Detroit Officer Flees After Being Caught In A Stolen Car, Now Suspended

A Detroit police officer has been placed on suspension after he was riding as a passenger in a stolen white Dodge Charger and then fled from officers.

According to a video update posted on Facebook by the Detroit Police Department, on early Sunday (September 12) morning, officers saw a car without a license plate exceeding the speed limit, so they began a traffic stop. However, the vehicle did not stop. Officers watched the vehicle crash and then two men ran from the scene.

Detroit Police Assistant Chief David LeValley said officers followed one of the suspects into a backyard, where they identified him as a 2-year veteran off-duty police officer. The officer was taken to the Detroit detention center on Sunday (September 12) and was released Tuesday (September 14), where he was charged with resisting and obstructing.

The internal affairs division took over the case and Detroit police will be presenting information to the prosecutor's office to seek formal criminal charges for the suspect.

LeValley said Chief James White suspended the officer with pay at first, but it is anticipated that after Chief White attends today's Board of Police Commissioners meeting that the officer will be placed on suspension without pay.

When Assistant Chief LeValley was asked if this was disappointing for the agency, his response was:

"It's horribly disappointing. Wearing the badge of a Detroit police officer is an honor and a privilege, it's not a right. If all the allegations are true, they're allegations at this point, but if they are all true, it's really a slap in the face to the approximately 2,500 people that wear the badge today and do it with honor and respect. There is no room in the department of conduct like this or for officers like this. The chief will be taking all of the necessary appropriate actions to ensure that this will never happen again."

During an investigation, police discovered that the vehicle was stolen a few months back in Ohio. As of now, it is unclear if the off-duty officer was involved in stealing the car.