DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — An investigation is underway after a professional fighter was seen wearing a Dearborn Heights Police Department uniform in a promotional video for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The video was shot in the UK and posted on YouTube, garnering over 640,000 views.
The fighter in the video is allegedly the brother of a Dearborn Heights police officer. The officer was not authorized to give out his uniform to anyone, according to the Dearborn Heights police chief.
The Dearborn Heights Police Department is reviewing the promotional video for UFC fighter Rafael Fiziev.
In the video, he's seen wearing a Dearborn Heights police uniform and says it was gifted to him by his brother because he too was once a police officer.
"I watched it and I was shocked just to see an officer's uniform in a promotional video for a fighting thing. Seems like the wrong message we want to send as a city," Rachel LaPointe, a resident of Dearborn Heights, said.
LaPointe started a petition hoping to encourage the police department to investigate.
She feels unsafe as a woman and worries for her three girls.
"It is alarming when there is a uniform being used by non-officers, and we don't want to have to drive through the city and have to question whether that is a Dearborn Heights police officer or not, so that was really the big thing that pushed me to start a petition," LaPointe said.
According to Michigan law, a non-officer can only wear an official police uniform if any of the following apply:
- They have permission from the chief.
- The uniform belongs to a deceased officer and is in possession of the next of kin
- It's being used as part of a collection or the person is in the theatrical profession
"I think if a proper investigation is done and has been determined that he has broken this law, I mean, it is only a misdemeanor and a fine. I think that should be taken care of," LaPointe said.
Lapointe says if the officer faces no consequences he should at least issue an apology.
"For the community to rebuild that trust to bring us back to a point and so OK, we can move on," LaPointe SAID.
Over the phone with 7 Action News, the chief says the investigation will be reviewed next week and the department will decide what consequences, if any, this officer will face.
