Detroit Police Chief James Craig responds forcefully to a Deadline Detroit column by political commentator Adolph Mongo, and defended his police officer's actions last week when he had Mongo's new red Mustang convertible towed after running a red light on East Jefferson Avenue.
"The point is, the officer was doing his job," Craig said Monday, adding that the African American officer acted properly, professionally and firmly with the information that he had at hand. Mongo said he was angry that police impounded his car for having a supposedly invalid driver's license. Authorities confirmed Monday that initially police thought the license was suspended, but in fact, it was valid at the time the car was towed.
During a press conference at police headquarters, Craig was highly critical of Mongo’s dealings with the officer and said he would have arrested Mongo for being disorderly. Police released a video of a traffic stop that shows Mongo repeatedly calling the officer an "asshole" and suggesting the officer arrest him. Mongo also made derogatory remarks about the officer's weight. The first 26 minutes of the stop, the video had no audio due to a technical glitch, police said.
Craig also was critical that Mongo suggested in his column that he was treated harshly because he was black and suggested that the blacks weren't welcome downtown as the area makes a comeback. The stop was just outside of downtown on Jefferson Avenue, east of I-75.
"To frame it around this whole notion of police officers' contacts with African Americans is wrong. This was not the case. And to also frame it around African Americans not being welcome in downtown . . . I know for a fact we've had a significant amount of traffic enforcement along the Jefferson corridor. I know factually that not just African Americans get stopped, but Caucasians are stopped, Hispanics are stopped. "
Both lights are red as Adolph Mongo's red Mustang convertible (left lane) passes under them Aug. 5.
"Mongo wrote in his column that ran over the weekend:
I have lived downtown for more than 30 years, and since the influx of white hipsters and new businesses and restaurants, cops of both colors have increasingly harassed black males. It's not only the Detroit police. Black males get harassed by Dan Gilbert's private police force as well.
It all began at 5:53 p.m. last Wednesday when the traffic officer, Juan Windham, pulled over Mongo for running a light, which Part 1 of the police video below shows him doing (image at right). Mongo wrote that he produced registration and proof of insurance, but had left his wallet with his license at the restaurant. Police could have legally arrested him for not being in possession of a driver's license.
Mongo's relative retrieved the wallet and brought it to the scene. But Mongo said the officer didn't want to see the license because he said it was listed as "ineligible" in the computer, which the officer interpreted as suspended or invalid.
The officer tells Mongo that he has no valid license or insurance and therefore he's towing the car.
"That's the law," the offficer is heard saying on video. "If you don't have (any) insurance or license, I can impound your car, because if you're going to have an accident, they can sue me!"
During the press conference, Craig said the license was suspended for failing to pay a couple parking tickets. But after the press conference, authorities clarified that the license was valid and that Mongo just needs to pay the tickets before trying to renew his license in January. Mongo said Monday he only has one outstanding parking violation.
Adolph Mongo standing next to his Mustang
Mongo also wrote that the officer told him that his proof of insurance was bogus for his car that he had purchased in July. Mongo said he told the officer he couldn't have bought the car without insurance, but the officer said that the Secretary of State's office showed no record of insurance and that maybe the insurance firm had yet to record it with the state. A further check after the tow showed that Mongo had valid insurance.
Mongo wrote that the officer suggested that he bought the car with cash and that he was a drug dealer. Part of the audio is missing from the police video, so there's no documentation of that. The car was towed and Mongo's relative picked him up.
On Monday, following the press conference, Mongo described the police department's behavior as unprofessional.
"They treat everybody black the same; everybody black is a criminal," he said. "He suggested I stole the car, that I had bogus proof of insurance."
The officer also said the during the stop that there was an arrest warrant for a Mongo out of Flint. Mongo said that was not him, and if it was, the officer should arrest him. The officer said repeatedly that he didn't want to arrest Mongo.
Craig says he spoke to the officer who denied suggesting that Mongo was a drug dealer.
Mongo said that he paid $215 to retrieve his car from the impound lot.
He was ticketed for running a red signal and having an invalid license. Authorities did say that the license citation may be dropped. It was unclear if he'll be able to get a refund for the tow.
Mongo said he's "disappointed with" Chief Craig.
"Listen, this is why we had two race riots," Mongo said, referring to police treatment of blacks. "Chief Craig needs to read the history of the city of Detroit."
Part 1 of Police Video
Part III of Police Video
