From the September-October 2017 issue of News & Letters
Detroit—When 30 police cars and 20 tow trucks invaded our one-square-mile neighborhood in August, we felt we had been rolled back to 1967. The police, from our own precinct, stopped drivers aged 18 to 82 and impounded their cars for minor violations. They took over the Corpus Christi church parking lot without permission, claiming they thought this church—a leader in local social justice action—was closed! The priest blocked tow trucks from entering until the police made him move.
One lady whose leg was in a cast and was accompanied by her handicapped son was told to walk home. A man asking to use a bathroom was told he should have worn a diaper. Church and community members stepped up to drive people home. The impounds cost hundreds of dollars.
We put it all over social media and reached out to all our connections. Police Chief James Craig is reportedly investigating. A few days later the news reported that all police towing permits had been terminated (all the tow truck companies are owned by Boulevard & Trumbull). We will stay on this as long as necessary!
—Angry neighbors