Have a news tip? They said they thought it odd there were items with Confederate flags in the garage and home, but Rob Mathis told Calhoun he was undone when he saw a framed application to join the KKK in one of the bedrooms. Address Police Department City Hall1st Floor 933 Terrace St Muskegon, MI 49440 Hours Monday - Thursday: 8:00am - 5:30pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday: Closed Phone (231) 724-6903 Fax (231) 724-2043 Send a message Document Search Stay Connected For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Rob Mathis, the prospective homebuyer, posted on Facebook. application had drawn hundreds of messages, some supporting what he had done and others condemning or threatening him. The separation agreement states Anderson will remain on unpaid status until December 30, 2020. It is essential that all members, in the execution of their duties, act not for themselves but for the good of the public. Anderson has never spoken with the media about the case, and the producer of the This American Life programs didnt have luck reaching him either. The inquiry into Anderson unearthed new complaints made against him that Lewis said will be investigated, according to the report. Following Mathis' allegations, Anderson, who has been on the force more than 20 years, was put on leave indefinitely, City Manager Frank Peterson said Thursday. Though Mathis did not identify Anderson by name in his post, commenters did. All rights reserved (About Us). ARPA Community Grant Program Details + Application, Authorities & Business Improvement Districts, Lot Division/Combination and New Address Applications, 2008 Downtown and Lakeshore Redevelopment Plan, Muskegon Lake Shoreline Assessment Report, 1997 Downtown/Lakeshore Redevelopment Plan, Downtown Development Authority/Brownfield Redevelopment Board, Crime Activity and Traffic Team Lieutenant, Sanford St and Houston Ave Road Construction, Sherman Blvd and Glenside Blvd Road Construction, Roberts St Road Construction and Water Service Line Replacement, IA 19-06 Official Report Charles Anderson Inquiry with redactions. The This American Life programs include interviews with the couple, Rob and Reyna Mathis; Muskegon City Manager Frank Peterson; Muskegon Police Chief Jeffrey Lewis; and Andersons wife, Rachel Anderson. Officer Andersons wife, Rachael Anderson, told WOOD-TV, a local television station, that her husband was not a Klan member. Technically, he signed a separation agreement and walked away with his pension and health insurance. Ten years ago, Officer Anderson shot and killed Julius Johnson, an unarmed black man, during a foot chase. Officer Charles Anderson of the. Among new information Calhoun uncovered was the fact Lewis conducted his own investigation apart from the formal one conducted by the police departments internal affairs team that found, in the chiefs words, Anderson seemed to have a lot of problems with African Americans throughout his career., In coming to that conclusion, Lewis referenced earlier concerns about Anderson and recounted a cell phone video of Anderson he had seen online about a year earlier. The Muskegon County prosecutors office earlier told MLive that it will wait for the results of the police department's inquiry before it decides whether to reevaluate a 2009 incident in which Anderson fatally shot a 23-year-old unarmed black man. The Ku Klux Klan document Robert Mathis says was on display at Muskegon Police Officer Charles Anderson's house. Mr. Mathis, 52, an Army veteran who is black, said that the picture he had posted on Facebook of the K.K.K. There was another incident involving the Mathises themselves, who said they didnt realize their run-in was with Anderson, in which Reyna Mathis initially was charged with assaulting Anderson. However, Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Reyna was jailedfor obstruction and assault on an officer. The City of Muskegon has a population of about 37,000, according to census data. The radio program explores other complaints against Anderson, including one in which he ended up pepper-spraying elderly people at a backyard birthday party when he responded to a noise complaint. The way things are now, everybody is offended over something, and who knows what that might be? she said. A second citizen complaint from 2016 involved a DUI arrest in which Anderson did not secure a vehicle after the arrest and did not return a person's driver's license, according to the report. He cant say anything right now, Ms. Anderson said. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI The case of a Muskegon police officer fired after Confederate flags and KKK memorabilia were found in his home was the subject of a two-part series by the This American Life radio program that examines the difficulty of rooting racism out of police forces. "Whether or not officer Anderson has racist tendencies or not, would that move the needle one way or another? I first read about this a couple years ago in the newspaper, the story with the attention-grabbing power of a bad joke. Anderson is on paid administrative leave after an apparent . Anderson told MLive.com he was advised not to comment amid the investigation. He was cleared of wrongdoing in the 2009 shooting of an unarmed black man, who, an investigation found, used Anderson's police radio and . The public radio program aired the first part, titled A Couple Walks Into a House on Jan. 21, and the second part, A City Walks Into an Investigation on Jan. 28. He will not be paid, and has not been, since. 1116, Address:1990 E. Apple AveMuskegon, MI 49442, Hours:Monday Thursday: 7:30 am 6:00 pmclosed for lunch from 1:00 to 1:30Fridays by appointment only, 2022 All Rights Reserved, Charter Township of Muskegon, Website Designed by Shumaker Technology group. Though Muskegon has a majority white population, over 31% of residents are Black. He also said that the police had warned him about a death threat. And when he went upstairs, he saw the framed K.K.K. One from 2010 alleges Anderson "acted rudely and disrespectfully" during an incident which led to the use of pepper spray and two people being arrested, the report states. / CBS/AP. They also had seen Andersons Muskegon Police uniform and realized a police officer owned the home, the couple said. The report confirmed that the officer had six encounters with Robert and Reyna Mathis, datingto July 2008. The paper reported that Anderson was cleared of fatally shooting a black man, Julius Johnson, 23, following a traffic stop in 2009. Muskegon Police Officer Charles Anderson's employment was terminated during a disciplinary hearing that wrapped up at approximately 3 p.m., Muskegon City Manager Frank Peterson told MLive. He was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing when the shooting was deemed to be an act of self-defense. He said his wife was upset, and he told her, Were getting out of here. The realtor was very apologetic, he added. If you are wondering how the racist material was found in his home, so did we. MUSKEGON, MI - Former Muskegon police officer Charles Anderson vehemently denied being a racist and told police investigators that the Ku Klux Klan application found in his home was an. The former officer said the reason for having the items is his love for history anda classic TV show. Kayla Renie / Muskegon Chronicle via AP file. He posted a picture on Facebook of a framed KKK application he found. Calhoun questions if the Mathises would have had an easier time if Lewis had gone public with his own concerns at the time. MUSKEGON, Mich. (AP) A white Michigan police officer whose house had an apparent Ku Klux Klan document on display and for sale has been fired. Finally we hear the officer - and his wife - explain themselves. Anderson was cleared of any wrongdoing in that 2009 incident. However, he did interview Andersons wife, Rachel, about their interest in collecting historic and vintage items. Ext. The shooting was determined to be an act of self-defense. Effective December 31, 2020, Anderson's employment with the city will end by way of his retirement. 13 On Your Side obtained a separation agreement between the City of Muskegon and Charles Anderson through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. IE 11 is not supported. Janelle Griffith is a national reporter for NBC News focusing on issues of race and policing. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Friday, Saturday, Sunday: Closed. Last August Rob Mathis, who is black, toured Anderson's home in Holton with his wife Reyna and a Realtor. "I feel as though we are being punished because of something we saw in a home that we never asked to see.". Anderson adamantly denied he is a part of the KKK and pointed out that as a Catholic, he would be considered "a target" of the hate group. The agreement also means a wrongful termination grievance Anderson and the Police Officers Labor Council filed against the city following the firing will be withdrawn. Although Rob and Reyna Mathis originally debated whether to share the photos publicly, they said they felt a need to inform the community about what they had witnessed. Friday, Saturday, Sunday: Closed. ", Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Officer Charles Anderson. Muskegon Police Officer Charles Anderson describes his struggle with Julius Allen-Ray Johnson prior to fatally shooting him on Sept. 23, 2009. ARPA Details The man behind the Facebook post, Robert Mathis, uploaded a picture of the KKK document on Facebook on Aug. 7 after touring Andersons home with his wife, Reyna, their two children and a realtor. He said the flags are part of his extensive "Dukes of Hazzard" collection. She was found to be intoxicated and wasarrested by Anderson for two Fail to Appear bench warrants. A Michigan police officer has been fired from the Muskegon Police Department following an inquiry into racist memorabilia found in his home that was for sale. Records from the Michigan Department of Corrections show Robertson was arrested in Muskegon County in 2006 and served 12 years in prison. The county prosecutor at the time determined that Mr. Anderson had shot in self-defense and cleared him of any wrongdoing. The Mathises discuss the backlash they received, including receiving threats and having racial slurs hurled at them. Rob Mathis posted a picture of the framed KKK application on Facebook, at the time knowing the home belonged to a Muskegon Police officer. In an interview with the city, Anderson confirmed that he had a Confederate flag hanging in his garage, a flag-decorated hot pad on his dining room table and a framed, blank copy of a KKK application from the 1920s. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The Muskegon Police Department Policy and Procedure Order states that officers' decorum and behavior should not "undercut public trust" in the department. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Charles Anderson, the Michigan police officer found to have KKK memorabilia in his home, has been fired following a disciplinary hearing within the Muskegon Police Department. Authorities in Michigan may review a white police officer's fatal shooting of a black man in 2009 after an alleged Ku Klux Klan document was seen on display at the officer's house. Officer Charles Anderson of the Muskegon Police Department gives his testimony at the Muskegon County Hall of Justice, on March 20, 2019. The official investigation by the city of Muskegon into the officer's past gets underway- and we have a transcript of what went down! This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect, CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat". August 12, 2019 / 10:44 AM RELATED: The. A police officer in Michigan was terminated on Thursday after a prospective homebuyer who had been touring the officers house posted a picture on social media of a framed Ku Klux Klan application he had seen there, spurring an internal investigation. (12 minutes) Anderson, who had been with the department for more than two decades, denied ever being a KKK member or supporter and said that the Confederate items Mathis saw in his home are a "very small part" of an extensive collection of "Dukes of Hazard memorabilia he has spent decades gathering, according to the report. The authorities said that Mr. Johnson had repeatedly hit the officer in the head with a blunt object. Ext. Officer Charles Anderson of the Muskegon Police Department gives his testimony at the Muskegon County Hall of Justice, on March 20, 2019. The report states they refused to comply with Andersons commands and Reyna Mathis "struck him in the face and eye with her hand." MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) The Muskegon police officer who had Ku Klux Klan memorabilia in his home has lost his job. Muskegon, MI - The veteran Muskegon police officer who was fired after a complaint that he had a vintage Ku Klux Klan (KKK) application hanging in his house had previous run-ins with his accusers. . She was sentenced to 60 days and $414 in fines. The Muskegon Police Department Policy and Procedure Order does not specifically ban private displays of racist materials, MLive reports. All Rights Reserved. Officer Charles Anderson testifies in Muskegon, Michigan, March 20, 2019. Charles Anderson was fired from the Muskegon Police Department on September 12 following an investigation after potential homebuyers said they saw a framed KKK application and Confederate. Kayla Renie / Muskegon Chronicle via AP file. ARPA Details 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Monday Thursday: 8:00am 5:30pm Reyna Mathis was sentenced to 60 days in jail for assaulting an officer, the report states, which she disputes. Reyna and Robert Mathis said they believe the department tried to tarnish their images to make Anderson look good and as if the couple was seeking revenge after 11 years. Anderson said he feared for his life, according to the findings of an investigation report created by then-Muskegon County Prosecutor Tony Tague. Anderson was cleared in late 2009 of any wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of Julius Allen-Ray Johnson. Muskegon Police Officer Charles Anderson was placed on paid administrative leave after a house hunter who was viewing the officer's home said he saw a framed Ku Klux Klan application and multiple Confederate flags. 1119, Deasha Hill His charges included resisting an officer and fleeing. The City of Muskegon released a more than 400-page report on Monday that includes transcripts of interviews with Anderson and the man who posted images on social media that spurred the investigation, Robert Mathis. Anderson had worked at the Muskegon Police Department for 20 years prior to being terminated. Sign up for email updates from the City of Muskegon, including information on major events, traffic and other important city projects. 1117 He saidhe's had run-ins with police and mighthave been arrested by Anderson. During Anderson's 22-year career as a police officer, he had two complaints made against him. Ext. Officer Charles Anderson of the Muskegon Police Department in Michigan was terminated on Thursday. Follow Micah Walker on Twitter:@Micah_walker701. According to the report, Robert Mathis toured Anderson's home with his family and a real estate agentAug. 7. In a report released by Muskegon City Manager Frank Peterson last year officer Charles Anderson claimed the framed Ku Klux Klan application on a bedroom wall at his home was part of an antiques collection. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. A report detailing the investigation into Anderson was released online Monday by the. The comments on that post exploded, Calhoun said, leading to the citys decision to place Anderson on leave and conduct the investigation. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Ext. Reyna went to jail for the incident. In his Facebook post, Mathis said he also saw Confederate flags throughout the home. 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