Black Teen Detained Twice in 10 Days in Michigan, Oversight Board Investigating

In Battle Creek, Michigan, 16-year-old Black teen Jeremiah Spearman was detained by police twice within 10 days while walking in his own neighborhood. His mother, Marticia Spearman, alleges that her son was subjected to racial profiling and unfairly targeted simply for walking in the neighborhood.

Viral police camera footage of the incidents shows officers pushing the crying teen to the ground and handcuffing him during the first incident. Spearman's family claims that the same police officer was present at the scene in both incidents. The teen is charged with resisting police, but because he is a minor, the court records are not public.

As the community evaluates whether the officer's actions were legitimate, the Battle Creek Community Oversight Board convened to discuss the incident. It is currently unknown whether the charges from the first incident have been dropped.