Warren officer seen hitting suspect previously accused of assaulting other suspects

WARREN, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Warren police officer seen on camera hitting a suspect who was being booked and slamming him on the ground had a previous complaint against him 10 years ago.

Video from inside the jail showed Officer Matthew Rodriguez, 48, hit a carjacking suspect, who sources identified as Jaquwan Smith, knocking him to the ground after his June 13 arrest. Rodriguez then slammed Smith's head on the ground and hit him again.

READ: Police officer struck inmate in the head, slammed him into ground

"This prisoner did not strike him. This prisoner didn’t spit upon him or anything," said Rev. W.J. Rideout.

Rodriquez has been charged with assault and battery and is now on paid leave.

"I’m calling for his resignation or his firing, his firing right now," Rideout said. "They didn’t condemn him. They slapped him on the wrist."

Rideout is referring to Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer and Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido.

Court records show that Rodriquez was involved in another excessive force case in April 2013. Rodriquez and two other officers are accused of assaulting two suspects who were arrested for driving under the influence.

The complaint says, "Rodriguez rushed over to Devonte Campbell, grabbed onto him, and violently pulled D. Campbell off the bench to the floor, then slung him around and dragged him, as if he were a rag doll, to a nearby detention cell."

Warren police have a history of excessive force allegations involving Black victims.

"This speaks to the leadership here in Warren, to the mayor, chief of police, and even the prosecutor. This speaks to all three of them. How they feel about a Black man and people of color," Rideout said.

Last summer, cell phone video showed Warren officers pull 17-year-old Tyler Wade from a car and then punch and kick him repeatedly. Wade has filed a lawsuit against the department.

On Wednesday, Attorney Leonard Mungo announced a federal jury verdict against Warren for discriminatory practices.

Rideout said he plans to speak to Smith's family soon.

"When there’s a victim involved like him, all I can be is a mouthpiece for the injustice that’s being done to him right now," he said.

Rideout said that in addition to wanting Rodriquez to be fired, he wants Dwyer to have a sit-down and discuss the culture of policing in Warren. He also wants Attorney General Dana Nessel to investigate the department.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story misstated the date of the assault. The story has been updated with the correct date.

FOX 2 spoke with Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer, who says he's disappointed in the story and does not feel we gave him a fair opportunity to respond.

We plan on speaking with him on to give him that opportunity, you can watch for that on FOX 2 Thursday.