A viral video and a city first

A controversial police detention of a 16-year-old in Battle Creek will be reviewed by the city's Community Oversight Board (COB), marking the board's first real test since it was established in 2024.

Jeremiah Spearman, 16, was detained by Battle Creek police around 4 p.m. on June 14 in the Washington Heights neighborhood near Hubbard Street and Greenwood Avenue. The incident was captured on cell phone video by Spearman himself and on body camera footage released voluntarily by the Battle Creek Police Department (BCPD).

"I feel like it could have been handled so much better," Martricia Spearman, Jeremiah's mother, told News Channel 3. "I feel like all his rights were violated."

What the officer reported

The incident report, classified by police as "information only," identifies the responding officer only as N.L. 202261. According to the report:

  • The officer saw a young Black male wearing a full-face covering, walking westbound on Greenwood Avenue
  • The teen's left hand was "clutching his waistline" while his right hand swung freely
  • The officer interpreted this as consistent with concealing a weapon
  • The teen repeatedly glanced back at the patrol vehicle and appeared to walk in the opposite direction
  • The officer characterized these behaviors as indicators the subject "may be armed and dangerous"

The officer stopped his patrol vehicle and asked the teen to stop. Spearman verbally refused. The officer then parked beside the teen, told him he was being detained, and grabbed him by the right arm to conduct a Terry pat.

During the search, Spearman told the officer he was carrying a pocket knife. No other weapons were found. Spearman was handcuffed at the scene and released into the custody of his aunt, Jaquella Jeanne. No charges were filed.

The community's reaction

The body camera footage sparked immediate backlash. In the video, an officer can be heard telling Spearman's aunt:

"When people grab their crotch area, it's fair to assume especially in Washington Heights that they could have a firearm."

Martricia Spearman said the comment reaffirmed her belief that her son was racially profiled.

"Young black men, this is something they have to worry about, it is unfair," she said.

Jeremiah added:

"I think its a racial problem. I wasn't even doing anything, they stopped me talking about Washington Heights."

The data behind the dispute

Data compiled by Police Scorecard, which draws from BCPD records and FBI crime statistics, shows:

  • Black residents make up roughly 18% of Battle Creek's population but account for approximately 49% of all arrests
  • Black residents are 3.2 times more likely than white residents to be arrested for low-level, non-violent offenses
  • All four people killed by Battle Creek police between 2013 and 2023 were Black, a rate higher than 77% of U.S. police departments
  • Zero percent of use-of-force complaints filed by civilians during that period were ruled in the complainant's favor
  • The department uses more force per arrest than 78% of comparable departments nationally

City leadership and police defense

Police Chief Shannon Bagley defended the officer's actions.

"Our officers have a responsibility to address situations that may impact the safety and security of our neighborhoods," Bagley said. "Based on what the officer observed at the time, the decision to stop and briefly detain the individual was appropriate."

Mayor Mark Behnke said the findings indicate the officer's actions were "consistent with established departmental policies and expectations."

"If there are concerns that policies were not followed, individuals are encouraged to contact the City Manager's Office or the Chief of Police for further review," Behnke said in a statement.

City Manager Amanda Zimmerlin referred the matter to the COB. Breanne Humphreys, Battle Creek City Communications Manager, said the city would conduct no further interviews on the matter.

What the COB can do

The COB is described on the city's website as an independent body that "fosters transparency and trust in policing." Its role is to:

  • Review complaints and incidents involving the Police Department
  • Examine whether department policies and procedures were followed
  • Offer recommendations as appropriate

The board held its first-ever meeting in March 2026, a second in May, and its most recent meeting on June 10. The next scheduled meeting is July 8 at city hall. Humphreys said she was not aware of any special meeting being called to discuss the incident before then.

What happens next

Martricia Spearman said she is considering legal action. She also asked the department to release body camera video from her son's first detention on June 4.

"You released the body camera video of the second incident, where is the first video at?" she said.

Mayor Behnke said he has the first video and that it also shows officers following policy.

A community forum titled "Blue Uniforms & Black Neighborhoods: To Protect and Serve," hosted by the African American Collaborative, is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Nior Lux Venue on Capital Avenue NE. Both Jeremiah and Martricia Spearman plan to attend. The local NAACP chapter was also expected to meet with Mayor Behnke that same day.