Detroit police officer Matthew Jackson found himself at the center of an unexpected incident during a Zoom court hearing on Monday. Jackson’s lack of pants sent the virtual courtroom into a frenzy causing a stunned Judge Sean Perkins to gasp at the outburst.
When the virtual district courtroom opened up for the start of the hearing, Jackson was able to make a personal introduction. But seconds into the session, his omission of pants became obvious. Judge Perkins, seeing that the officer had received the wrong end of this oversight, asked, “You wearing any pants, officer? This comment did not go unnoticed and almost immediately gained traction on social media, receiving a firestorm of backlash.
Following the incident, Jackson moved his camera to obscure the lower half of his body, allowing the hearing to continue without further interruption. As Jackson’s attorney, TaTaNisha Reed may have been the most bewildered participant as she sought to grasp what was happening.
As for this specific incident, Chief Todd Bettison of the Detroit Police Department explained his view of events in a statement reported by the Detroit News. He further noted that Jackson’s actions were not indicative of the professionalism expected from officers within the department.
“The involved officer’s actions are not representative of the professionalism of this department and will be appropriately addressed to maintain the public confidence and efficient operation of this department.” – Todd Bettison
Chief Judge William McConico, Perkins’ principal judge and supervisor, chimed in on the matter. He referred to rearrested Matthew Jackson as “a very professional police officer.” This makes it seem as if the incident were entirely uncharacteristic for him.
The Detroit Police Department later apologized for Jackson’s treatment while testifying at the hearing. The point of the statement was to let the public know that behavior like this was beyond the pale. It underscored the department’s well-deserved reputation for high standards of professionalism.
Though that wasn’t the most auspicious start for the event, the hearing moved forward as intended once Jackson had fixed his camera angle. These incidents are but a few examples of challenges that are unique to having court proceedings in the virtual space. They instill professionalism to participants, even in more relaxed settings.