A judge appeared visibly startled after he noticed a Detroit police officer was pantsless and wearing just his official shirt when he appeared before the court via Zoom.
Per The Independent, the Monday incident occurred during a hearing in the 36th District Court. Officer Matthew Jackson, who is with the Detroit Police Department, appeared before the court via Zoom for a case related to driving and public intoxication.
But during Jackson’s appearance, he was seen in his official police shirt and wearing just boxers. Judge Sean Perkins ultimately noticed Jackson’s outfit selection and reacted with shock.
RELATED STORIES
“You got some pants on, officer?” Judge Perkins asked Jackson. “No, sir,” Jackson responded before he repositioned the camera to show only the upper area of his body. A lawyer who was present in the hearing similarly appeared visibly startled over Jackson’s outfit selection.
READ ALSO: Woman seen in viral video making sandwich during court hearing speaks out
Following Jackson’s response, Judge Perkins went ahead with the case and no longer made reference to the officer’s outfit. Jackson was subsequently not seen as the hearing went ahead. It could also not be established why Jackson was pantsless when he appeared before the court via Zoom.
In the wake of the incident, the Detroit Police Department apologized for the officer’s actions in a statement, The Independent reported.
“The Detroit Police Department requires its officers to represent themselves in a dignified and professional manner while attending court proceedings” Detroit Police Chief, Todd Bettison, said. “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.”
The statement added: “Our apologies are hereby extended to the judges and staff of the court, as well as anyone else who may have been in attendance during this incident.”
