen comments and told the council about an encounter she had with Durand Police Chief Jason Hartz. Carsten stated that she was driving in Durand and saw that she accidentally went through where the road was blocked off. She then stated that the Police Chief said, “What are you doing?” She responded that she was trying to get out of there, and according to Carsten, Hart then said, “You shut your smart mouth and do what I tell you to or I’m going to write you a ticket and impound your car.” Carsten explained that she viewed the threat of impounding her car as a threat to her livelihood and an abuse of power.
“I wanted to remind him that law enforcement is here to protect and serve, but I was afraid,” she explained. “I was intimidated and afraid that he would follow through on what he said he would do or possibly arrest me for just making an honest mistake. I don’t think as a community it’s too much to ask to be treated with dignity and respect. I think city officials have an obligation to try not to allow things like this to happen and if they do, to take it seriously. I just ask that you all think about how you would feel if it happened to your wife, mother, grandmother, sister. When you are serving as the chief of police you are supposed to be a role model for officers and citizens and frankly I don’t have a lot of confidence in them being there to serve us in our time of need.” Carsten also mentioned that she was afraid of retribution because she talked before the council.
After Carsten made her statement to the council, Durand Council Member Brian Boggs thanked her for her interpretation to the incident and said, “I will refer the situation to the city manager. If he wishes to address it, I would invite his comments.” Durand City Manager Cameron Horvath said he will investigate the claim.
Council member Connie Cobley mentioned that a Shiawassee County nonprofit group had a company named Zimmerman come in and hold a workshop on how to treat the community better and how to diffuse situations. Cobley said, “I think we should have a similar workshop here.”
Council member Matthew Schaefer told Carsten, “It takes bravery to come up here to make a complaint. I don’t think it is too much to ask for people to be treated with dignity and respect as a human being.”
Mayor Ken McDonough thanked Carsten for informing them and said that it will be addressed by the city manager and city attorney and that he himself had heard some complaints about the police chief.
In response, Durand Police Chief Jason Hartz stated, “There are some times you have to be rough and some times that you don’t. But I’m telling you right now, how she explained that was completely over embellished. I’m not calling her a liar. I don’t know if she doesn’t remember properly, but I never told her to ‘shut her smart mouth.’ I never rose my voice, I never yelled, I never swore. I’m not over embellishing at all, in any way, shape or form.” Hartz repeated these statements a few times. Durand City Attorney Matt McKone eventually stopped Hartz and said that the council meeting was not the appropriate time for this discussion.
Durand Department of Public Works Director Andrew Bisaha then told the council that he recommends trying to get an asphalt crack seal done to maintain the roads. He found someone that could do the job for $23,100 and they would have it finished by the end of August. It was approved.
