Black Detroit police officer reassigned after Facebook post

Craig spoke about the arrests of four people accused of threatening violence against white Detroit police officers online. “We have made tremendous progress in our city and will not allow a few misguided statements and bad judgement, even if they come from members of my own department, to undermine that progress”.

“We can not afford, in America’s blackest and poorest city, to have an officer on the street that spews the hate and the venom that Officer Weekley is spewing through his Facebook post”, says polical director of the Michigan National Action Network Sam Riddle.

The police chief said the department will not tolerate the sort of message.

“It seems like the only response that will demonstrate our importance to society as a whole”, he wrote, according to NBC affiliate WDIV.

Elsewhere, a Wisconsin man allegedly called on social media for black men to kill white police officers, and an IL woman threatened in an online video to shoot and kill any police officer who pulled her over, the Associated Press reports. In a screen grab taken by The Detroit Free Press, Weekley rants about Black Lives Matter and accuses them of racism.

Protesters are lining the sidewalks around the building, holding signs reading, “Does your badge still stand for justice?” and “Black lives matter more than white feelings”.

Weekley’s Facebook page could not be accessed Monday morning.

Craig, in response to those calling for Weekley’s termination, said the officer has the right to due process and firing him at this time would be inappropriate.

The post comes just days after five police officers were killed and nine others injured during a rampage and standoff in downtown Dallas. Craig met with organizers prior to the rally commencing, voicing his support for their efforts, and police officers remained respectful throughout the evening, even as the demonstration blocked traffic in the city’s core.

“Whether it’s somebody who incites it from the police side or whether it’s somebody who incites it from the community side, we don’t need it and we don’t want it”, Williams said. Across the country, the deaths of unarmed black males by police have inspired protests under the Black Lives Matter moniker. “There was not one incident.I spent three hours having a discussion with the National Action Network on how we can build and enhance our relationship with the community”. He says two of the suspects will remain in jail for outstanding warrants and the other two were released.

Craig said a thorough investigation will be completed and he understands that the public holds police officers to a “much higher standard”. He said the person involved is a black supervisor. All charges including a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter and a separate misdemeanor charge were dropped against Joseph Weekley after two mistrials.