Protesters at Detroit police HQ want officer fired for Snapchat post
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A protest rally was held outside Detroit Police Headquarters Monday.
National Action Network activists are calling on Detroit Police Chief James Craig to terminate Gary Steel.
Steel is the officer who made a racist Snapchat post mocking an African-American woman he pulled over because of an expired license plate and allowed her to walk home in frigid weather.
Officer Steel and his partner were suspended with pay as the investigation into the incident continues.
"The last time I checked the chief of police and mayor of the city of Detroit have the ability to fire anybody who they would like to fire in the city of Detroit." said Rev. Charles Williams II of The National Action Network.
In a press conference held after the rally, Detroit Police Chief James Craig made it clear that terminating the officer without following procedures would only lead to problems.
"When you start violating police officer’s rights' that sets a bad practice and standards," Craig said. "And that is not what we want to do."
Chief Craig says he understands people want justice for Ariel Moore, the woman who was mocked in Officer Steele's Snapchat post. And he says an investigative report has been submitted, but it revealed more answers are needed.
"Once the investigation was completed we would have what we call a chief's hearing to hear disciplinary matter set for - initially - this Thursday," said Craig. "Unfortunately as investigations go, there were other issues that came up as a companion part of the investigation."
Chief Craig would not disclose what the other issues are, but he did say the chief's' hearing would take place early next week.
"When you start interviewing 50 or more people there are other issues that emerge and so sometimes it takes us in another direction and then we have an obligation to close every hole that we can."
These activists say they will keep making their voices head until the police department and the city of Detroit do the right thing
"He needs to go," said one protestor. "He should have gone the minute they found out what he did to that young woman."