Westland activist group calls for mayor's resignation after old video tape surfaces

WESTLAND, Mich. (FOX 2) - A decades-old video shows the police chief allegedly mistreating citizens. At Monday's City Council meeting, residents got a chance to have a say.

A group of Westland residents are making claims of perceived abuse of power and corruption. They say the first domino fell when the police chief resigned and claim it is just the beginning.

"For far too long they have tried to silence you, my voice matters," said one protester outside City Hall.

"One thing that is never going to change is the truth, and when you have evidence to back it up," said Tina Lindsay, community activist.

They are here in the wake of a police chief who resigned following the release of a 25-year-old video that shows the alleged degradation of those in custody.

"I don’t see how they are going to get by with this," added Lindsay. "In fact I really think the police department - we're not going to have many officers left, unfortunately."

Some of the allegations were echoed before the council.

Related: Westland police chief resigns after decades-old videos surface showing behavior as officer

"This is based on the troubling and shameful video and posts that surfaced all the way back to five or six years ago but now is coming up again," said Richard Graham, Westland resident.

"This mayor has shown a lack of accountability and responsibility for things in the past," said another resident.

"I’m going to mop the floor with you," said Lindsay at the podium.

There were some new allegations from a former Westland firefighter.

"I have experienced horrendous demoralization and horrendous hazing during my time employed by this city," said Daniel Taylor. "It’s extremely difficult for me to get up here and talk about it."

Some residents are even calling for the Westland mayor to resign. The mayor had this to say:

"I got in with the wrong crowd and there was a lot of things I did when I was young that I am not particularly proud of,"  Mayor Michael Londeau said. "What I am proud of is, that I was able to pull myself out of that lifestyle to accomplish something that I never thought would be possible."

Another old video has surfaced, this time where a young mayor is hosting a roast. Some allege that he used the n-word during that video.

"I did not say what is being claimed," he said. "My comment was in reference to a female that the roastee had a crush on, named Michelle Yeager.

"These types of dirty tactics only serve to harm the public by creating a further distrust for government and a divide among our community at a time we need to be coming together," the major said.