A Detroit police sergeant was suspended Monday after the city's police chief described his actions as “disturbing” in response to Wednesday’s fatal shooting of Detroit police officer Rasheen McClain. Mclain was killed last week responding to a home invasion call.
Police chief James Craig said the sergeant “sat in his scout car a block away while you could hear people screaming ‘officer down’ on the radio.”
The police chief said he’s launched an internal affairs investigation into the 12th Precinct sergeant’s behavior, the Detroit News reports.
“It was clear to everyone who reviewed the video that he made no effort to get to the scene and take control,” Craig said. “His response was that he was sitting in his car a block away waiting to see if the suspect ran his way. But that’s not acceptable when there’s an officer down.”
The Detroit Free Press reports the suspended sergeant has a history of behaving cowardly on the job, and was fired over it five years ago, according to police.
“Apparently, this guy has been fired for cowardice before. His union intervened in an effort to save his job and they overturned it,” said retired assistant police chief Steve Dolunt, who has been following the case closely.
The act of cowardice involved a 2014 incident where the sergeant, identified by local media as Sgt. Ronald Kidd, allegedly stood by while a female officer was being assaulted.
"I remember the case because it was so troubling to watch his female partner fighting a mentally ill person in a detention facility, and he stood by and did nothing," Craig said during a Tuesday afternoon press conference.
During the press conference, Craig also praised several other supervisors who played a critical role in the shooting response. Two from the 10th precinct and, one from the 11th precinct, a 40-year veteran, and another from the 12th precinct.
According to Craig, there have been conversations with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office about possible charges for Kidd. Craig also said he may appear in front of the board to try and change Kidd's suspension to one without pay, WXYZ reports.
