Black Amazon driver handcuffed after parking wrong way on street, Michigan video shows
Police arrested a black Amazon driver after he parked the wrong way on a street while delivering a package, Michigan video shows.
Facebook Live video shows a Warren, Michigan, police officer keeping the driver on the ground as more officers arrive at the scene Tuesday afternoon. The man’s van was parked in the wrong direction on the side of the street where he was delivering the package.
“I’ve got my lights on,” the driver says on the video. “I’m delivering to her!”
Jim Michaels, who ordered the package, says the officer was “aggressive” in taking the driver to the ground, WXYZ reported.
“He was aggressive taking him down to the ground,” Michaels told the news outlet. “It was so ridiculous over a traffic offense.”
Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer is recommending felony resisting arrest, failing to obey a lawful command and failure to produce a driver’s license charges against the Amazon driver, WJBK reported.
“It’s critical the public understands to not put all police officers and paint them with a broad brush that they’re bad officers,” Dwyer said at a Wednesday news conference, according to the news outlet.
Dwyer said the officer asked for the driver’s license 11 times as the situation escalated, WJBK reported. The officer then reaches for the driver’s arms but he pulls away, saying he will show him a license, the news outlet reported. That did not stop the arrest.
Video shows four police officers take the handcuffed driver to a vehicle and drive away.
Warren Mayor Jim Fouts posted on Facebook that “any type of aggressive behavior is not tolerated” and he was “upset one individual could possibly besmirch the fine reputation of Warren police officers.”
Amazon says it will investigate the case and support the driver, Business Insider reported.
Amazon Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations Dave Clark tweeted Wednesday that the video was “shocking” and “unacceptable.”
“We see what others see in this video, and it’s unacceptable,” Amazon told Business Insider. “We expect a swift investigation and full accountability for those involved. Amazon will deploy all necessary resources to investigate the matter with our Delivery Service Provider, as well as to represent and support the driver.”
This story was originally published June 10, 2020 at 12:58 PM with the headline "Black Amazon driver handcuffed after parking wrong way on street, Michigan video shows."