EASTPOINTE, Mich. – Eastpointe police are responding and releasing a video after a local family accused officers of using excessive force against teenagers as young as 13.
The family of the three teenagers accused officers of spitting on them, calling them derogatory names, including the ‘B word,’ and using excessive force.
However, police are giving their side of the story, pointing to body camera video as proof.
“The officers did what they had to do, they did not use excessive force, and some of these, actually all of these allegations are false,” Eastpointe Director of Public Safety George Rouhib said.
The department released multiple videos to Local 4, showing the incident play out.
“There’s always two sides to a story, and the body-worn cameras that the officers have are priceless,” Rouhib said.
The incident happened May 4 at the shopping plaza next to Eastpointe High School at Nine Mile and Gratiot.
Officers were responding to a fight in progress in the plaza parking lot. Rouhib said roughly 50 kids were loitering in the area, and officers repeatedly told them to leave.
The three teenage siblings were among those waiting in the parking lot. They said they were waiting for an Uber.
When they didn’t leave, officers began interacting with the teens.
Rouhib walks through the video showing their interaction.
“A 15-year-old student that went to the school was making statements that her father was going to blow the place up. We don’t know what she meant by that,” Rouhib said. “(She was) using derogatory comments toward the police, so they approached her. They were going to write her a citation for public nuisance or disorderly conduct at which time she continued on walking, and the officer grabbed hold of her hood with his left hand and took hold of her arm. He guided her over to the police car, and as you can see in the video, she was laughing as they put her in the police car gently. She was not forced in there.”
All three teens went to the hospital afterward and were all wearing slings when talking with Local 4 the next day.
Rouhib said at no point were the other two teen siblings physically touched by police. He said only the 15-year-old had any physical contact with officers.
“At no time, and I’ll repeat, did an officer place their hands on him or her other sister,” Rouhib said. “So I don’t know what they’re saying about that.”
After reviewing the videos ten times and sharing them with other administrators, Rouhib said there was no excessive force, and his officers acted appropriately.
The juvenile prosecutor will review the video and determine if any charges, such as disorderly conduct, are brought against the teens.