DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit police commissioners say they didn’t know that a detective they unanimously promoted had been accused by three different women of domestic abuse throughout his career.
On March 3, commissioners voted 9-0 to promote Det. Lemuel Sims to the rank of sergeant, along with nearly 20 other officers seeking a higher rank.
“I feel like they’re ready, I feel like they’re committed,” said Chief James White before the promotions were voted on, “and I feel like they’re ready to serve this community and lead these men and women.”
But multiple commissioners told 7 Action News they were not aware of claims made by three different women earlier in Sims’ career that he abused them, including two that led to criminal charges.
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The first allegation came in 2011, when DPD’s internal affairs concluded that Sims “forced entry” through his then-girlfriend’s kitchen window, ransacked her home and choked her.
The Wayne County prosecutor charged Sims, but the case was later dismissed when his girlfriend declined to testify. There is no record that Sims was ever punished.
Three years later, Sims was accused of assaulting a different girlfriend. This time, three witnesses said they saw him choke her. Again, the Wayne County Prosecutor charged Sims and, again, the charges were dismissed when the alleged victim declined to testify. Sims was suspended for one week.
Then in 2015, Sims was hit with a two-week suspension for his third allegation of domestic violence when another woman accused him of grabbing and bruising her.
After voting to approve the promotion for Sims and others, board chair Bryan Ferguson delivered a message to the newly promoted officers.
“You guys are going to be new leaders. And when the young officers mess up, we’re going to hold you guys responsible,” Ferguson said. “Make sure you lead them into the right way.”
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Before being asked to approve the officer promotions, police commissioners received a summary of each officer’s history with the department, including internal affairs investigations, total uses of force, the number of citizen complaints and other discipline.
Sims’ history of alleged assaultive behavior was included in the summary, but multiple commissioners said they were not aware of it.
“I did not see that,” said Commissioner Chair Brian Ferguson. “I didn’t see that in there.”
“I didn’t know nothing about that information,” said Commissioner Cedric Banks.
“It’s my fault for not reading, I guess, all the information,” said Commissioner Jim Holley. “I did not see that.”
Commissioner Jesus Hernandez said he was “generally aware” of the allegations made against Sims.
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As an officer, Sims received 33 citizen complaints and been disciplined 17 separate times, totaling 40 days suspended.
7 Action News first revealed Sims’ history in 2021 and, at the time, Detroit police officials said they would be “proactive.”
“I think most people would be surprised to learn that a cop could be credibly accused by multiple women of physical abuse and he’d still be a cop,” said Channel 7’s Ross Jones.
“He’s been identified in our risk assessment as well, and we’ll be taking proactive steps,” said Chris Graveline, director of DPD’s professional standards.
A Detroit police sources says that Sims attended an ethics training in July of 2022 and a legal training in March of the same year.
“It’s disappointing,” said Johanna Kononen of the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. “What he’s accused of doing is strangling someone.”
“The community’s relationship with the police department doesn’t work if no one calls them because they don’t trust them, or if they think this is going on in the department. I know it, I’ve seen it, and now he gets a promotion.”
Even if commissioners had voted against promoting Sims, several told 7 Action News that they fear they could have been overruled.
That's because the police union contract says officers can be blocked from seeking promotions in only limited circumstances, like sustained allegations of lying or displaying a pattern of bias or excessive force against citizens in the previous 7 years.
But a pattern of domestic violence claims isn’t mentioned.
Still, commissioners tell me tonight that that’s no excuse for watchdogs like them to miss what’s right in front of their eyes.
“We’re oversight,” said Chairman Ferguson. “We usually find out something after it happens.”
Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466.
