DETROIT, Mich. (WXYZ) — A former Detroit fire inspector who resigned following allegations of payroll fraud—and was previously jailed over alleged theft as a Detroit police officer—has now been suspended from his job as an officer with 36th District Court in Detroit.
Watch Ross Jones' full story in the video player below:
Steve Perry was notified Wednesday morning that he was being suspended while Detroit Police continue to investigate allegations of payroll fraud made by Detroit’s Fire Department, according to Chief Judge William McConico.
“We wish Officer Perry the best, but until this is cleared up or we have some more information, he’s not going to work a day at 36th District Court,” McConico said.
Tuesday, 7 News Detroit reported how Perry, a lieutenant with Detroit’s Fire Department, resigned after he was accused of payroll fraud dating back years. It wasn’t his first controversy in a city job.
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Back in 2009, he was charged with stealing $27,000 in reward money while he was a Detroit police officer, later pleading no contest to a misdemeanor and spending time in jail.
Also Tuesday, Perry was observed working in the courtroom of 36th District Court Judge Shawn Jacque, where Desmond Burks is facing murder charges over the accused killing of Dr. Devon Hoover.
McConico said he learned that Perry was working inside the court just yesterday.
“I was teaching a criminal law and procedure class last night when my phone started blowing up, and that’s how I found out,” McConico said. “Was from (WXYZ’s) reporting.”
McConico said he’ll wait to see the result of DPD’s ongoing investigation into Perry, but said he’s facing “some pretty tough allegations.”
Perry is not terminated.
A fire department audit earlier this year looked back at more than three years of shifts where Perry — a fire inspector — collected overtime by working shifts on an ambulance.
Of the 246 days he was paid for, the investigation could only confirm Perry worked 54 of them.
For 192 shifts that he was paid overtime, according to an internal memo, the city wasn’t sure Perry was coming to work.
“This member was getting paid overtime for not working,” Commissioner Simms said.
According to the DFD audit, the pay in question amounts to $138,662.
Perry resigned from the department back on April 3 and today, Detroit police say they’re preparing to submit a warrant to Wayne County’s prosecutor.
While 36th District Court awaits the conclusion of DPD’s investigation, it’s also starting its own to understand how Perry was hired by the court back in 2018, despite being jailed over theft allegations with DPD.
“That investigation is ongoing,” McConico said.
“My current court administrator, the current HR director, myself as the chief judge, none of us were in our positions (in 2018), so we’re backtracking now to see what was the vetting process for Officer Perry and how did he get here.”
Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466.