Complaint Claims Michigan Police Director and Deputy Misused Bonuses

A complaint alleges that Michigan police leaders improperly received nearly $20,000 in bonuses, raising ethical concerns about their actions.

Complaint Claims Michigan Police Director and Deputy Misused Bonuses
Complaint Claims Michigan Police Director and Deputy Misused Bonuses

Lansing: A complaint has been filed against the Michigan State Police director and his deputy. It claims they improperly received bonuses totaling nearly $20,000.

The complaint was submitted to the State Board of Ethics by the Michigan State Police Troopers Association and the MSP Command Officers Association. They allege that Col. James Grady awarded himself a bonus of $10,145 and gave Lt. Col. Aimee Brimacombe a $9,156 bonus in 2024, which goes against MSP policy and state ethics guidelines.

In a letter to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, the associations expressed concerns about the actions of Grady and Brimacombe. They argued that these bonuses were for personal gain and violated the department’s Code of Conduct.

The complaint included emails from Stephanie Horton, the former director of human resources at MSP, who objected to the bonuses and refused to approve them. She pointed out that the policy states you can’t receive performance pay unless you’ve been in your position for at least a year.

Horton resigned after 23 years with the department and now works at Michigan State University. The letter to Nessel also mentioned that Grady and Brimacombe are considered “unclassified” employees, which means they might not be held to the same performance pay rules as other MSP personnel.

This situation raises serious questions about accountability within MSP leadership. A request for comment was sent to Governor Whitmer’s office but hasn’t been answered yet.

MSP spokesperson Shanon Banner stated that the department believes all actions taken by leadership were ethical. The complaint also questions Brimacombe’s promotion, which occurred despite a two-year moratorium due to past misconduct.

The State Ethics Board is set to discuss the complaint at its next meeting on March 6 in Lansing.

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