Quizzed on sting, cop evasive

BY AMBER ARELLANO, FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

DETROIT -- Detroit Police Inspector Curtis McGhee didn't offer many answers Friday as the Detroit City Council peppered him with questions about a police prostitution sting at Rouge Park on the city's west side.

Gay activists told the council the ongoing sting operation is intended to harass homosexual men and charge them exorbitant sums to reclaim vehicles seized during solicitation arrests. They say dozens of men, usually gay, have been charged with soliciting sex from police decoys when in most cases the men did nothing but flirt -- or simply walk away.

Council members asked: How many men have actually been caught having sex or soliciting prostitution? Why ticket someone for being an "annoying person?"

McGhee said he didn't know.