Chief: Detroit officer did right thing by not reacting as woman danced on top of police SUV

‘They did exactly what we tell them to do,’ chief says

DETROIT – Video is being shared on social media of a woman dancing on top of a Detroit police SUV.

Detroit Police Department’s interim Chief James White said officers inside the SUV did the right thing by not reacting.

The incident happened over the weekend on Detroit’s east side. Members of the Detroit police crowd management team were sent to the area to break up a party.

“People surround the car, about 50, 60 people and one of the people decided to get on the hood of the car and dance,” White said. “It’s not a nice video.”

Police had the SUV lights on and the partying and dancing continued. Police recorded the party and officers remained inside the SUV.

“What’s frustrating for me is to read that the officer’s didn’t do anything. They did exactly what we’re asking them to do” White said. “Had they drove off and she rolled off the car and was injured then I would be asking the question, ‘Was that the right decision to make?’”

Many people who have seen the videos identify the woman’s actions as disorderly conduct. White said his officers did the right thing by doing nothing.

“Based on the facts and circumstances that he was dealing with with over 100 people surrounding his car and choosing not to drive through the crowd with a person on the hood of the vehicle dancing. I think he’s officer of the quarter based on what I’ve seen,” White said.



About the Authors

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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