DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit Medic Daniel Joseph is off the job while he heals from a deep bite and gaping wound he got from a patient earlier this week.
He posted on social media, “This is what happens when police runs continue to be pawned off on EMS.”
Detroit Firefighters Union President Mike Nevin is also jumping in again saying this is because of a lack of first responders on the streets of Detroit saying, “We need to protect our public safety workers properly.”
But the commander and a captain in the 12th Detroit Police Precinct are responding.
This happened on Washburn at 2am earlier this week. A 17-year-old girl was being assaultive with her family and was threatening to jump off the roof of the back of the house when two police officers arrived.
Commander De Shaune Sims one female officer was wearing a body cam that shows, “Our officer engaged with her, was able to successfully talk her off the roof. And because she had made contact with the individual and had garnered the trust of that person, she remained the person to have constant contact with her.”
Captain Joe Tucker, Jr says he also looked at the video and when the teen became agitated, officers called for backup.
“I did review the video," Tucker says. "Backup, additional resources did respond. From what I could determine it was within a 1 minute or so not long at all. Several units responded. The scene was controlled from beginning to end. We actually take offense to the end of the statement that we pawned off runs on EMS. That’s not fair to us. That’s why we’re sitting in front of you.”
The teenage girl bit one medic, injured another and spit at one cop before she was restrained.
The commander says, “We would never leave medics out there on their own. For them to try to pit us against each other for whatever reason is inappropriate.”
A spokesman for the Mayor says there is no staffing problem in Detroit.
The 17-year-old girl was charged with assault and resisting officers.
