State Orders County Racial Equity Officer Derrick Jackson to Immediately Stop Practicing Social Work and Using the Title “Social Worker”

by P.D. Lesko

Download and read the State’s Cease and Desist letter:

On Sept. 9, 2024, the State of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Bureau of Professional Licensing, in response to a complaint by a licensed social worker made against Derrick Jackson, sent the County’s new Racial Equity Officer a Cease and Desist letter in which Jackson was ordered to “immediately cease and desist from violating the Public Health Code by practicing social work and improperly using the term ‘social worker’ without a license.”

A review of Jackson’s social media shows he is still identifying himself as a social worker despite the order and the cease and desist letter from the State of Michigan. He is also still identified as a social worker on the County’s website.

County Administrator Greg Dill was asked if Jackson had revealed the State’s cease and desist letter when interviewing for the Racial Equity Officer job. Dill has not yet replied.

On Dec. 6, 2024 Washtenaw County announced the hire of Derrick Jackson as the new Racial Equity Officer. In that announcement, Jackson was not identified as a social worker. The hire has been sharply criticized by current and fomer County employees. One former County employee said in an email: “You saw Derek [sic] has been named as the county’s new racial equity officer? I believe that’s called cronyism. Greg [Dill] and Jerry [Clayton] were going to make sure he landed on his feet. Unbelievable!”

A current County employee was more frustrated. “Derrick’s hire shows the County’s commitment to DEI is pure bullshit. Can Greg [Dill] and the Commissioners only hire liars and grifters to lead the equity program? Derrick will implode just like Alize did. It’s only a matter of time.”

The former Racial Equity Officer, Alize Asberry Payne, resigned in Aug. 2024 after admitting to “poor judgement.” In April 2024, the Ann Arbor Independent reported that while interviewing for the County job, Asberry Payne had been the subject of an arrest warrant for a financial crime in California. The newspaper fact-checked Asberry Payne’s county job application and resume and found she had fabricated portions of her work experience and educational achievements. In May 2024, MLive.com followed up with an article about Asberry Payne credit card spending.

On Jackson’s Linkedin page, which was edited recently, he identifies himself as the County’s Racial Equity Officer and a “MSW Social Worker.” Jackson’s Linkedin includes biographical information, as well: “I’m often described as the police officer with a background in social work who now helps run a police agency…I started my career as a social worker helping teens struggling with homelessness and I loved that job, loved those kids.”

Derrick Jackson has never had any social work license, according to records maintained by the State of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Bureau of Professional Licensing. Practicing social work or treating patients without a license can be prosecuted as a felony. The County’s newly-hired Racial Equity Officer graduated from U-M with his MSW in 2000.

On May 28, 2024, the Ann Arbor Independent reported that Derrick Jackson, then the Sheriff’s Dir. of Community Engagement and a candidate for Washtenaw County Sheriff, was impersonating a licensed social worker. As a result, a licensed social worker in Washtenaw County filed a complaint with the State of Michigan, AG Dana Nessel and County Prosecutor Eli Savit against him. The complaints alleged Derrick Jackson was impersonating a licensed social worker, and had done so by his own admission, since 2005.

The day after the article was published, Jackson posted to Facebook calling the reporting “misinformation”:

On July 19, 2024, Mlive published a piece about Jackson, the complaint made against him and the ensuing State investigation. In a comment to MLive for that article, Derrick Jackson said the licensing complaint and the investigation into his misuse of the title “social worker” was “a made up thing.” It wasn’t.

When asked to explain his assertions to the media and the public that the state investigation and the complaint were “a made up thing” Derrick Jackson did not respond.

According to State law, the title “social worker” is a “statutorily regulated profession or occupation.” To use the title of “social worker,” state law requires that the individual hold the required license. 1978 PA 368, entitled “Public health code” states: “in order to use the title ‘Social Worker’ one is required to be licensed by the State of Michigan. Only a licensed bachelor’s social worker shall use the title “licensed bachelor’s social worker”, “social worker”, or “l.b.s.w.”. Only a licensed master’s social worker shall use the title ‘licensed master’s social worker,’ ‘social worker,’ or ‘l.m.s.w.’.

A review of Derrick Jackson’s resumes and applications to teach in the Social Work program at Eastern Michigan University revealed multiple fabrications. Jackson’s EMU job application materials include awards he never won. In one instance, he took credit for an ACLU award which had been given to former Michigan State Senator Alma-Wheeler Smith.

Justin Hodge, Chair of the Washtenaw Board of Commissioners is a licensed social worker. In the County’s Dec. 6, 2024 press release announcing Jackson’s hire as the new Racial Equity Officer, Hodge said, “Having worked alongside him, I can say with the utmost confidence that he has the leadership skills, professionalism, and expertise to advance Washtenaw County’s racial and social justice goals as our next Racial Equity Officer.”

In an email, Commissioner Hodge was asked if he was still confident of Derrick Jackson’s professionalism in light of the Racial Equity Equity Officer’s failure to adhere to the State’s order that he stop referring to himself as a “social worker.”

Hodge has not yet responded.

In response to the County’s Racial Equity officer’s flagrant violations of the Sept. 9, 2024 Order, the State of Michigan may seek injunctive relief and impose fines as high a $1,000 per day.

The licensed social worker who filed in original complaint against Derrick Jackson in May 2024 said when asked to comment on the Cease and Desist letter: “While I am pleased that justice was served and that Mr. Jackson must refrain from calling himself a social worker and from practicing social work, his utter disdain for adhering to licensing laws is disturbing and inexcusable. The penalty for these acts should have been more severe, especially for someone working in public service for many years. We may never know the full extent of the damage that he caused within his role with the Sheriff’s Department in regard to mentoring, influence within the legal system and public policy.”

In an email, the newspaper asked County Administrator Greg Dill if he intended to ask Derrick Jackson to resign. Dill did not respond.