Are cops targeting Sterling Heights councilman?

Controversial Sterling Heights Councilman Paul Smith has alienated a wide array of people in Sterling Heights – fellow council members, the mayor, the city manager and some department heads – but I wonder if he has now been targeted by the police department.

Smith, a tea party-style Republican who is up for re-election on the Nov. 5 non-partisan ballot, has loudly opposed the 2.5-mill tax hike for police and fire on that same ballot.

So, it’s a bit interesting that he was ticketed by the police on Saturday for a minor traffic issue (improperly changing lanes) and the city’s PR Department followed up with a detailed, five-paragraph press release about the incident.

Smith isn’t talking, but it is highly unusual, at the very least, for any city to issue a press release about a basic traffic violation. To make such a move one week before the election is highly questionable.

I’ve seen police press releases about suspicious deaths that were shorter in length than this announcement.

To be fair, Smith apparently was belligerent after he was pulled over and he ignored the officer’s command to stay inside his vehicle. The officer who handled the stop said that Smith had been driving his minivan slowly on Van Dyke but was also weaving a bit. After the cop rode alongside of Smith to assess the situation, the councilman abruptly switched lanes in front of the patrol car without using a turn signal, according to the release.

Police Chief Michael Reese said dash-camera video from the cop car showed that the stop was handled properly. It could be that Reese requested the issuance of a release to diffuse a possible political sideshow, with Smith claiming he was besieged by the PD.

The first-term councilman has had past run-ins with the police over minor matters, including a recent episode in which he snatched a pro-millage sign from the lawn of a local car dealer and went inside to berate the management in front of customers.

It should also be noted that the Sterling Heights police unions have endorsed two challengers who are hoping to unseat the outspoken incumbent.

We’ll see next Tuesday whether Smith emerges unscathed and just keeps rolling along.