Video: Polite cop 'harasses' suspect

By PoliceOne Staff

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Police released video Friday to challenge allegations officers harassed a man as he left his mother's house last week.

James Speet was stopped for tossing a cigarette pack on the ground while walking through a Grand Rapids area known for drug abuse and sales, MLive.com reported.  In his police report, Officer Thomas Niemeyer wrote Speet "was cooperative" after the stop, and a consent search located nothing.

Niemeyer had Speet throw the pack into the trash as police checked for oustanding warrants. None were found, and he was let go, according to the report.

Attorney Miriam Aukerman told a federal court police detained and harassed Speet about his panhandling lawsuit against the city. In the video, the lawsuit is not mentioned and the conversation appears calm, polite and centered on a family member's health.

Internal Affairs looked into the allegations, and Police Chief Kevin Belk maintains Speet was not harassed.