Detroit Police chief James Craig rebuked the city’s congressional representative, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, on Monday for her comments about the police.
Tlaib, a vocal supporter of the “defund the police” movement, said last week that there should be “no more policing, incarceration, and militarization,” following the death of Daunte Wright, 20, who was shot and killed by officer Kim Potter during a traffic stop on April 11.
She added that Wright’s death “wasn’t an accident” and that “policing in our country is inherently & intentionally racist.” Tlaib claimed Wright’s death amounted to “government funded murder.”
DAUNTE WRIGHT SLAYING SPARKS NEW ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ PUSH
During an interview with CNN on Monday morning, Craig called the congresswoman’s remarks “reckless and disgusting.”
“As it relates directly to Rashida Tlaib. This is about her putting attention to herself,” he said. “That’s exactly what it’s designed to do. It’s not productive. She doesn’t speak for the majority of Detroiters. The majority of Detroiters support this police department. They want effective and constitutional policing, and to make statements like abolish policing, abolish incarceration certainly is counterproductive.”
Two days later, Tlaib clarified her remarks on social media in an extended thread in which she said, “It is clear that more investment in police, incarceration, and criminalization will not deliver that safety,” adding, “Instead, we should be investing more resources into our community to tackle poverty, education inequities, and to increase job opportunities. We should be expanding the use of mental health and social work professionals to respond to disputes before they escalate.”
Craig called Tlaib’s updated remarks “spot on,” noting, “We understand it. What she is doing now is pedaling back because she got so much pushback on her reckless comments. So it doesn’t surprise me that she is now trying to take a softer approach.”
Wright had an outstanding warrant and, as officers tried apprehending him, was able to slip back into the driver’s seat. As he moved back into the car, Potter opened fire. Police claimed Potter thought she was holding her Taser and not her firearm.
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Potter has since been arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter on April 14.
Craig’s remarks came moments before the trial of Derek Chauvin went to closing arguments. Chauvin, the former police officer accused of murder in the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, miles from where Wright was killed, is facing charges of third-degree murder, second-degree murder, and manslaughter charges.
