Interim Flint Police Chief David Dicks charged with theft of government funds
by Ron Fonger and Shannon Murphy | The Flint Journal Wednesday January 14, 2009, 4:10 PM
Note: The date and time stamp on this article have been updated from its original post 1:25 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009. Additional details, information and elements were added.
Flint Journal extras: See below for past articles on David Dicks and the Career Alliance investigation.
FLINT, Michigan -- Flint's interim police Chief David Dicks was charged today with defrauding the U.S. government by collecting federal funds for private security work while he was actually on duty as a city police officer and inspector.
Dicks was charged in federal court today with theft of government funds and released on an unsecured $25,000 bond, but apparently remained on the job.
Flint Mayor Don Williamson called Dicks a "super, super fantastic man. I feel sorry for him and his family."
"I don't believe David Dicks stole anything," said Williamson, who scheduled a press conference for 4 p.m. today to discuss the police department.
But federal prosecutors painted a different picture in a 10-page criminal complaint, saying Dicks essentially charged taxpayers twice by claiming to be two different places at the same time.
David E. Wendt, a special agent with the U.S. Department of Labor, said in an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court that Dicks was paid more than $46,000 in federal funds for work he claimed to do for City Security, a contractor for Career Alliance Inc.
Dicks submitted time sheets to City Security claiming he was on the job for Career Alliance while other records showed he was being paid as a city police officer or inspector or enrolled in classes at Mott Community College.
Dicks appeared in federal court today with attorney Frank Manley.
Manley called the charge against Dicks "unfortunate."
"At least it allows us to defend against months and months of rumor and innuendo," Manley said. "Chief Dicks maintains he is innocent. He's hurt because he believes it's not true."
Wearing a gray suit and tie, the police chief laced his hands and turned his thumbs, waiting to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Hluchaniuk today.
Dicks' father, Flint Super Chief Richard Dicks, sat behind his son in court, telling Manley at one point, "Everything's all right."
Richard Dicks is the chief executive officer-licensee for City Security, the affidavit said. The company had a nearly 15-year monopoly on security contracts with Career Alliance.
Williamson said he believes a lot went wrong at Career Alliance, which has been the subject of criminal investigations for more than a year.
Other people connected to the nonprofit job training agency should be in trouble with the law, said Williamson, who called the complaint against Dicks "selective enforcement."
The mayor said he would have to get more information before deciding whether Dicks, who faces up to 10 years in prison, would continue his role as interim chief. He was appointed last year to replace former acting Chief Gary Hagler.
In Flint, Harold Horton, 45, of Burton, said today's charge against Dicks reinforced his belief that Flint officials are "all crooked."
"I think they should push him through the court system as far as they can ... It's getting to be as bad as it was down in Detroit," Horton said.
Flint Councilman Delrico Loyd called on Dicks to resign as police chief. He said it's possible Dicks could still have a job waiting for him while the case works its way through the legal system, but he believes Dicks should not lead the city's police department.
"Oh my God," Loyd said, when he heard about the charge. "This goes to show that everything done in the darkness will eventually be brought out into the light."
Councilman Ehren Gonzales suggested Dicks be placed on unpaid leave until the charge is resolved.
Hluchaniuk scheduled a preliminary exam for Feb. 3 for Dicks, and prosecutors said they would present the case to a federal grand jury within 30 days.
As conditions of his bond, Hluchaniuk told Dicks not to leave Michigan without permission from pretrial services, not to use alcohol or controlled substances, and to avoid contact with potential witnesses.
The allegation that Dicks pocketed federal money is the latest controversy in his career.
Less than a year into his term as chief, Dicks has been a polarizing figure with supporters viewing him as people-friendly leader who understands what the community wants and needs.
Dicks experienced the city's violence firsthand on the day he was announced as chief when he learned his son had been shot to death on the city's north side.
But critics -- including many in his own department -- see him as a crony of Williamson, and claim he only got his job because he does whatever the mayor tells him.
Dicks was already under federal investigation in June when Williamson tapped him to lead the city police department.
The appointment rankled cops who wondered why Dicks -- a patrol officer at the time -- had leapfrogged senior command staff.
Dicks had been fired in 2004 by the city after he was charged with drunken driving following an off-duty crash in Flint Township.
Dicks, who couldn't find his city issued pistol or identification card after the crash, later pleaded to a reduced charge in the case.
A longtime supporter of Williamson, Dicks drew the ire of fellow officers when the mayor reinstated him to the department and selected him in December 2006 to be a member of his handpicked Citizens Service Bureau.
Money woes forced Williamson to disband the group in early 2008 and a few months later Dicks was named interim chief.
Dicks gained national attention last summer when he announced that his officers would arrest anyone caught wearing saggy pants in the city.
He backed down after the American Civil Liberties Union threatened to sue if he followed through on the plan.
The ACLU locked horns with Dicks again last summer when he banned police union leaders from speaking to the media.
Staff writers Joe Lawlor and Bryn Mickle contributed to this story.
Citing health reasons, the Mayor of Flint, Michigan, Don Williamson announced Monday at an 11:20 A.M. news conference that he was resigning from office effective Sunday February 15, 2009 at midnight. Williamson, age 75, indicated that he had multiple sinus infections and kidney stones since November 1 and his doctors wanted him to slow down by reducing his schedule.
Genesee County, Michigan (orange).
A number of events has lead to speculation about Williamson's resignation. His interim Police Chief, David Dicks, has been charged with defrauding the United States government stemming from the Federal investigation into his father's security company, City Security, and its contract with Career Alliance in January. Further, a recall election was scheduled for February 24. The snap selection of Michael Brown to be the new Flint City Administrator and his current City Administrator Darryl Buchanan to the non-City Charter position of "deputy mayor" last week Wednesday. Last Thursday a press conference, originally announced to explain the switch in City Administrators and the position of "deputy mayor," was canceled. And finally, on Friday the Interim Police Chief David Forystek was replaced with a new Interim Police Chief, John Keahey. This returned Forystek to department's traffic bureau.  

Over the last weekend, Williamson denied the rumors. Buchanan was at the press conference while Brown did not attend.

Williamson is a multi-millionaire. He is majority stockholder and chairman of the publicly traded The Colonel's International Inc. (Nasdaq:COLO).

Williamson first stepped onto the political field by running for Mayor of Flint in 1991 but failed to get out the primary. In 1999 he lost to Woodrow Stanley in the general election. In 2003 election — the first full term election after the recall of Stanley — Williamson won the office of Mayor, while the city was still under state financial administration, succeeding Mayor James W. Rutherford into office.

In 2007, Williamson won a narrow re-election over Dayne Walling. He was only drawing a US$1 per year salary. A number of problems have cropped up since then including budget deficits, layoffs, and proposed drag strip.

Some leaders in the community that were surprised at his resignation. The ''Flint Journal'' quoted Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton as stating "I'm shocked." While County Sheriff Robert Pickell stated to the ''Journal'' that he was "absolutely shocked that the mayor resigned." Pickel added, that "with Darryl Buchanan working with Mr. Brown, it will be a good team."

City Councilor, and Williamson opponent, Scott Kincaid is quoted by ABC 12 News as stating that this "was a super-fantastic day" for the city of Flint. City Councilor Jackie Poplar said "Hallelujah!" to ABC 12. 

According to the City Charter, Michael Brown as the Flint City Administrator will take over as Temporary Mayor, with no veto nor ability to remove mayorial appointees with out City Council approval. A primary will be scheduled for the May election date and the general election in August for a replacement mayor.

The recall was based on charges that Williamson mishandled city funds and misstated the status of the city's finances. An additional recall charge according to recall supporters was he disregarded public safety by moving to eliminate 59 police officers and nine firefighters.