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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. He said in a news interview with MLive that Reyna is a native of Muskegon, Michigan. Close alerts. "He can't say anything right now. The paper reported that Anderson was cleared of fatally shooting a black man, Julius Johnson, 23, following a traffic stop in 2009. 2023 City of Muskegon. Muskegon City Manager Frank Peterson and the city attorney's office released a 421-page report on the investigation of Charles Anderson, as well as his history as a police officer before he. Hilson told the outlet in Aug. I guess I cant answer that question. Neither Anderson nor the officers union, the Police Officers Labor Council, could immediately be reached for comment Monday. Have a news tip? I need a completed internal investigation.. Charles Anderson was fired from the Muskegon Police Department on September 12 following an investigation after potential homebuyers said they saw a . 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. Rachel Anderson said she was the one who found the KKK application in an antique shop and thought it was so cool and would look good in their house. Anderson was pursuing 23-year-old Julius Johnson during a traffic stop on Sept. 23, 2009. Last month, Anderson was outed when a couple, the Mathises, toured his home that was for sale. / CBS/AP. Sign up for email updates from the City of Muskegon, including information on major events, traffic and other important city projects. Anderson said he feared for his life, according to the findings of an investigation report created by then-Muskegon County Prosecutor Tony Tague. Crime Prevention Association of Michigan (CPAM), Address1990 E. Apple AvenueMuskegon, MI 49442, Office HoursMonday-Friday 8:00 AM 4:45 PM (Closed 1:00 PM 2:00 PM for Lunch Hour), ContactPhone: (231) 777-1666(For Non-Emergencies Only), Tim A. Thielbar 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. Anderson is on paid administrative leave after an apparent . Janelle Griffith is a national reporter for NBC News focusing on issues of race and policing. The police department is doing its due diligence with the investigation, Chief Jeffrey Lewis told MLive.com. Records from the Michigan Department of Corrections show Robertson was arrested in Muskegon County in 2006 and served 12 years in prison. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Monday Thursday: 8:00am 5:30pm Frank Peterson, the city manager of Muskegon, confirmed on Friday that the officer, Charles Anderson, had been terminated, but said a report on the inquiry conducted by the Muskegon Police Department would not be released until next week. Whether or not officer Anderson has racist tendencies or not, would that move the needle one way or another? Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The city announced on Aug. 8 that Officer Anderson, who is white and had been with the department for more than two decades, had been placed on administrative leave after he was found in possession of certain items associated with a white supremacist group. That announcement came one day after Rob Mathis, the prospective homebuyer, posted on Facebook the photo of the application, which is blank. "This whole situation is very disheartening," Reyna Mathis said. MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) The Muskegon police officer who had Ku Klux Klan memorabilia in his home has lost his job. On December 31, 2020 Anderson will have accrued a total of 25 years and two months of service credit. Last month, Anderson was outed when a couple, the Mathises, toured his home that was for sale. Kayla Renie / Muskegon Chronicle via AP Link copied Anderson was cleared of any wrongdoing in that 2009 incident. 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.". Ext. 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. Finally we hear the officer - and his wife - explain themselves. Officer Charles Anderson of the Muskegon Police Department gives his testimony at the Muskegon County Hall of Justice, in Muskegon on Wednesday, March 20, 2019. 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. During Anderson's remaining time on no-pay statues he'll not have access to employment-related benefits. The comments on that post exploded, Calhoun said, leading to the citys decision to place Anderson on leave and conduct the investigation. 2023 City of Muskegon. Robertson says Anderson is the officer who made the arrest. He bought the application about six years ago in Indiana. That was the owner of the house, Officer Charles Anderson, who, at the time, was a 21-year veteran of the Muskegon Police Department. The first thing I noticed walking through the dining room was a Confederate flag placemat on the table, Mr. Mathis said. It is essential that all members, in the execution of their duties, act not for themselves but for the good of the public. We hope that you find the information on our website helpful and easy to find. First published on August 12, 2019 / 10:44 AM. The Associated Press contributed to this report. It was basically telling me, whites only to purchase his house. 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. 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. 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. Upon announcing the investigation, the Muskegon Police Department acknowledged the post, which brought to their attention the possibility of Anderson being in possession of certain items associated with a white supremacy group.. ", Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. The report includes an executive summary written by Muskegon Police Chief Jeffrey Lewis that concluded that some community leaders indicated that they had lost faith in Anderson and in the entire police department as a result of Anderson's actions. 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. Related Story: Michigan Police Officer Charles Anderson on Leave After KKK Items Found in his Home. Muskegon Police Officer Charles Anderson will retire with full benefits at the end of 2020, according to a separation agreement with the city. 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. However, Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. His post went viral. He said that he and his wife, brother and son had toured the officers house in early August with a realtor. I first read about this a couple years ago in the newspaper, the story with the attention-grabbing power of a bad joke. Anderson was fired from the department on Sept. 12, following a lengthy investigation into the accusation. application hanging on the wall. "I feel as though we are being punished because of something we saw in a home that we never asked to see.". 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. Reyna Mathis, the realtor and Anderson's colleagues were also interviewed for the report. Reyna Mathis was sentenced to 60 days in jail for assaulting an officer, the report states, which she disputes. 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. Now, the. Muskegon Police Officer Charles Anderson served his department for 22 years. Official Internal Investigations Report - Officer Anderson September 24, 2019 IA 19-06 Official Report Charles Anderson Inquiry with redactions [28MB PDF] Previous Next Document Search Stay Connected Sign up for email updates from the City of Muskegon, including information on major events, traffic and other important city projects. racist memorabilia found in his home that was for sale, was placed on administrative leave last month. Lewis was not sure if an officer keeping such items in his home would violate department policies. Anderson "loves everything" about the show and has been to the fan convention, Duke Fest, several times. They also had seen Andersons Muskegon Police uniform and realized a police officer owned the home, the couple said. (Kayla Renie/Muskegon Chronicle via AP) Officer Charles Anderson of the Muskegon Police Department gives his testimony at the Muskegon County Hall of Justice, on March 20, 2019. 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