(FOX 2) – The chief of Detroit police said multiple policy violations occurred in the moments that led up to an officer-involved shooting that escalated following a traffic stop over the weekend.
A supervisor was not called when the driver requested one, officers should not have pursued the driver over a traffic violation, and it is against department rules to discharge a firearm at a moving vehicle unless extreme circumstances such as one’s life is in jeopardy.
“I find them concerning,” chief Todd Bettison said of the policy violations during a press conference on Monday.
Traffic stop escalates to shooting
The shooting unfolded Sunday afternoon after a traffic stop for speeding grew into an argument over the offense, then a police pursuit, and ending with the driver being struck six times.
She has since been released from the hospital and ordered released from police custody and will not be charged, Bettison said.
What we know:
An officer was on routine patrol Sunday afternoon in the area of 8 Mile and Van Dyke when they observed a black-colored Dodge Durango allegedly speeding. Other alleged traffic violations include tinted windows and an obscured license plate.
The driver disagreed with the reason for the stop and requested the officer’s supervisor “numerous times,” including calling 911. The officer requested backup and physically opened the driver’s door after it arrived.
They were unsuccessful in removing the driver from the car and a backup officer pepper-sprayed her. The driver closed the door and fled from the scene.
Police pursued her for a mile before boxing in the vehicle at Concorde and Outer Drive.
At that time, another officer that boxed in the driver exited their vehicle and ordered the woman out of her vehicle. The driver instead tried to flee the scene again and the officer that had ordered her out of the car filed multiple shots into the driver’s vehicle.
The Durango then fled and police pursued them again, eventually ending up at a police facility. First aid was rendered to the driver who was then taken to a hospital before being transported to the Detroit Detention Center.
Dig deeper:
On Monday, Bettison said he reviewed the body camera footage from the incident and ordered the driver to be released from jail. He said they would not be charged in the incident.
The chief added he would submit a request to the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners to have the officer who shot the driver be suspended without pay.
A warrant request has also been filed with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and charges could follow, Bettison said. Michigan State Police are overseeing the investigation.
“The officer will be held accountable for that,” he said.
Procedural Violations
Bettison said multiple department policies were violated during the incident, starting with the initial officer failing to call for a supervisor after the driver requested one.
At that point, the request counts as a citizens complaint and must be escalated to a higher-ranking officer. It is also not department policy to pursue a vehicle for a traffic violation.
“We will pursue individuals who have committed violent crimes only,” Bettison said. “As officers, we are trained to de-escalate situations. Failing to request a supervisor when one is requested falls in line with a citizen complaint.”
The decision to discharge a firearm should only be made in extreme circumstances where someone’s life is in jeopardy.
What we don’t know:
Bettison declined to release the body camera footage from the scene, saying it would be available after state police had finished their investigation.
The only information about the officer that was released is that they have been on the job for a year and nine months, and don’t have any pending cases of discipline against them.
Information from the bodyworn cameras also contradicted the preliminary information given to Bettison following the shooting. On Monday, he said the driver had provided her license and registration.
The Source: A Detroit police press conference and previous reporting was cited for this story.
DetroitCrime and Public SafetyDetroit Police DepartmentHamtramck
