13 On Your Side obtained a separation agreement between the City of Muskegon and Charles Anderson through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. They said they were looking for a home with plenty of land to host their children and grandchildren and initially were excited about the potential of Andersons home. We hope that you find the information on our website helpful and easy to find. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The stationreported that since posting the KKK application on Facebook, Robert and Reyna Mathis have receiveddeath threats. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Monday Thursday: 8:00am 5:30pm Neither Anderson nor the officers union, the Police Officers Labor Council, could immediately be reached for comment. I feel sick to my stomach knowing that I walk to the home of one of the most racist people in Muskegon hiding behind his uniform and possibly harassing people of color and different nationalities, Mathis says in the post. Now, the. After seeing the framed KKK document, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan Application for Citizenship, Army veteran and prospective homebuyer Rob Mathis took to Facebook to share what he saw. A prospective homebuyer found Confederate flags and a framed Ku Klux Klan application in the officers house in Holton, Mich. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Charles Anderson was terminated after a Thursday morning hearing. It is essential that all members, in the execution of their duties, act not for themselves but for the good of the public. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10214761835347198&set=a.1058959801946&type=3. 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. Sign up for email updates from the City of Muskegon, including information on major events, traffic and other important city projects. When Calhoun pressed her on how that might be offensive and scary to some people, Rachel Anderson said that didnt change her opinion. In September 2019, five weeks after their Facebook post about the discovery, city officials concluded that Anderson had lost the publics trust and was fired. The report also details a handful of encounters between Reyna and Robert Mathis and Anderson, including a 2008 incident in which he pulled them over for speeding. Address 1990 E. Apple Avenue Muskegon, MI 49442 Office Hours Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:45 PM (Closed 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM for Lunch Hour) Contact Phone: (231) 777-1666 (For Non-Emergencies Only) FOR ALL EMERGENCIES DIAL 911 Chief of Police Tim A. Thielbar Tim.Thielbar@mcd911.net Ext. ARPA Community Grant Program Details + Application For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. She told NBC News on Monday that she was defending herself against Anderson in that incident and that when her lawyer asked to enter the dashboard camera from the police vehicle as evidence, the department was unable to locate it so she was placed on probation. Muskegon Police Officer Charles Anderson served his department for 22 years. 1117, Patrick Vandommelen / CBS/AP. Full credit: Kayla Renie/Muskegon Chronicle/AP. However, he did interview Andersons wife, Rachel, about their interest in collecting historic and vintage items. Anderson placed Reyna under arrest for refusing to follow his orders, and she struck him in the face and eye with her hand, causing minor injury. The department assures the public that they are investigating the allegations. Ext. According to WZZM-TV, the report gave Peterson enough reason to fire Anderson this month. 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) A Muskegon police officer is under investigation and on paid administrative leave after items associated with a white supremacy group were found at his home. During the radio broadcast, the Mathises recounted their hesitancy in reporting what they had seen in Andersons home and the backlash they received after they did. Tim.Thielbar@mcd911.net According to the report, Robert Mathis toured Anderson's home with his family and a real estate agentAug. 7. Hilson said the investigation's results will drive reconsideration of the 2009 case, according to MLive.com. Have a news tip? 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. Last month, Anderson was outed when a couple, the Mathises, toured his home that was for sale. 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. 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. The Muskegon Police Department Policy and Procedure Order does not specifically ban private displays of racist materials, MLive reports. Lewis was not sure if an officer keeping such items in his home would violate department policies. It was basically telling me, whites only to purchase his house. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Officer Charles Anderson of the Muskegon Police Department gives his testimony at the Muskegon County Hall of Justice on March 20, 2019. I need a completed internal investigation.". This is a Klan house, really, we have to go right now.' Anderson was pursuing 23-year-old Julius Johnson during a traffic stop on Sept. 23, 2009. IE 11 is not supported. 1119, Deasha Hill "We would not take back what weve done no matter how weve been treated or portrayed," Reyna Mathis said. 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. His wife, Rachael Anderson, told WOOD-TV her husband isn't a Klan member. If you are wondering how the racist material was found in his home, so did we. Referring to Officer Anderson, Mr. Mathis said: Its unfortunate that hes in our community, because he might have put people in jail on false charges, especially minorities. Charles Anderson was fired from the Muskegon Police Department on Sept. 13. He mentioned seeing Confederate flags on the walls, dining room table and garage. Nothing was revealed to us that shocked us, Chief Lewis said of the investigation. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Monday Thursday: 8:00am 5:30pm And when he went upstairs, he saw the framed K.K.K. I need a completed internal investigation.. Effective December 31, 2020, Anderson's employment with the city will end by way of his retirement. The report states they refused to comply with Andersons commands and Reyna Mathis "struck him in the face and eye with her hand." Kayla Renie / Muskegon Chronicle via AP file. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. In the report, Mathis said he toured the home because he and Reyna were looking for a residence that had a significant amount of land so the two of them, along with their 12-year-old daughter and 21-year-old son, could spend more time outdoors. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. In October2008, Reyna Mathis was involved in a bar fight and accused of assaulting another person. 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. 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. The separation agreement states Anderson will remain on unpaid status until December 30, 2020. Michigan police officer fired after a framed Ku Klux Klan application, was fired from the Muskegon Police Department. They also had seen Andersons Muskegon Police uniform and realized a police officer owned the home, the couple said. Prosecutors:US Army soldier planned to kill 'antifa' activists, bomb a major news network. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. The Muskegon Police Department announced on Aug. 8 that it had opened an internal investigation after a social media post was "brought to its attention" accusing the veteran officer of "being in possession of certain items associated with a white supremacy group.". Amy.Gerard3@mcd911.net The former officer said the reason for having the items is his love for history anda classic TV show. "If he had just been anybody else," he said, "I wouldve just told my wife, you know, lets put an offer in on the house.". Finally we hear the officer - and his wife - explain themselves. The Ku Klux Klan document Robert Mathis says was on display at Muskegon Police Officer Charles Anderson's house. This prompted calls for the firing of the 24-year force . Whether or not officer Anderson has racist tendencies or not, would that move the needle one way or another? An unsettling discovery in the home of a local police officer rocks an entire city. DETROIT A Michigan police officer was embroiled in controversy last month after a man discovered Ku Klux Klan memorabilia inside his home,which was up for sale. Last month, Anderson was outed when a couple, the Mathises, toured his home that was for sale. That was the owner of the house, Officer Charles Anderson, who, at the time, was a 21-year veteran of the Muskegon Police Department. Anderson was fired from the department on Sept. 12, following a lengthy investigation into the accusation. Related: Cop fired for KKK, Confederate flag memorabilia signs separation agreement. August 12, 2019 / 10:44 AM 2023 City of Muskegon. He said that he and his wife, brother and son had toured the officers house in early August with a realtor. Mathis, who is black, said he became displeased when he saw the Confederate flags, and the KKK application was a deal-breaker for making an offer on the house. Get the top DEI news delivered straight to your inbox, Michigan Police Officer Charles Anderson on Leave After KKK Items Found in his Home, fatally shot a 23-year-old unarmed Black man Julius Allen-Ray Johnson, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 23, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 17, Race, Homelessness and the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility, How Companies Are Celebrating Black History Month, 5 Biggest News Stories of the Week: February 9. (Kayla Renie/Muskegon Chronicle via AP) "I told my son, 'let's go, we're getting out of here. All Rights Reserved. ", Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. He saidhe's had run-ins with police and mighthave been arrested by Anderson. 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. Anderson was cleared of any wrongdoing in. Officer. I walked into the most racist home Ive ever been in in my life, Mr. Mathis said. The City of Muskegon released a more than 400-page report on Monday that includes transcripts of interviews with. 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. Cop fired for KKK, Confederate flag memorabilia signs separation agreement. Rob and Reyna Mathis, who live in Muskegon Township, said they felt a range of emotions, including anger, sadness and shame, after they saw the Ku Klux Klan document inside the house in Holton Township, about 20 miles northeast of Muskegon. Though Muskegon has a majority white population, over 31% of residents are Black. 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. The Muskegon Police Department, Officer Anderson and the Police Officers Association of Michigan did not immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment on Friday. Hilson told the outlet in Aug. I guess I cant answer that question. A five-page separation agreement between the City of Muskegon, officer Charles Anderson, and the Police Officers Labor Council was signed by all parties in April. First published on August 12, 2019 / 10:44 AM. 1117 Kayla Renie / Muskegon Chronicle via AP file. In it, Lewis said Anderson is seen, seemingly unprovoked, shoving an elderly woman to the ground in an act Lewis found just inappropriatejust wrong., He also considered the concerns about Anderson that other officers had confided in the chief and an incident where Anderson told a female business owner to shut up, he told This American Life.. 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. The report confirmed that the officer had six encounters with Robert and Reyna Mathis, datingto July 2008. 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, Winter Parking Restrictions Begin December 1. Mathis took photos of a framed KKK application and Confederate flags in Anderson's Holton Township house while touring it with his wife, Reyna Mathis, and a realtor in early August. He was cleared of wrongdoing in the 2009 shooting of an unarmed black man, who, an investigation found, used Anderson's police radio and . 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The Mathises said they eventually decided to post on Facebook what they had seen out of concern that Black citizens could run into trouble with Anderson if they encountered him on the streets. 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 inquiry into Anderson unearthed new complaints made against him that Lewis said will be investigated, according to the report. Mathis posted pictures of what he saw on Facebook and discovered the home belonged to Muskegon police officer Charles "Chuck" Anderson. Robert was issued a citation and released from the scene. 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. Police officers will, therefore, avoid any conduct that might compromise integrity and thus undercut the public confidence in the officer or this law or this law enforcement agency, it says. 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. Ext. 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. This is, this is, oh, Im getting out of here,' " he said. application hanging on the wall. Though Mathis did not identify Anderson by name in his post, commenters did. Anderson "loves everything" about the show and has been to the fan convention, Duke Fest, several times. MUSKEGON, Mich. A white Muskegon police officer who displayed Ku Klux Klan memorabilia inside his home, which was up for sale, will retire with benefits from the department at the end of the year. Hilson had previously told MLive that the results of the police department investigation will play a role in determining whether the prosecutors office will reopen the 2009 case. A two-part series by the "This American Life" public radio program explores the case of former Muskegon Police Officer Charles Chuck Anderson, shown here in a file photo, who was fired after a Black couple from Muskegon, potential homebuyers, reported on social media they found racist material in Andersons Holton home that was for sale. Mathis, 52, a U.S. Army veteran, has said he felt morally obligated to report what he had witnessed. Anderson, who is white, was placed on administrative leave last month after a prospective home buyer said he saw a framed Ku Klux Klan application and multiple Confederate flags in his house. Charles Anderson was fired from the Muskegon Police Department on Sept. 13. 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. Deasha.Hill@mcd911.net "I was just so disgusted," Mathis told MLive.com. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. 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. Anderson served on the Muskegon police force since 1997. Acomplaint in 2010 alleged that he acted "rudely and disrespectfully" when he arrestedtwo people and usedpepper spray. Anderson is on paid administrative leave after an apparent . A white Michigan police officer fired after a framed Ku Klux Klan application and Confederate flags were found in his home, denied being a racist in an inquiry into the items and said he collected antiques and memorabilia linked to The Dukes of Hazzard television series. Anderson said the reason for the KKK application is related to his passion for U.S. history from the late 1800s to the 1960s. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. To go right now. home would violate Department policies vintage items or another toured! 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