DETROIT (WXYZ) – Another lawsuit has been filed against the Detroit Police Department.
CAIR Michigan filed suit against two DPD officers for making arrests without probable cause and harboring Islamophobic sentiments.
The body camera footage has been shared exclusively with Channel 7. CAIR says the footage shows the problematic arrest, which includes the following exchanges:
DPD Officer Donald Owens “Muslims lie a lot. “
Unknown female DPD officer: “Mmm hmm….”
DPD Officer Donald Owens: “They control them…they feel like…you…you…you don’t have to say you’re a woman…”
Unknown female DPD officer: “… women in particular.”
DPD Officer Donald Owens: “… you don’t have a right to say.. just like you do what we tell you to do.”
On September 26 last year, Officers Owens and Nathaniel Mullen answered a domestic disturbance call in Northwest Detroit. Upon arrival, three men reported being attacked by their female guest. At the same time, the woman says that she was assaulted.
CAIR Michigan Staff Attorney Amy Doukoré says the three men were arrested without a proper investigation, without probable cause, and on the basis of Officer Owens’ Muslim prejudices, a clear rights violation.
“The arrest order came after a statement that he didn’t really know what he was doing, everyone was arrested and someone else was allowed to sort it out,” Doucoure says.
Meanwhile, David Walid, executive director of CAIR Michigan, says this is a deeply rooted problem within the force and a solution must be found.
“You have black cops who are biased towards other black people because of the characteristics of religion and that is extremely problematic,” Walid says.
DPD replied with the following statement:
The media notification of the trial is the first notice of alleged misconduct. It launched an investigation, which would be thoroughly investigated by Internal Affairs. Chief White makes sure the community is thoroughly investigated.
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