Detroit’s interim Police Chief Todd Bettison has commented on the investigation surrounding the near-arrest of Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, which occurred during a police stop in October. Although Bettison stated he would have personally arrested Williams that night, he respects the decision by his supervisors to let him go. The internal affairs investigation has now concluded, revealing no evidence of any intentional cover-up or favoritism. However, policy violations were identified, leading to the suspension of at least one officer involved in the incident.
As reported by 7 News Detroit, Williams and his brother were pulled over for speeding early on October 8. During the stop, a gun registered to Williams was found at his feet, though he did not have a concealed pistol license (CPL). Officers initially handcuffed Williams, intending to take him to the Detroit Detention Center, but the decision was overturned when a sergeant arrived on the scene and contacted a lieutenant. The lieutenant decided to release Williams, mistakenly believing his brother’s CPL covered both guns found in the car.
The officers failed to submit a warrant to the prosecutor, as required, although they were instructed to do so afterward. In November, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office decided not to pursue charges against Williams.
Bettison was questioned about whether the outcome would have been different if the individual involved had not been a high-profile player. He acknowledged that connections can influence situations but emphasized that compliance with police officers is essential, regardless of one’s status. Bettison also mentioned that many Detroit citizens, including public figures, have his contact information and sometimes call him during police interactions, though he instructs them to follow protocol.
The sergeant on the scene, a self-identified Lions fan, recognized Williams’ name and had a Lions logo as his cellphone wallpaper. Despite this, Bettison insisted that the sergeant’s fandom did not influence his actions. The sergeant was initially frustrated with the officers who had stopped Williams but was later deemed to have been joking when expressing his dissatisfaction.
The investigation did find several procedural missteps, including the fact that a body camera was turned off by a sergeant during the stop, and that the lieutenant decided to release Williams over the phone instead of responding to the scene personally. Bettison also pointed out that Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes had provided inaccurate information to the media about the incident. Specifically, Hayes had told Channel 7 that only one gun was found in the car, even though there were two. Bettison suggested that Hayes had been distracted during the interview by a member of the media team, which led to the incorrect statement. Hayes later clarified that he had believed he had initiated contact with the Lions and was unaware of any calls from the team to the police.
In addition, Bettison revealed that one officer was suspended for an unrelated matter. A dispute had broken out between two officers on the scene, with one officer allegedly using derogatory language, including a homophobic slur, toward another officer. The department is conducting an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigation into the incident, which resulted in the officer’s suspension.
