LUDINGTON — Ludington Police Chief Chris Jones issued a statement today regarding an incident that occurred last year involving an off duty Ludington police officer. Jones said the incident occurred about 2:11 a.m. on June 1, 2024 when an LPD officer, Noah Noble, pulled over a vehicle on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI). In a disciplinary memorandum to the off-duty officer, Austin Mendez, Jones stated that Mendez had been pulled over for multiple traffic violations besides OWI.
“The driver was quickly identified as an off-duty LPD officer,” Jones said. “A sergeant supervisor was called to the scene to assist. After arriving on scene, the sergeant directed the responding officer to turn off his body-worn and in-car recording devices; the sergeant then did the same.”
According to information released by LPD, the supervisor was Sgt. Angela Babinec.
Jones said Mendez was then given a ride home, with no enforcement action taken.
“Four hours after this took place, the involved sergeant made LPD captain Michael Haveman aware of the situation.”
Jones said an internal investigation was started that afternoon.
“We conducted interviews, collected statements, and reviewed all applicable video footage.”
In a disciplinary memorandum to Mendez, Jones wrote: “Based on Captain Haveman’s investigation report, and a review of both the BWC and in-car videos, I find that you committed a series of serious traffic violations, and it is likely that you were operating a vehicle while, at a minimum, impaired by alcohol.
“The seriousness of this matter cannot be understated. As law enforcement officers we are to hold ourselves to a higher standard. The driving captured on the in-car video could have certainly resulted in a tragic outcome for you or others in the community. It is expected that all Ludington Police Department employees will always conduct themselves in a manner beyond reproach and one that enhances public trust and confidence in our agency and profession.”
All three of the officers continue to be employed by LPD. Babinec was demoted and was placed on 24 hour unpaid suspension. Mendez was placed on an extended 12-month probation, which ended on June 3, 2025, 24 hour unpaid suspension, and removed from the Mason County Special Enforcement Response Team (SERT). Officer Noble was cleared of disciplinary action because he was following orders from his supervisor.
Jones said while the officers used poor judgement in the traffic stop, they each took responsibility for their actions.
“(Mendez) immediately and wholly took responsibility for his actions; he has had no additional disciplinary issues,” Jones said.
“The seriousness of this matter cannot be understated,” Jones wrote in a disciplinary letter to Babinec. “As law enforcement officers we are to hold ourselves to a higher standard. The driving captured on the in-car video could have certainly resulted in a tragic outcome for the off-duty officer and others in the community. It is expected that all Ludington Police Department employees will always conduct themselves in a manner beyond reproach and one that enhances public trust and confidence in our agency and profession. The intentional act of turning off BWC (body worn camera) and in-car cameras is contrary to that. In fact, these actions provide significant opportunities to cause harm and reduce the public trust we are trying to build in our agency. Additionally, the supervisory decisions made on June 1st, as it relates to this incident, set a very bad example to a young officer, who was doing what was expected of all officers at LPD.”
On June 3, Jones contacted Michigan State Police and requested it conduct an independent investigation.
“After completing a thorough investigation, MSP forwarded the report to the prosecutor to review for potential criminal charges,” Jones said adding that the prosecutor declined to authorize any criminal charges due to insufficient evidence.
“As law enforcement officers, our jobs are complex and often difficult,” Jones said. “I trust our people to use sound judgment. When somebody makes a call or takes an action that is unsafe or not indicative of the department’s values and policies, we take that seriously. From the moment we learned what had occurred that morning, we acted swiftly and disciplined accordingly.
“There were never any attempts to conceal this or any other information; on the contrary, we brought in an outside agency for an independent review, sharing all details of the situation and actions of the individuals involved.
“Our department works under a set of core values: Integrity, respect, commitment, justice, and courage. While some poor decision-making occurred initially, both officers responded in a manner befitting these values. It is said that true character is shown in times of adversity, and that is certainly the case here: both officers were honest, forthcoming, and took personal responsibility. I’m proud of the integrity and professionalism they showed following this incident, and every day since.
“We remain committed to integrity and transparency, and we are proud to serve and safeguard the Ludington community.”
Documents and video related to this incident are available to view on the City of Ludington website.
Link: https://www.ludington.mi.us/482/Ludington-Police-Department-News-and-Upd
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