Michigan mother says her son was unjustly detained, calls on leaders to investigate

[00:00:01]This is ridiculous, and our community shouldn't have to worry about the officers [music] that's patrolling through here jumping out on our kids.

[00:00:07]>> Tonight, NewsChannel 3 has team coverage of a controversial confrontation between a Battle Creek police officer and a teenager. A video that's now gone viral with the mother of the teen saying she wants accountability and a lawyer weighing in on the officer's actions.

[00:00:23]Good evening. Thanks for joining us on NewsChannel 3 live at 6. I'm Andy Demetriani.

[00:00:27]>> And I'm Jessica Hardhorn. It's a story we first brought to you last night. A teenager walking home was stopped by a Battle Creek police officer and detained. His mother tonight is calling it racial profiling and says that something needs to be done.

[00:00:40]>> Now, the whole interaction was caught not only on the teen's phone, but on the officer's body camera as well. Tonight, Battle Creek police says that they are defending that officer's actions and that it does meet departmental expectations when it comes to dealing with a person deemed to be acting in a suspicious manner. Our Autumn Picture has the latest.

[00:00:59]>> Yes, Battle Creek police are conducting their own investigation into the matter.

[00:01:03]Chief Shannon Bagley backs his officers and that they followed protocol when detaining the teen. But, the teen's mom feels like her son's rights were violated, and now she's calling on city leaders to do their own investigation.

[00:01:18]16-year-old Jeremiah Spearman of Battle Creek says he's afraid to walk in his neighborhood.

[00:01:24]>> unsafe walking on the streets now.

[00:01:26]I don't even feel the same. I'll be turning my head every second.

[00:01:30]>> Spearman says it's because of his encounters with Battle Creek police officers, saying he's been detained twice in 2 weeks. The teen claims he wasn't doing anything but walking down the street. Battle Creek Police Chief Shannon Bagley says in this most recent incident, officers witnessed Spearman clutching his pants making them believe he had a weapon. While officers start patting down Spearman, he tells them he has a pocket knife.

[00:01:54]>> I need your name.

[00:01:55]>> No, you don't. I'm walking home.

[00:01:56]>> Okay, then you can go in handcuffs.

[00:01:58]>> For what?

[00:01:58]>> Stop. Stop it.

[00:02:00]>> I feel like all his rights was violated.

[00:02:03]And I I didn't like it.

[00:02:05]>> Bagley is backing his officer saying they were looking out for the safety of the community.

[00:02:10]>> So, when people grab their crotch area, we can start to assume, especially in the Washington Heights, that they could have a firearm.

[00:02:17]Especially with how many people have been shooting at each other.

[00:02:19]>> But it [clears throat] was this comment an officer made that Martricia Spearman's mom says made assumptions about people in the Washington Heights neighborhood that she says reaffirmed her feelings that officers were racially profiling her son.

[00:02:32]>> Young black men, this is something they have to worry about. And it is is very unfair.

[00:02:37]>> I think it's a racial problem. Bro, I wasn't even doing anything. They didn't stop me. Why are they talking about Washington Heights?

[00:02:43]>> I asked Chief Bagley, how would you answer concerns that your officers racially profiled Spearman? Bagley responded saying that is not how we police. Not that those things don't happen, and that will be reviewed.

[00:02:56]Martricia is calling on police to release body camera video from the first detention, and she wants city leaders to step in.

[00:03:03]>> Just cuz y'all deal with a lot of kids that would have gave you issues or would be causing a problem out here don't mean they're all doing that.

[00:03:09]>> Now, we did hear back from Battle Creek City Mayor Mark Banky today, who says the officers did follow department policy. City leaders are reviewing the incident right now, though a formal investigation has not yet been launched.

[00:03:22]Reporting in Battle Creek, Autumn Pitcher, New Channel 3.

[00:03:26]Tonight,