University of Michigan looking for new police chief, but current chief remains on medical leave
The University of Michigan is looking for a new police chief, but officials remain close-mouthed about why they need one.
The university posted a job description early this morning for an executive director of public safety, the position held until recently by Kenneth Magee.
Magee has been on paid sick leave since Oct. 27. However, concerns were raised at a U-M Regents meeting last month about whether Magee is truly sick or is on leave while an investigation is pending.
Kenneth Magee
U-M spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said no investigation is being conducted.
“The university did post the position,” he said. “We don’t expect Ken to return to his position. In addition, Deputy Chief Joe Piersante has been named interim public safety director.”
Fitzgerald wouldn't comment on what prompted the change, whether Magee would ever be back to work, and what position he might return to in the department.
Magee’s attorney, Nick Roumel, couldn't be reached this morning for comment.
AnnArbor.com has previously filed a Freedom of Information Act request for Magee’s personnel file, but it was denied because of a state law that exempts police personnel files from public disclosure.
While on leave, Magee has apparently been working at Antelope Antiques & Coins on Liberty Street in Ann Arbor. AnnArbor.com reporters saw Magee there on several occasions in the last month, many times alone in the store, and made purchases from him.
On Jan. 3, Magee filed an application with the county to register the business name Ann Arbor Magic at 255 E. Liberty St., the same location as Antelope Antiques & Coins.
University rules state “employment outside the university while on a leave of absence is cause for termination of university employment unless the appropriate University Human Resources office approves the employment in advance, or the employment is for government service or military service.”
Roumel said Magee isn’t working and is just indulging his hobbies while on leave.
However, whether Magee should be paid while on leave is also in question. Magee was several weeks short of qualifying for paid medical leave when he was placed on it, an AnnArbor.com review of university records and policies showed.
Fitzgerald said again today that there’s nothing unusual about Magee being on paid medical leave.
David Jesse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534.
Comments
Roadman
Mon, Feb 21, 2011 : 11:59 p.m.
According to a story published in yesterday's edition of the Michigan Daily, Professor Douglas Smith stated at public commentary at the U-M Board of Regents meeting that he believes Magee's leave of absence arises out of sexual misconduct allegations.
richard
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 6:46 p.m.
One or more of the Michigan lords had their feelings hurt! By a man just doing his job. The trurth will come out.
Trouble
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 4:02 p.m.
Two sides to every story. U of M not tell; and Chief Magee not tell. Just take taxpayer money and tell us to be quiet. Mary Sue will fix problem. She get $565,000 to fix problem.
A2comments
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 11:39 a.m.
The appearance of impropriety is disturbing as is the common belief opt widespread abuse of rules at U of M.
miranda
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 2:23 a.m.
Someone who does not play the U of M rules is no longer wanted or needed. Maybe someone like a honest cop, just a guess on my part. How about putting them on medical leave while you look for a team player. Add in some rumors and then refuse to comment on them, just to add a little poison. You can then offer a buyout package with a no tell/ keep your mouth shut clause. Maybe add in some extra money or some other inducement and hope nobody notices. If all this works then your secrets are safe again. Sleep tight Mary Sue. Just my opinion. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
miranda
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 2:22 a.m.
For a long time the U of M did not have a police department. All police matters were handled by the city of Ann Arbor police department. They were in no way controlled by the U of M. This did not work out well when the U of M wanted to control unfavorable information about people and/or events. The only way to do this is to have your own police department. Problem solved. Everyone gets their paycheck and marching orders from the U of M. This works out real well as long as everyone does as they are told. The problem comes in when you are told not to investigate someone important, something embarrassing or to cover up something that has already come out.
julieswhimsies
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 1:07 a.m.
Hmmmm...WHAT?!
Cash
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 12:55 a.m.
Here we are taking old people to the financial gas chamber but UM is paying people six figures who aren't even working. All at Snyder's alma mater. Where are all the alums now?
UtrespassM
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 12:27 a.m.
Who will be the replacement of Ken Magee? As I see at UM, they always replace a good one to an ok one, an ok one to a bad one, a bad one to a worse one....
Kai Petainen
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 11:09 p.m.
I have to wonder.... IF there was a major violation.... then wouldn't state or federal authorities be involved?
Sully
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:54 p.m.
Ok.....so I guess my original post violated some type of communications rule here. Thank God for Apples' Time Machine, where I can get all my backed up data. So lets try this again and in a different way. U-M appears to be dumbing down this guy Magee. If any of you want to, just google the man. He is no dummy. I see the guy every day. He clearly is not sick. He seems very healthy to me. Hey....but I'm no Doctor. So this mysterious illness comes upon this healthy Ex-Fed. I mean, 20 plus years with a gold badge, jungles of Colombia the whole gambit, and now he is deemed to be "too sick" to work????? Never mind the fact that there is "no investigation.." So......what could it be????? Hmmmmmm? Do you think he may have done his job" too" well???? Ruffled some feathers???? Lets face it. How many times have we seen before where guys who..lets say...."rock the boat"....end up like Magee? The question on the table is...."who has the most to lose....?" Magee by all accounts is doing very well. Paid to work out...shop....do magic...whatever!!! Look at "who's" paying and for "what" reason!!! Stay tuned my friends! A real investigator doesn't need the "lame" FOIA. Too many redactions!!! Lets hope this post makes it by the "blog Police!!" More to follow!!!
UtrespassM
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 1:23 a.m.
You may be right. I have seen people removed from their position because did right thing but made a some one unhappy.
Rod Johnson
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 1:08 a.m.
There seems to be something wrong with your keyboard--your period key keeps sticking.
Roadman
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:26 p.m.
Attorney Roumel states that his client, Magee, is ".....engaging in hobbies while on leave." If he is healthy enough to be hustling his tail off at an antique store, it seems to me he is not truly disabled. It is funny, I recall a major uproar when a Wayne County Circut judge, Deborah Thomas, was in the newspaper photographed at the Detroit Auto Show while she claimed to be disabled and there were numerous calls and pressure to investigate - even though she was not even working and it was unclear whether or not her conduct at the auto show was incompatible with her alleged disability. Here the Board of Regents is bending over backwards to avoid going after Magee. No excuses for either Magee's behavior or the inaction of the Board of Regents.
smc1971
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:24 p.m.
Having been on staff at UM, this is not surprising at all. If the person above you likes you, you can do what you want. It's amazing the strings that get pulled if you know the right people. It's also amazing the lengths UM will go to to cover up almost everything, even things that aren't a big deal. It's a very secretive place, with many decisions made based on fear. I also saw very good staff get treated like crap to cover up for others in management who were incompetent, or worse, behaving in a manner that broke university policy. If you keep your mouth shut, you get left alone. You never get promoted if you don't know how to not open your mouth about the crap that goes on. I think it's an investigators dream come true - so many inconsistencies and hypocrisy. Ask almost any staff person off the record and you'll get an earful.
SonnyDog09
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 11:19 p.m.
" Ask almost any staff person off the record and you'll get an earful." That would be too much like real journalism. It's so much easier to copy and paste from press releases and call that news. :-)
Roadman
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:36 p.m.
Right smc1971 ! Check out the "retroactive degree" alleged at <a href="http://www.a2buzz.org" rel='nofollow'>www.a2buzz.org</a> where a county employee magically received an MSW years after she dropped out and the school confirmed a few weeks before that she had no degree.
Kai Petainen
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:19 p.m.
Odd? We lose a police chief and a fire chief at the same time?
Kai Petainen
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:49 p.m.
As he should be, as he did nothing wrong.
Roadman
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:26 p.m.
Barnett Jones is still on the job, however.
michigan48103
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 8:44 p.m.
It seems like some one with the web site here did not like what I wrote so I will try this again, I was deleted??? This type of thing has been going on for Years with the U of M Administration and nothing is done, if a hourly worker owns a business out side of working from the U of M they are fired when a Administrator owns a business nothing happens to them My last director of the Department that I worked in at the University of Michigan Medical Center was on a Medical leave and nothing was done to her while she worked at her business and if this nice man does get fired it sure would not be nice when Administrators at the Medical Center at the U of M can work and own a business and nothing is done.
David Briegel
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 7:36 p.m.
David, Just ask anyone if they would like to explain how this fraud is being perpetrated! Will anyone even dare to ask a Regent or MSC in public with a camera and a mic? Or would they never get to ask another question? Do they control the agenda everywhere they go?
Roadman
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:31 p.m.
This is not the first time there has been questionable conduct involving U-M relative to an employment matter. Check out <a href="http://www.a2buzz.org" rel='nofollow'>www.a2buzz.org</a> for the alleged "retroactive degree" given to a county employee who had dropped out of the School of Social Work years earlier.
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 7:32 p.m.
Is this one of those "Make $170K working from home" jobs I saw a sign at the exit ramp for?
rusty shackelford
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 8:28 p.m.
THey mail you your badge after your initial payment of just $19.95.
David Jesse
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 7:24 p.m.
Just a note to those asking for more digging into this - I'm continuing to work on uncovering what's going on here. We've made multiple requests for documents under the Freedom of Information Act. Much of the material that we're interested in seeing - and the stuff that will shed light on this - is being exempted from disclosure, either because state law exempts personnel records of police officers from being public and claims from the university that much of the other stuff is protected by attorney/client privilege. Also, we remain the only media organization to publish any stories on this. This is the third we've published.
Mick52
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 9:06 p.m.
I have heard you or someone on your staff has been provided with the information including names by an anonymous source.
lynel
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 12:55 a.m.
ooh, sounds like rhonda knows something about this
Roadman
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:43 p.m.
Keep on plugging away - it's amazing how they got EMU Regent Okdie to resign the same day the annarbor.com story came out but the Magee story never dies nor is it denied - leaving suspicion all over the place. If Magee had nothing to hide why doesn't he just make a public statement clarifying and defending his conduct and why he is guiltless. Makes you wonder what is really going on behind the scenes.....
workinstiff
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:07 p.m.
David...as Rhonda stated...no WOMEN would come forward...I wonder what Pittsfield PD would have to say?
David Cahill
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 8:41 p.m.
Just remember David - Magee can run, but he can't hide. 8-) How bizarre it is for a police officer to be evading the media....
trespass
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 8:24 p.m.
I appreciate how hard it is to get any official information. How about using sources at UM who will tell you the real story even if you have to protect their identity?
rhonda
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 7:36 p.m.
Thanks David - I was so wishing I could help but NO WOMEN in her right mind will come forward on this...sad sad sad in this day and age that it got as far as it did.
rs
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 7:09 p.m.
This is one of those stories that you hope gets picked up by another news agency so a full investigative report is done. I agree with others that some annarbor.com reporters seem too satisfied with just passing along the info that some spokesperson gives them instead of going out and digging stuff up on their own. Example: Kwame might still be mayor if not for the relentless digging by the reporters at the freep. It would be nice to see some local reporters here that have that same tenacity.
Lemmy Caution
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 6:27 p.m.
Boy I wish annarbor.com reporters did more investigative work for stories. This story seems to have no special access to information although Ann Arbor is crawling with long-time UM employees and would-be Deep Throats who, on deep background, could help untie the laces so the shoes can drop. The same thing with the Borders coverage: hardly any major inside information anywhere in those stories. Is this a rhetorical question: Why is it that the NY Times had a far, far better story on the Borders bankruptcy than annarbor.com, even though local reporters presumably have lots of connections with Borders corporate employees in town and have been watching this story develop for years? Please, aa.com: yes I'm following the ads and consuming accordingly; so please do your share and dig deeper into the big news stories now and then.
lynel
Fri, Feb 18, 2011 : 12:50 a.m.
" Why is it that the NY Times had a far, far better story on the Borders bankruptcy than annarbor.com, even though local reporters presumably have lots of connections with Borders corporate employees in town and have been watching this story develop for years? " This is a joke, right? The New York Times vs annarbor.com. Get real.
average joe
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 10:43 p.m.
Right on the mark- Not much actual, 'dig in' reporting being done by a2.com. Last week a2.com reported on a story that was on the local tv news the night before. With what little info that was put in the article , it was clear that the 'reporter' wrote the story while listening to the TV.
rusty shackelford
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 6:32 p.m.
Couldn't agree more. Stupendously put. You know, REPORT, don't just rewrite summaries of press releases and articles from elsewhere.
snoper
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 6:18 p.m.
Does this University answer to anyone? $170,000.00 of taxpayer's money being GIVEN AWAY to someone who does not qualify for sick leave and is not expected to return to hsi position. Is there more? is the U also paying his medical insurance during this time? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tel me he's not going to be paid a pension when they quit giving him a salary.
Kafkaland
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 6:39 p.m.
UM does not offer pensions - all current emploees are on a 401k or 401k-like matching retirement plan with defined contributions, and now there is even a one-year waiting period for new emploees before the university contributes anything.
bamwow
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 6:18 p.m.
I sure would love to know the rest of THIS story. Wouldn't you, readers? Someone needs to get to the bottom of it.
Donttasemebro
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 6:09 p.m.
The writing is on the wall. Who was just hired recently by the U other than the former Director of the Michigan State Police. Since he is an employee of the U, he can slide right over as an internal hire. How convenient?!?!
David Cahill
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 5:58 p.m.
I wonder if the truth will ever come out.
trespass
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 8:16 p.m.
We will do our best to make it come out
Ricebrnr
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 5:57 p.m.
Will the new one believe in and honor the Constitution?
trespass
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 8:17 p.m.
The University Administration won't hire anyone with an independent streak. They don't want real police officers, they want Pinkerton detectives who will crack a few heads when told to do so.
David Briegel
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 5:05 p.m.
Those rules only apply to the workers. The executives are always the exception to any rules! I think he is getting a settlement for something and they are hiding it as a medical leave.
rusty shackelford
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 5:05 p.m.
This story must be calculated to make annarbor.com commenters' heads explode. I mean pitting police worship against wasting taxpayer's money? Forget about it.
Ellen
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 6:12 p.m.
snort! Too funny!
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 4:58 p.m.
"Fitzgerald said again today that there's nothing unusual about Magee being on paid medical leave." Not even if he doesn't qualify? "Magee was several weeks short of qualifying for paid medical leave when he was placed on it, an AnnArbor.com review of university records and policies showed."
trespass
Thu, Feb 17, 2011 : 4:54 p.m.
This is the kind of special treatment you get when you know where all the bodies are buried. The Administration could not let him leave disgruntled because he might tell their secrets.