Methinks it is curious that the retired Detroit police official(s) you mention are still in the metro Detroit area where they can enjoy the bounty from their law enforcement experience in the private sector. Sounds like Simmons saw these names in earlier post, I assume it is either, "retired Deputy Chief, James Younger or retired Detroit police personnel director, Norde James III."

How did Simmons' boss and good friend, Chief McKinnon, get caught in the police promotional test cheating scandel in the first place? Was it his tendency of awarding too many "charter promotions" to his department female friends and others that was exposed in a Detroit News article? When testifying before the federal Grand Jury Chief McKinnon rubbed his Catholic rosary beads and sweated bullets when the FBI introduced evidence showing that Chief McKinnon's personal police driver's fingerprints were on the confidential police promotional exam test material no one but Chief McKinnon and Norde James had in their possession? Why were Simmons' good friend and boss, McKinnon's numerous friends the only ones scoring test scores suggesting evidence of cheating but none of Norde James friends tested in the cheating range? Why did Norde James win a $1 million lawsuit against Chief McKinnon and the department for wrongful discharge? Why did McKinnon fire James for the cheating scandel and sexual misconduct with no evidence? However, why did a Detroit police sergeant have to meet with Chief McKinnon at Mayor Dennis Archer's office to ask McKinnon to leave his wife alone? And why did several female police officers close to Chief McKinnon also have promotion exam test scores in the range suggesting cheating? Why would Simmons start distancing himself from the coat tails of his good friend and boss McKinnon, telling him he's going to retire, believing McKinnon was going to enter the federal jail cell Detroit police Chief Hart had just left? At this news, why did Chief McKinnon, the out of control promoting junkie, promote Simmons to Deputy Chief so he could retire at a higher pension rate?

Why did Compuware computer software maker in Detroit announce the hiring of Ike McKinnon as its global head of security ... then reverse his hiring a few days later? What came to the surface about his background that he didn't tell Compuware before they announced his hiring?

Simmons must have had some idea what these retired Detroit police officials might say, is this an attempt at damage control from the shadows? Use others to attack. Telling them, attack from the back not the front, his usual strategy. Something to ponder.

Most Detroit police officials, as well as, other retired police officials from many parts of the country, stay in the area of service where they can get the maximum benefits from their professional experience. For example, an Atlanta retired police official would not go to Detroit to re-enter the profession especially at an advancing age. Makes no sense. A piece to the puzzle is missing.

Why still want to work in the profession but leave the area where that desire can best be fulfilled? Why did honorable Simmons feel he must "get outta Dodge" in order to feel safe ... not from the criminal ... but to feel safe from the criminal catchers he used to supervise? Simmons was afraid for his dwelling when away from home. Again, not from the criminal but from the criminal catchers he supervised. I'm sure he's comforable living behind a gate ... too used to feeling unsafe from criminal catchers.

These are most odd sets of circumstances, indeed! Suggest many things. What is it about his conduct that might make him have such feelings? All the cops I know, when they are wrong and disciplined for it, they know the discipline was fair. On the other hand, when someone is handled and treated unfairly by a higher-up that person can feel something close to being "raped" which is a crime of power, control and dominance, not sex. "I have rank ... I hit you, I demean you ... you can't strike back ... if you do, I write you up ... I have rank over you." Perhaps he let his darkside slip out too soon when he promised not to take reprisals once in power of the criminal catchers. Old habits starting to resurface. Like Dr. Strangelove. On second thought ... I'd get outta Dodge, too! Makes perfect sense. A puzzle piece ... added.

Why talk about the corruption on the sheriff's department under the current sheriff, then claim the current sheriff, who's department you are calling corrupt, supports you to replace him as sheriff? Wow! It does take two hands to handle a whopper! After having no background in sheriff's policing and with aged and questionable experience! Why all this effort?!?! To get power and control back?!?!

Why push bogus awards for attending in-service training? To cover up holes in professional experience? Why all this effort?!?! To get control over the $14 million Sheriff budget?!?! Simmons has paid special attention to the annual Sheriff department budget figure. After having no experience running any large independent department's budget. Did he lick his lips! See that Fayette county is Republican ... then, become a Republican ... then join the NAACP ... to become all "good" things to all people. What leader uses language like "reprisals?" Especially, when there is no cause ... YET?!?! Example, a new leader comes on board where you work, in his first meeting he tells the employees he promises there will be no reprisals. Would that strike you as odd? Would that make for a healthy workplace where people can focus on their work? These things make Charlie Chan wonder!

Yes, quick, there is a person who works for the Sheriff's Dept. with the rank of LT. Colonel, but what you either don't know or didn't bother to ask is in what capacity does that person serve the Sheriff's Office. She is actually the head of the Administration Division of the Sheriff's Office and therefore does not need to be POST certified! She doesn't go out and have the powers to arrest and doesn't patrol the streets of Fayette County. You can hold rank in a department however the department sees fit. The Sheriff must, by law, be POST certified.

This has nothing to do with a witchhunt or character assassination. It has everything to do with qualifications. If Mr. Simmons did receive POST certification in GA (still undetermined) he has failed to answer what he has done with it since 2000! He doesn't list on his resume of qualifications what he has done since he left Highland Park. He claims he has been working in the private security field as a CPP. Tom1939 brings up that Mr. Simmons has been working security details at the downtown courthouse and doing security escorts for company execs. What about his ASIS and CPP certifications. He sure puts them to great use doesn't he?

In the meantime, the other candidates have been working hard serving in some sort of official law enforcement capacity for the particular department they desire to seek office. Either three would be better candidates than Mr. Simmons I would say.

110% of the time there is fire.

Tom1939 admitted yesterday that I guessed right, He is a Detroit cop. I understand his anger if he was one of the undercover drug cops, who didn't have all of the resources available to him because the drug money was being embezzled. I would be P.O.ed too.

Even if only half of what he has said is true, it looks really bad.

I'm sorry but no one is impressed with a certificate of recognition from a 3 or 5 day workshop put on by the FBI in 1984. The criminals have moved on and we need someone who is currently working in law enforcment to jump in.

I actually feel sorry for whoever wins this Sheriff's election. If crime increases even a little I think whoever wins will be blamed for it and be a one term sheriff.