How a troubled Michigan cop moved from department to department, leaving scandal in his wake
Summary
TLDRThe script discusses the case of Officer Mark Aldridge, a troubled Michigan police officer who moved between departments, leaving a trail of scandal. Despite repeated accusations of abusing his authority and violating public trust, Aldridge managed to find new positions. The investigation reveals systemic failures that allowed Aldridge to continue his career, with police chiefs potentially facing scrutiny for their hiring decisions. Instances of misconduct, including selling a donated vehicle for personal gain, inappropriate interactions with an exotic dancer, and alleged evidence tampering are detailed, raising concerns about the integrity of the departments that employed him.
Takeaways
- 👮♂️ A Michigan police officer, Mark Aldridge, has a history of moving between departments, leaving a trail of scandal behind.
- 🔍 Aldridge was accused of abusing his authority and violating public trust, yet continued to find employment with different police departments.
- 🚓 Despite serious trouble with the law and being asked to resign from one department, Aldridge managed to secure a position in another city.
- 💔 The investigation reveals a failure in the system that allows individuals like Aldridge to continue working in law enforcement.
- 🚗 Aldridge's police records show instances of misconduct, including selling a vehicle meant for a needy family and keeping the profits for himself.
- 💃 Aldridge was involved in a case where he arrested an exotic dancer for marijuana possession and later received lap dances from her, leading to accusations of harassment.
- 🤥 There were multiple citizen complaints against Aldridge, including dishonesty, anger issues, and road rage, yet he continued to be hired by different departments.
- 🎥 Body camera footage was deleted by Aldridge, who was the top suspect in a case, but the police chief did not pursue the issue due to his resignation.
- 🚨 The police chief in Carlton, Michigan, took a gamble by hiring Aldridge despite knowing his history, which eroded the integrity of the department.
- 📜 Aldridge's personnel file was not thoroughly reviewed before his hiring by the Lakewood Police Department, leading to his employment despite his past issues.
- 🚫 Aldridge is currently on administrative leave and his licenses are in an inactive status, meaning he cannot serve as a police officer at this time.
Q & A
What is the main issue with Officer Mark Aldridge's employment history?
-Officer Mark Aldridge has a history of moving between police departments, leaving a trail of scandal and serious trouble in multiple cities. Despite accusations of abusing his authority and violating public trust, he has managed to find new positions as an officer.
How did Aldridge's misconduct in Bellville lead to his departure from the department?
-In Bellville, Aldridge's misconduct included using a vehicle meant for donation for personal use and selling it for extra income. His behavior led to the police chief asking him to resign.
What incident in Huron Township involved Aldridge and an exotic dancer?
-Aldridge responded to a vehicle crash involving an exotic dancer, arrested her for DUI and marijuana possession. He later received lap dances from the woman at the strip club where she worked and was accused of harassing her with creepy texts.
What was the outcome of the investigation into Aldridge's actions in Carlton, Michigan?
-In Carlton, Aldridge faced multiple citizen complaints over his anger, conducted an illegal traffic stop, and was accused of dishonesty and road rage. He was also suspected of destroying body camera footage, but the chief decided not to pursue criminal charges due to Aldridge's resignation.
Why did the police chief in Lakewood hire Aldridge despite his controversial past?
-The police chief in Lakewood hired Aldridge because he believed that Aldridge had left his issues behind him. However, it was later revealed that the chief did not review Aldridge's personnel file from Carlton PD before the hiring process.
What happened to Aldridge's employment status after the issues in Carlton came to light?
-After the issues in Carlton were revealed, Aldridge was placed on administrative leave and his licenses are currently in an inactive status, meaning he cannot serve as a police officer anywhere at the moment.
How did the police chiefs' actions contribute to Aldridge's ability to find new employment?
-Some police chiefs reported Aldridge's resignation as if it was in good standing, which prevented the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards from flagging his license. This made it easier for another agency to hire him.
What is the main concern regarding the hiring practices of police departments as highlighted by Aldridge's case?
-The main concern is that there is a lack of effective background checks and oversight, allowing officers with a history of misconduct to continue being hired by different departments and potentially victimizing citizens.
What measures need to be taken to prevent situations like Aldridge's from happening again?
-There needs to be a better system for tracking and reporting officer misconduct, as well as more rigorous and transparent background checks during the hiring process to ensure the integrity of police departments.
What was the reaction of the police chief in Huron Township to Aldridge's hiring in Lakewood?
-The police chief in Huron Township was surprised and shocked by the hiring, especially since he had only hired Aldridge himself after receiving positive reviews from another chief who later admitted to asking Aldridge to resign.
How did the city council in Lakewood respond to the hiring of Aldridge?
-The city council in Lakewood voted to demote the police chief from chief to lieutenant, although the council president would not confirm if the hiring of Aldridge was the sole reason for the demotion.
Outlines
🚔 Troubled Officer's Career Through Multiple Departments
This segment explores the controversial career of Officer Mark Aldrich, who, despite being embroiled in multiple scandals involving abuse of authority and dishonest behavior, managed to move from one police department to another across Michigan. The investigation by 7 Investigator Ron Jones highlights Aldrich's pattern of finding new positions despite his questionable conduct, including an incident where he misused a vehicle intended for a needy family, and another involving inappropriate actions towards an exotic dancer. Despite these issues, Aldrich continued to find employment in law enforcement, raising concerns about the system's ability to prevent such individuals from slipping through the cracks and the potential consequences for public trust in policing.
🔍 Systemic Failures in Policing Standards and Accountability
This paragraph addresses the systemic issues that allowed Officer Mark Aldrich to continually find new opportunities in law enforcement despite a history of misconduct. It focuses on the lack of thorough background checks, the failure of police departments to communicate effectively about Aldrich's past, and the gaps in the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards' oversight. These failures not only facilitated Aldrich's mobility across departments but also underscored the broader problem of accountability and standards within the law enforcement system. The segment concludes with the revelation that despite the numerous red flags, Aldrich was placed on administrative leave rather than facing immediate dismissal, highlighting the need for a more robust mechanism to prevent similar situations in the future.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Michigan
💡Police Officer
💡Scandal
💡Authority
💡Public Trust
💡Police Chiefs
💡Hiring Process
💡Citizen Complaints
💡Body Camera Footage
💡Integrity
💡Administrative Leave
Highlights
Michigan police officer moves from department to department, leaving scandal in multiple cities.
The officer was accused of abusing his authority and violating public trust, yet continued to find employment.
An investigation reveals how this officer was able to keep finding new badges despite his record.
The officer's actions shook up the police system, raising questions about oversight and accountability.
Despite repeated trouble, many police departments were willing to hire Officer Mark Aldridge.
Aldridge's police records show a pattern of misconduct, including selling a vehicle meant for a needy family.
The officer was asked to resign from his position in Bellville due to his behavior.
In Huron Township, Aldridge was involved in a scandal involving an exotic dancer and marijuana possession.
Aldridge was accused of harassment and dishonesty, with charges still pending.
The officer's actions and attitude were of concern to his colleagues and superiors.
Aldridge resigned from his position in Huron Township and continued to look for his next job.
Former police chief of Dearborn reviews Aldridge's background and states he would not have hired him.
Chief Troy Johnson of Carlton, Michigan, took a gamble and hired Aldridge despite his history.
Aldridge was involved in multiple citizen complaints, including allegations of anger and road rage.
The officer was accused of destroying evidence by deleting body camera footage.
Chief Johnson did not pursue criminal charges for the destruction of evidence, allowing Aldridge to resign.
Aldridge's license is now inactive, and he cannot serve as a police officer.
The hiring process and background checks are called into question, as departments may not be conducting thorough investigations.
The story highlights the need for a better system to prevent such occurrences and protect the integrity of law enforcement.
Transcripts
>> HE IS A TROUBLED MICHIGAN
POLICE OFFICER WHO MOVED FROM
DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT
LEAVING SCANDAL IN HIS WAKE IN
MULTIPLE CITIES. HE WAS
ACCUSED OF ABUSING HIS
AUTHORITY, VIOLATING THE
PUBLIC TRUST IN LINE
REPEATEDLY. BUT THAT DIDN'T
STOP HIM FROM FINDING BADGES
AND CITY AFTER CITY. TONIGHT,
7 INVESTIGATOR ON JONES
REVEALS HOW IT WAS ABLE TO
HAPPEN AND HOW SOME POLICE
CHIEFS COULD SOON BE IN HOT
WATER.
>> THAT SOMEONE LIKE THIS
COULD SLIP THROUGH AND THE
SYSTEM IS IN PLACE FOR A
REASON. AND IT SHOOK UP THE
SKY.
>> PLENTY OF POLICE
DEPARTMENTS WERE WILLING TO
HIRE OFFICER MARK ALDRICH. BUT
VERY FEW WE LEARNED WERE EAGER
TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU THINK THIS
IS THE BEST LOOK RIGHT NOW,
YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT THIS
ALDRIDGE HAS WORKED FOR AT
LEAST 4 DIFFERENT POLICE
AGENCIES RUNNING INTO SERIOUS
TROUBLE REPEATEDLY. BUT
INSTEAD OF LOSING HIS BADGE,
OUR INVESTIGATION REVEALS HE
KEPT FINDING NEW ONES AS AN
OFFICER WITH POLICE RECORDS
SHOW ON WHICH OBTAINED A
VEHICLE FROM A TOWING COMPANY
TO GIVE TO A NEEDY FAMILY. BUT
INSTEAD OF DONATING THE CAR,
ACCORDING TO POLICE RECORDS,
THE VEHICLE SHOWED UP ON E-BAY
ALDRIDGE SAID HE SOLD IT FOR
EXTRA INCOME. HE WOULD LATER
CLAIM THE VEHICLE WAS ALWAYS
INTENDED FOR HIS OWN USE.
EVENTUALLY ALDRIDGE WORE OUT
HIS WELCOME IN BELLVILLE WITH
THE CHIEF. THEY'RE TELLING ME
HE ASKED HIM TO RESIGN.
>> HE DID. AND IT WASN'T LONG
BEFORE ALL THAT ROUND. NEXT
JOB HERE IN HURON TOWNSHIP AND
TROUBLE SOON FOLLOWED.
>> LESS THAN 6 MONTHS ON THE
FORCE, RECORDS SHOW ALDRIDGE
RESPONDED TO A VEHICLE CRASH
THAT INVOLVED AN EXOTIC
DANCER, ALDRICH ARRESTED THE
WOMAN WY AND MARIJUANA
POSSESSION A WEEK LATER. WELL,
THE CHARGES AGAINST ARE STILL
PENDING. HE MET UP WITH HER AT
THE STRIP CLUB WHERE SHE
WORKED. ALDRICH RECEIVED LAP
DANCES. RECORDS SHOW AND THE
WOMAN PERFORMED A ACT. HE WAS
LATER ACCUSED OF HARASSING THE
WOMAN SENDING TEXTS THAT
CREEPED HER OUT WHEN
QUESTIONED ALDRICH WAS DEEMED
DISHONEST. GO TO HURON
TOWNSHIP LIEUTENANT, I SHUDDER
TO THINK OF WHAT HE'S ATTITUDE
OR ACTIONS MAY CONSIST OF. IF
YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE
EMPLOYMENT, ALDRICH RESIGNED
AND BEGIN LOOKING FOR HIS NEXT
JOB. SHAME ON US. IF WE ALLOW.
>> PEOPLE LIKE THIS GUY TO
VICTIMIZE THE CITIZENS THAT WE
TOOK TO PROTECT.
>> RON HAD AN SPENT 14 YEARS
AS DEARBORN POLICE CHIEF. WE
ASKED HIM TO REVIEW ALL THAT
HIS BACKGROUND. WOULD HE GIVEN
HIM A BADGE? I WOULD NOT HAVE
HIRED THIS GENTLEMAN.
>> TO HIRE SOMEONE LIKE THIS
WILL CLEARLY ERODE THE
INTEGRITY OF THE DEPARTMENT.
BUT AT LEAST ONE POLICE CHIEF
WAS WILLING TO ROLL THE DICE.
I'M TAKING A HUGE GAMBLE,
BROKE THE CHIEF IN CARLTON
MICHIGAN.
>> AND ALDRIDGE BETTER HAVE
ALL THESE ISSUES BEHIND HIM.
CHIEF TROY JOHNSON HIRED BEACH
IN 2017. WELL, IN CARLTON, HE
RACKED UP COMPLAIN SAYS MINOR
SPEEDING AND RUNNING. STOP
SIGNS TO MORE SIGNIFICANT ONES
LIKE CONDUCTING AN ILLEGAL
TRAFFIC STOP AND DISHONESTY.
HE WAS HIT WITH MULTIPLE
CITIZEN COMPLAINTS OVER HIS
ANGER AND LAST OCTOBER WAS
ACCUSED OF ROAD RAGE LOOKING
CATCH.
>> MY GIRLFRIEND AND MY
DAUGHTER-IN-LAW WERE JUST THE
KROGER IN. SO UNLIKE
BRANDISHED A FIREARM FOR
>> DURING A DISPUTE OVER A
PARKING SPACE, A WOMAN AT THIS
GROCERY STORE SAID ALDRICH
LIFTED HIS SHIRT TO REVEAL HIS
GUN. THEN ASKED, DO YOU WANT
TO SEE MY BENCH? HE CALLED FOR
A RASH OF EXPLETIVES. SHE
DIDN'T PURSUE CHARGES AND BY
PHONE, ALDRIDGE CLAIMED HE DID
NOT BRANDISH HIS GUN. BUT WHEN
HE WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED, HE'S POLICE CHIEF
TEAMED ALDRIDGE WAS NOT
TRUTHFUL.
>> BUT PERHAPS THE MOST
SERIOUS ALLEGATION AGAINST HIM
CAME BACK IN JANUARY AS
ALDRICH WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE
CARLTON, ACCORDING TO THE
POLICE CHIEF. WELL, HE WAS
REVIEWING BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE
STEMMING FROM CITIZEN
COMPLAINTS AGAINST ALDRIDGE.
HE NOTICED ONE OF THE VIDEOS
AND BEEN DELETED ALDRICH SHE
SAID WAS THE TOP SUSPECT.
>> BUT INSTEAD OF PURSUING THE
ISSUE, THE CHIEF DROPPED IT
THERE, WRITING IN THIS MEMO, I
HAVE DECIDED NOT TO PURSUE
CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR THE
DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE DUE TO
THE FACT THAT ALDRICH HAS
RESIGNED BY PHONE. ALDRIDGE
TOLD ME I DON'T HAVE ANY
RECOLLECTION OF DELETING BODY
CAM CHIEF, TALK YOU IN
SECONDS. ROSS JONES WITH
CHANNEL 7. THE CHIEF DECLINED
OUR REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW.
SO WE FOUND HIM EARLIER THIS
MONTH AS HE PICKED UP HIS
LUNCH. YOU WROTE THAT HIRING
WOULD BE A HUGE GAMBLE. YOU
HIRED HIM ANYWAY. WHY DID YOU
GAMBLE WITH PUBLIX, A PRESS
RELEASE FOR YOU AT THE
STATION? WOULD YOU TAKE A
GAMBLE ON A GUY WHO HAD BEEN
TRYING TO WITH A WOMAN? HE
GAVE A DUI TOO.
>> WHY WOULD YOU SOMEBODY LIKE
I HAVE GOT A PRESS RELEASE FOR
YOU AT THE STATION. WE WANTED
TO ARREST THE CHIEF. WHY? ON
THE VERY SAME DAY HE WROTE
THAT ALDRICH MAY HAVE
DESTROYED EVIDENCE HE REPORTED
TO STATE REGULATORS THAT HE
RESIGNED IN GOOD STANDING. YOU
ARE GOING TO PURSUE CHARGES OF
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
INSTEAD YOU LET ANOTHER
AGENCY. IRIN, WHY DID YOU DO
THAT? I HAVE THE PRESS RELEASE
FOR YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING
TO ADD OR SUBTRACT. YOU HAVE
ANY ANSWERS.
>> I HAVE A PRESS RELEASE FOR
YOU BY REPORTING THAT ALDRIDGE
LEFT ON GOOD TERMS. IT
PREVENTED THE MICHIGAN
COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT
STANDARDS FROM FLAGGING HIS
LICENSE.
>> MAKE EASIER FOR ANOTHER
AGENCY TO HIRE HIM. IT WASN'T
LONG BEFORE ONE DID. I'M BLOWN
AWAY. IMPRESSED BY HOW WELL
LAKEWOOD PD IS DOING A
RECRUITING EARLIER THIS YEAR.
LES KOREANS, POLICE DEPARTMENT
EXTENDED A WARM WELCOME TO
OFFICER ALDRIDGE, CALLING HIM
A VERY APPROACHABLE FELLOW. HE
WAS HIRED BY POLICE CHIEF TODD
STANFIELD WHO DECLARED UNDER
THE PENALTY OF PERJURY THAT HE
HAD REVIEWED ALDRIDGE'S
PERSONNEL FILE FROM CARLTON
PD. HE NEVER DID SHE BEFORE
THE MEETING BEGINS. WE TALKED
TO QUICKLY AS ROSS JONES WITH
CHANNEL 7 CHIEF STANFIELD
WOULDN'T AGREE TO AN INTERVIEW
EITHER. SO WE FOUND HIM IN A
CITY COUNCIL MEETING EARLIER
THIS MONTH. WOULD YOU HIRE AN
OFFICER WITHOUT DOING A
COMPLETE BACKGROUND IT?
>> WELL, ARE THIS OFFICERS
SERVE STANFIELD WOULDN'T
ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS. THEN
DUCKED BEHIND A LOCKED DOOR.
HOURS LATER, THE CITY COUNCIL
VOTED TO DEMOTE HIM FROM CHIEF
TO LIEUTENANT CITY COUNCIL.
PRESIDENT JAERENE ARCH WOULD
NOT SAY IF ALL THAT IS HIRING
WAS THE REASON WHY. WHY WOULD
LAY KOREAN HIRE AN OFFICER
LIKE THAT? WELL, I GUESS
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, DON'T HAVE
AN ANSWER FOR YOU. WELL, A LOT
OF POLICE CHIEFS ARE TELLING
DIFFERENT STORIES TONIGHT. LAY
KOREAN OFFICIALS SAY THAT
ALDRICH IS CURRENTLY ON
ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, BUT IM
COOL SAYS HIS LICENSES IN
INACTIVE STATUS.
>> MEANING HE CAN'T BE A COP
ANYWHERE RIGHT NOW, HURON
TOWNSHIP POLICE CHIEF TELLS ME
HE ONLY HIRED ALDRIDGE AFTER
GETTING RAVE REVIEWS FROM
BELLEVILLE AS POLICE CHIEF WHO
TOLD ME PREVIOUSLY HE ASKED
ALDRICH TO RESIGN. AS FOR
CHIEF FLOYD JOHNSON CARLTON,
HE SAID HE REPORTED THAT
ALDRIDGE LEFT IN GOOD STANDING
BECAUSE IT WASN'T UNTIL LATER
THAT SAME DAY THAT HE
SUSPECTED HIM OF DESTROYING
THAT BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE. MARC
ALDRIDGE'S, YOU MAY SUSPECT
DID NOT AGREE TO AN INTERVIEW
ON THIS STORY. SOUNDS LIKE A
LOT OF PASSING THE BUCK AND
KIND OF A NO, SIR, OF STORIES
THAT ARE QUITE BUT THIS IS NOT
THE ONLY CUP LIKE THIS NOT THE
FIRST COUPLE DID A STORY LIKE
THERE WILL BE MORE.
>> WE'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH A
BETTER WAY TO STOP THIS FROM
HAPPENING.
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