How a troubled Michigan cop moved from department to department, leaving scandal in his wake

WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7

28 Mar 202407:18

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

00:00

🚔 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.

05:01

🔍 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

Michigan is a state in the United States, known for its two peninsulas separated by the Straits of Mackinac. In the context of the video, it is the location where the police officer, Mark Aldridge, was involved in various scandals and departments.

💡Police Officer

A police officer is a member of a police force, responsible for ensuring public safety, enforcing laws, and investigating crimes. In this video, Mark Aldridge is the central police officer who has a history of misconduct and scandal across different departments.

💡Scandal

A scandal refers to a disgraceful or shameful event, often involving a violation of law or professional ethics. In the video, the scandals follow Aldridge as he moves from one police department to another, leaving a trail of misconduct and public distrust.

💡Authority

Authority refers to the power or right to give orders, make decisions, or enforce obedience. In the context of law enforcement, it is the legitimate power that police officers have to perform their duties. The video discusses how Aldridge allegedly abused this authority, leading to repeated public trust issues.

💡Public Trust

Public trust is the confidence and trust that the public has in institutions, professionals, or individuals to act in their best interest and with integrity. The video emphasizes the importance of maintaining public trust in law enforcement and how Aldridge's actions repeatedly violated this trust.

💡Police Chiefs

Police chiefs are the highest-ranking officers in a police department, responsible for overseeing the operations and management of the force. In the video, some police chiefs are implicated for their role in hiring Aldridge despite his troubled history, raising questions about their judgment and decision-making.

💡Hiring Process

The hiring process refers to the series of steps an organization takes to recruit, screen, and hire new employees. In the context of the video, the hiring process is scrutinized due to the failure to properly vet Aldridge's background, leading to his employment in multiple departments despite his history of misconduct.

💡Citizen Complaints

Citizen complaints are formal grievances made by members of the public regarding the conduct or actions of police officers. In the video, citizen complaints play a significant role in revealing Aldridge's misconduct and the subsequent handling of these complaints by the police departments.

💡Body Camera Footage

Body camera footage refers to video recordings captured by cameras worn by police officers on their uniforms. These recordings provide an objective account of interactions between officers and the public. In the video, the deletion of body camera footage by Aldridge is a serious allegation that raises concerns about evidence tampering and transparency in law enforcement.

💡Integrity

Integrity refers to the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. In the context of law enforcement, it is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring that officers perform their duties ethically. The video highlights the erosion of integrity within the departments where Aldridge was employed due to his actions and the subsequent handling by police chiefs.

💡Administrative Leave

Administrative leave is a temporary absence from work, often used in law enforcement and other professions as a measure while an investigation is conducted or other administrative actions are taken. In the video, Aldridge's placement on administrative leave signifies that his employment status is under review due to the allegations against him.

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.