DETROIT, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Detroit police officer captured on video allegedly threatening a 10-year-old with his taser had his police powers suspended recently, but not his pay.
But by a 7-2 vote, Detroit’s Board of Police Commissioners chose not to stop the officer from collecting a salary, even though he’s facing felony charges of child abuse in the second degree and felonious assault.
The 23-second video shows officer Caleb Williams, who joined the department two years ago, arcing his department-issued taser repeatedly towards his 10-year-old nephew, causing the young boy to shriek and appear to cry.
VIDEO: Watch the full video of the officer threatening his nephew with a taser:
Different from firing a taser, arcing it creates an electric current between the two probes and emits a charging sound meant to warn or intimidate a target.
"The 10-year-old wouldn’t know the difference,” said Commander Michael McGinnis of DPD’s professional standards bureau. “It clearly instilled fear into (him).”
The video was shot by a family member who later alerted Detroit police. After the criminal charges were announced, Chief James White suspended Williams and requested that the Board of Police Commissioners also suspend his pay.
But only two of the commissioners, Jesus Hernandez and Willie Bell, voted to do so.
“He could have misfired and hit that child,” said Commissioner Bell.
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Conduct Unbecoming: Detroit's Troubled Officers
Commissioners QuanTez Pressley, Tamara Liberty Smith, Linda Bernard, Cedric Banks, Lisa Carter and Darryl Woods voted not to suspend Williams' pay. Commissioner Willie Burton abstained from voting.
Reach for comment, officer Williams’ attorney declined to comment for this story.
Why commissioners voted no
When questioned by 7 News Detroit, Commissioner Cedric Banks said he did not recall the specifics of the case, and said he didn’t realize he voted the way he did.
Commissioner Willie Burton, whose abstention from voting was counted as a ‘no’ vote, did not answer a question from reporter Ross Jones about what he thought of the officer’s conduct depicted on video, then ducked into last Thursday’s board meeting.
Commissioner Darryl Woods said he voted against suspending Williams’ salary because he doesn’t believe he’ll ultimately be convicted of the felonies he’s charged with.
"I don't think he intentionally tried to inflict mental harm, " Woods said by phone.
Commissioner Linda Bernard said she voted against suspending the officer's pay because she believed he meant no harm.
“I don’t remember that there was any malice or intent to hurt or intent to do anything wrongful to the child. As a matter of fact people were laughing,” she said, referencing the voice of an adult in the room.
Bernard acknowledge that the boy could be heard crying on video, but said suspending Williams' pay would cause unintended consequences for him and others.
“You not only hurt them, you hurt their children, their whole family, their whole life,” Bernard said.
She said Officer Williams appeared to be giving the child a “demonstration” with his taser. When pressed, she said he was demonstrating “the fact that if you do the wrong thing, you obviously can be hurt by it.”
Bernard said Williams could be re-assigned to administrative duty, rather than police work, during his suspension, but police officials say that's not possible.
“When you’re charged with felonies, you cannot serve as a police officer,” said Commander McGinnis. “There is no desk job for him to do at this time.”
McGinnis says that regardless of whether Williams is convicted, his conduct is severe enough that he may be terminated anyway, which will be determined down the road.
“I, unfortunately, am not in a position to try to shape the board’s decision making,” he said.
"They are in existence to help hold police accountable, and I would just ask that they do that.”
Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466.
