Prosecutors: Detroit officer demands women's numbers during traffic stops

Officer facing 2 counts of misconduct in office

DETROIT – A Detroit police officer was in court Wednesday after being accused of demanding women's phone numbers in order for them to get out of traffic tickets.

Prosecutors said officer Chancellor Searcy did that to two women in the summer of 2018.

Two years ago, Searcy was acquitted on charges of embezzlement, larceny and false reports involving thousands of dollars from people with whom he came into contact as an officer.

He is now charged with two counts of misconduct in office, accused of using his badge to harass women.

Prosecutors said he pulled over a 21-year-old Sterling Heights woman at Woodward Avenue and Congress Street on July 2, 2018.

Prosecutors said he told the woman to give him her number to get out of a ticket. That young woman then allegedly received unwanted calls and texts from the officer.

He's also accused of pulling over a 29-year-old woman at Woodward Avenue and Jefferson Avenue last August. He threatened her with jail and said he'd have her car impounded and give her a ticket unless she gave him her number.

Prosecutors said that woman also received unwanted calls and texts.


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.