Ecorse City Council Appoint New Director of Public Safety

During the May 4, 2021 Ecorse City Council meeting, council made changes to the top cop position in the city. By a majority vote of 5 – 2. Ecorse Council members voted to end the contract of Public Safety Director, Dr. Joseph Thomas. Thomas had been serving the city since October 2020.

Council members presented and passed a resolution which in short states that the hiring of Thomas as the Director was conducted against the city's policies. Former City Administrator, Richard Marsh, took the lead role in finding a replacement for Director of Public Safety, Michael Moore who had been serving in that capacity since 2013. Moore was planning on retiring, but on October 6, a few weeks before the November city election, a majority of council members, Donald Agee, Mayor Pro Tem Darcel Brown, John Miller and Devante Sherard, voted to replace Moore with Thomas. Mayor Lamar Tidwell and Councilman Montel Love voted no. (At the time, the city had an open council seat)

A vote took place (5-2) on a resolution on Tuesday, May 4th to vacate the position of Public Safety Director and fill it with Deputy Director Narda Bruno. The Yes votes were newly elected city council members, Kimberly Alexander, LaTonya Lamb, Roger Parker, Sr. and re-elected councilman Montel Love and Mayor Lamar Tidwell. The No votes were Mayor Pro Tem Darcel Brown and Councilman Devonte Sherard.

Ed Plato, an attorney for the City of Ecorse released the following statement to address the current status.

Former Ecorse Public Safety Director, Joseph Thomas, had been illegally hired by former City Administrator, Richard Marsh. Last October, Mr. Marsh had improperly terminated the employment of then Public Safety Director, Mike Moore, who had held that position since 2013. Marsh then hired Joseph Thomas after conducting interviews behind closed doors in clear violation of the Open Meetings Act. The Open Meetings Act, MCL 15.268(f), requires that "all interviews by a public body for employment or appointment to a public office shall be held in an open meeting pursuant to this act." Therefore, the process of hiring of Joseph Thomas was in violation of Michigan law.

Furthermore, for Joseph Thomas to now claim he had no idea that his termination was coming, hides the truth. Mr. Thomas was advised back in early January that his hiring by Mr Marsh, just before the last election, was invalid and in violation of Michigan law. He was further advised that the newly elected City Council has the right to select and appoint who they want to the position of Public Safety Director and the new City Council wanted Deputy Chief Bruno in that position. Deputy Chief Bruno had been promised that position over a year before Mr. Thomas was hired. It was the improper actions of Mr. Marsh hiring Mr. Thomas as Public Safety Director that resulted in Deputy Chief Bruno suing Mr. Marsh and the City of Ecorse and it was the improper actions of Mr. Marsh that were the reason the City of Ecorse had to pay $300,000 in a settlement to Deputy Chief Bruno.

As for Joseph Thomas's alleged finding of corruption within the city, there was no such finding. Mr. Thomas is referring to an investigation by the Attorney General's office over two and a half years ago which found no wrongdoing on the part of anyone within the city.

Richard Marsh resigned as the City Administrator of Ecorse in February 2021. He is currently the CSO Administrator in the City of River Rouge. Narda Bruno is serving as Director of Public Safety for the City of Ecorse.