Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe said last Monday was one of his toughest days on the job.
That is because McCabe had to accept the resignation of OCSD Sergeant Roy Coates, whom he met when Coates was just a teenager.
‘It’s a sad day for me, a sad day for the Sheriff’s Office, and a sad day for Roy Coates,? McCabe said.
Coates was arraigned last week on felony drug possession charges in the 52-3rd District Court. He was back in front of Judge Julie Nicholson for a preliminary examination this week.
He was arrested on July 15 for having a small methamphetamine lab in his truck. Another deputy saw Coates? truck in the Lake Orion Post Office parking lot, and discovered Coates ‘cooking? meth inside it.
McCabe was close with Coates? father Jim, a longtime OCSD deputy who specialized in auto theft investigation, and was referred to by McCabe as a ‘legend.?
But, McCabe added that Roy Coates was a good officer in his own right, and his 18-year track record with the department, ranging from duties on road patrol to corrections, proved it.
Coates, whose listed address is in Orion Township, though he was going though a divorce, was appointed to sergeant in 2000.
At the time of the July 15 incident, he was on disability leave for an undisclosed injury sustained off the job.
Coates spent two years in the U.S. Marine Corps, although McCabe said he was not in combat.
He was also part of the OCSD’s elite Special Response Team, used in dangerous situations that sometimes involve hostages and barricaded gunmen.
Throughout his career, Coates received numerous decorations and citations for service.
Nonetheless, Coates had no choice but to turn in his badge after the charges were filed. McCabe said Coates would have been let go had he not resigned.
‘It was unpleasant for me, to put it mildly,? McCabe said. ‘His career is over. He’ll never be a police officer again.?
Though Coates is no longer with the department, he still has plenty of friends that will support him on the road to recovery, McCabe said.
‘He’s got a dependency problem,? said McCabe, ‘and he’s got a long road ahead of him.?
McCabe noted that Coates was not dealing meth, but did have a serious problem with personal use. The ‘lab? in his truck appeared to be the extent of his creating the dangerous drug.
‘There was absolutely nothing in his home whatsoever,? McCabe said.
Meth has been a growing problem, most recently in suburban areas. The combination of its addictive and abusive nature and the unstable materials used to create it make the drug a huge concern for law enforcement officials.