Michael Scipio, 55, the subject of videos allegedly recorded by Grosse Pointe Park police for the purpose of their own amusement.
GROSSE POINTE PARK, MI -- In response to public outrage stemming from multiple videos of a mentally handicapped resident recorded and shared by a Grosse Pointe Park police officer, the department is ordering police to undergo sensitivity training, says city spokesman Greg Bowens.
Bowens, a contracted public relations professional hired after the Motor City Muckraker published the controversial videos, said the city could take the "easy" way out and simply fire those involved, but has instead decided to do the "hard work" to get to root of the problem.
What sensitivity training will entail is not yet determined but it will be administered by a third party and include education related to dealing with mentally handicapped individuals.
Bowens said the ex-wife of one of the officers forwarded the videos, photos and attached messages to Steve Neavling of Motor City Muckraker. One of the messages contained a picture of black people and said, "Got to love the coloreds." Bowens said the officer who recorded the videos admitted his participation to supervisors after a protest at the Public Safety Headquarters Thursday.
Bowens said it is not the same officer Motor City Muckraker identified as the
One officer has been placed on administrative duty pending further disciplinary action. Bowens said any officer who viewed or shared the videos will be "called into account as well."
The videos appear to have been taken for the entertainment of the officers with Michael Scipio, a mentally handicapped resident, as the main focus in several of the videos.
In one video a man is heard asking Scipio to do his "song." Scipio the proceeds to make noises and string together nonsensical sentences for the camera.
Scipio, 55, attended the protest Thursday but said he didn't know when police made the recordings.
State police say they are not investigating the matter.