Residents urge Ypsilanti advisory commission to restrict officers from patrol during use‑of‑force probe

Residents pressed the Ypsilanti Police Advisory Commission on May 28 after a video circulated showing police detaining a woman near the city library, asking the commission to seek answers about whether officers involved are still on patrol during an active investigation.

The concern was raised during public comment by Sher, who said the detained woman was small, had an arm in a cast and was forced to the ground. "Her arm, which is in a cast, pulled behind her back in a way that caused a lot of pain," Sher said, and added that when the woman complained of chest pains and difficulty breathing, an ambulance was not called and she was taken to the police station.

Why it matters: Multiple speakers said the episode has increased fear among people who use downtown public spaces, including unhoused residents and volunteers who provide services there. That concern prompted direct questions about transparency: whether the officers involved are being removed from street patrols for the duration of the investigation and how the public will be updated.

Pastor Anna Taylor McCannz, who said she pastors the person detained, told commissioners she had left contact information with police and had not received clarity about the investigation. "We have our shower trailer and our laundry trailer out in the streets and we just want to know what the summer is going to be like," she said, asking for an update to help volunteers and residents plan.

Another commenter asked whether the detention was lawful under local and state paraphernalia rules, citing statutory language the speaker referenced during public comment. That speaker urged the commission to press for whether the detention complied with the law and to confirm whether the officers involved were removed from regular patrol duties while investigators review the incident.

Commission response and next steps: Commissioners acknowledged the concerns, discussed the limits of the commission's authority and proposed sending a concise set of questions to the police chief and other agencies to get clarity on the investigation and whether implicated officers are on duty. Commissioners also encouraged continued public engagement and suggested the commission would work to amplify community concerns to the police department.

The meeting record shows the commission did not take a formal vote requiring Ypsilanti Police Department action tonight; instead members discussed follow‑up questions and outreach steps to get more information from the department and the county agency overseeing the investigation.

What comes next: Commissioners said they would formulate questions for the chief and seek a follow‑up update. Community members at the meeting requested the commission form a working group to review use‑of‑force policy language and to involve more sectoral voices from those most affected.