UTICA, Mich. – Update from June 22, 2022:
The City of Utica announced that the incident on Feb. 9 was investigated. Detective Sergeant Morabito retired from the Utica police department. On Wednesday the mayor of Utica Gus Calandrino released a statement to Local 4.
A video that shows an altercation between a Utica detective and two men has gone viral since it was posted Wednesday (Feb. 9) night.
These guys call themselves auditors, who have filmed videos in public places all over Michigan, and they say they aren’t after confrontations with police, but in this case, they got a big one.
It all began with another driver upset about two men filming with their cameras, so he called Utica police.
Those two men are with Fricn Media, a group of self-proclaimed auditors of police behavior that makes no secret about being controversial.
When Utica Police Detective Sgt. Greg Morabito arrived on the scene, things immediately escalated.
“What’s going on?” said Sgt. Morabito.
“We didn’t call you,” said the auditors. “He (the other driver) did. Go talk to him.”
“I’m going to talk to you,” Sgt. Morabito said.
“No, isn’t it procedure to talk to the complainant,” the auditors said.
“No, no, no,” Sgt. Morabito said.
“Sure it is,” said the auditors. “Sure it is.”
Morabito, Utica’s officer who deals with the media, clearly gets flustered by the two men’s profanity and insults.
“Bunch of bit-- a-- tyrants,” said one of the auditors.
Those words heard in the video player above lead to confrontation.
“Yeah, I’m coming for your job co--suck--” one of the auditors said.
“Come for it,” Sgt. Morabito said as he slapped their phone out of one of the auditors hands.
After more shouting at each other, Utica police clear the scene, but the men go to the Utica Police Department to file a complaint.
“If you do not leave now, you will be arrested,” said Sgt. Morabito.
After they refused to leave, Sgt. Morabito arrested the man for disorderly conduct.
“You’re done,” said Sgt. Morabito. “You’re under arrest.”
The man arrested was Steve Jones from Lansing. He told Local 4 through email that he was released after an hour. As of now, the charges remain in effect. He has also hired a lawyer to pursue criminal and civil charges.
