Detroit police officers find tombstone in the brush

By Andrea Isom
Fox 2 News Reporter

DETROIT (WJBK) -- They say there's no such thing as a routine patrol and what two Detroit police officers recently found backs that up.

On this November night on the city's east side or any other day for that matter, Detroit Police Officer Michael Conley and his partner, Officer Pete Padron, are on a mission to make a difference.

"We're out looking for guns and drugs.  That's what our major focus is," said Conley.

Always keeping their eyes out for the bad guys and the bad situations because no police work is ever just routine.

"Next thing you know, doors are open, we're off chasing somebody between the houses.  So you never know what's going to happen," Conley explained.

Recently, when they were out rolling on John R and Lantz, Conley said they found a headstone sitting in the brush with the name Gwen Pease.  They could not believe it.  How did it get there?

"It's completely covered in mud," Conley said.  "We're just looking at it.  I'm like can't just leave it here.  So threw it in the back of the car, brought it to the precinct, washed it off in the garage.  I searched all the crime reports to see if it was reported stolen or if the name was in our computer system and it wasn't."

The question is could it belong to a headstone or a monument company or could it have been taken from a cemetery.

"My first thought was it was probably some kids stole it and then had second thoughts about stealing it, then dumped it off where probably no one would see them," Conley told me.

Conley and Padron have seen a lot of unexplainable and unusual things when they're out trying to make the streets a safer place, but they have never come across something like this.  Conley said staring at it as it rests inside the Northeastern District is only "reminding us how sad the situation is."

If you have any information, call Detroit Police.