Lansing Police Chief Rosendahl calls public meeting to address rumors and open lines of communication
by Julie Berg-Raymond
More than two dozen community members filled Lansing City Hall Friday, March 18 for a public meeting called by Lansing Chief of Police Conrad Rosendahl.
Rosendahl called the meeting to address a rumor circulating within the community, initiated by a person or persons unknown, and to correct misinformation and answer any questions from members of the public. The rumor involved the suggestion that, earlier this year, Rosendahl had hit a parked car; that alcohol might have been involved; that the damaged car had been towed without the owner’s knowledge; and that no police report had been filed.
During the meeting, Chief Rosendahl drew attendees’ attention to two letters that had been sent to the Lansing City Council, City Clerk and Lansing Mayor Melissa Hammell, asking the council to investigate Rosendahl in regard to the matter. The letter writer(s) offered no evidence in support of the claims they were making; and they did not sign their names.
During the meeting Friday, Rosendahl told attendees that, on the occasion in question, he had hit a parked car on Main Street while he was sending a text; and that he immediately called in the accident. “I was off-duty and in my personal vehicle,” he said. “I had my mind on other things - and I rear-ended a vehicle on Main Street. I understand that officers are held to a higher standard than most others; but that doesn’t mean we don’t make mistakes, and it doesn’t mean we aren’t human.”
The call was taken by Lansing Police Officer Troy Riehm. During the meeting Friday, Riehm read aloud the report he had filed within an hour of the event. At the scene, Riehm administered a field sobriety test, and Rosendahl’s blood alcohol was 0.00. Riehm said he tried to contact the owner of the car based on registration information but reached an inactive voicemail account. He said he assumed the vehicle’s owner lived in the apartment building in front of which the car was parked; but added that, since it was late at night, he didn’t want to knock on every door until they found the owner. The car was towed because it was, at that point, in the line of traffic.
At the scene, Riehm continued, Rosendahl asked him to issue a citation for inattentive driving; but Riehm declined to do so, telling meeting attendees he frequently issues warnings rather than citations in cases like this. “Being that he was off-duty, I looked at him as just another citizen,” he said.
Asked by a reporter if Rosendahl or Riehm had considered whether the “appearance of impropriety” was a concern, even though Riehm had done nothing wrong in his response to the call, Rosendahl said, “Although I know we’re held to a higher standard as police officers, I also don’t think we should be treated any differently than any other citizen when we’re off duty.”
COMMUNITY POLICING
Aside from wanting to correct erroneous information being spread around town based on rumor and hearsay, Rosendahl told meeting attendees his purpose in calling the public meeting was to ask for help from the community in maintaining healthy lines of communication.
“I’ve always tried to run the police department with a community-facing point of view in mind,” Rosendahl said. “The big key with community policing is trust - there’s a relationship between (the police department) and the City Council, and also with the community. I feel that there’s a person or persons deliberately trying to drive a wedge between the community and myself,” he said. “I don’t know the motive, and I don’t have the answers.”
He said that issues similar to this “have been going on in this town with regard to me for at least three years. And quite frankly, I don’t know where else to turn, but to you.” But, he added, “if people think these things are going to drive me out, they’ve got another thing coming. I have nothing to hide.”
Rosendahl assured attendees that he and his department are available and willing to address citizens’ concerns. “If you have an issue with my officers or myself, then bring it to us,” he said. “But put your name on it. Own it. If there’s a legitimate issue, we’ll respond professionally and appropriately.”
Responding to an attendee who asked whether a citizen should feel free to approach him personally, Rosendahl said, “Absolutely. I encourage that. That’s the whole purpose behind this meeting; that’s community policing. If a citizen is afraid to approach by themselves, I’m sure the City Clerk or the Mayor could join the meeting,” he added. “By all means, we’ll accommodate you.”
But, he continued, “we have families in this community; we have children in the school system. Harder than anything, for me, is when my kids come home from school and ask me about the rubbish they’re hearing about their dad. This affects our families - and I’m not going to have it.”
RESPONSES
The response from attendees in the filled-to-capacity Council Chamber was unanimously and emphatically supportive of the police department and of Rosendahl - who also is a volunteer firefighter and head of the Lansing EMS. To a person, every commenter expressed gratitude for the work the department and Rosendahl do in their community - and contempt for the tendency to spread unfounded and unsubstantiated rumors and hearsay; to make public accusations without evidence; and to send anonymous letters.
“I’m offended by these kinds of letters going out,” one attendee said. “If you’ve got a problem, sign it.”
“These rumors offend everyone in our community,” another commenter noted. “We need to take a stand against this kind of thing.”
Another attendee said simply, “it’s disgraceful.”
“Chief Rosendahl has been extremely transparent from the beginning,” Mayor Hammell said at the conclusion of the meeting. “And he’s been very communicative. Obviously (with this meeting), he wanted to give people a chance to ask questions. I have a lot of confidence in our police officers.”
