“In this case, it wasn’t appropriate,” said McMahon, who was a sergeant with Highland Park police at the time of the incident. “The taser should not have been used in that instance.”

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After trading insults, both men appear to walk away. But just as the standoff appears to becoming to an end, officer Player turns around and follows the man again.

The process is simple: the machine handles the drafting, and the human ensures its accuracy and approval. This collaboration has the potential to streamline administrative tasks, giving officers more time to focus on critical duties.

Compact UAVs costing under $1,000 are easy to use, can be carried in patrol cars, and operated either by the officer on the scene or remotely by dispatch. Ground robots, like those currently used by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams, are also becoming more advanced and will soon offer even greater capabilities.

With a strong commitment to thoughtful, transparent implementation, I believe technology has the potential to significantly enhance public safety and make us better as a society.

Ai in public safetyexamples

As Player takes the man down, he strikes his head hard on a concrete building, then lays motionless on the wet pavement.

The man briefly assumes a fighting stance before turning around and walking away. Then, with the man’s back facing the officer, Player deploys his taser again and then takes the man to the ground.

In an internal memo dated July 25, 2020 sent to then-Chief Kevin Coney, McMahon wrote that Player’s misconduct “dangerously escalated the situation" and caused injury to the subject of the investigation.

On a rainy afternoon in May of 2020, Highland Park Public Safety Officer Dammeon Player was called to the Burger King along Woodward Avenue, responding to a call of a man loitering outside the restaurant.

On a rainy day last June, officer Player and his partner would be involved in a traffic stop in Center Line—outside of their jurisdiction—pulling a truck driver out of his vehicle.

The man was charged with nothing, but the officers’ conduct was so egregious that the city of Warren paid out a $400,000 settlement barely a month later. Player and his partner were charged with assault and then fired.

Upon retirement, Neller moved to the Austin, Texas area where he is involved in consulting, teaching, motivational speaking and serving as the chair of the board of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. One of his primary consulting activities has been in the training of law enforcement personnel in their response to an active shooter situation and other challenging scenarios facing today’s law enforcement personnel. To improve police performance, he has become an advocate of virtual reality simulation to enhance and reinforce police training and policies, especially the de-escalation of a situation resulting in a non-kinetic outcome.

The man, who police would later suspect was homeless, ignored the officer’s commands to leave the restaurant. So from the front seat of his police car, Officer Player does what department policy says he shouldn’t: he pulls out his taser and takes aim.

Coney left the Highland Park Police Department in 2021. He insists today that, while he was chief, he was largely just a figurehead, and that then-city attorney Terry Ford approved all firings and discipline—including that of Dammeon Player.

Both Mayor McDonald and Chief James McMahon say that the video is ugly, but that they didn’t want to hide the misconduct that had previously been concealed under a prior administration.

The classic film “RoboCop” envisioned a future where human officers were aided by robot-like assistants. While that reality hasn’t fully arrived, autonomous technologies are already available to support law enforcement. A prime example is the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). In my opinion, it wouldn’t be difficult or overly expensive for every patrol officer to have access to a small UAV. These drones could provide overwatch, record events at a scene, or approach the door of a home or incident, giving officers critical seconds to assess the situation before acting.

These systems often include tools that make training highly realistic, such as interactive avatars that personnel can engage with during exercises. Whether it’s weapons qualification, de-escalation training, or running through common scenarios before a shift, modern VR technology — now available at a cost accessible to smaller departments — offers a way to build better-trained and more capable organizations.

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Years before a Warren police officer faced criminal charges over a violent tasing, he engaged in similar misconduct in Highland Park that a sergeant warned put the city in legal peril and “should not be brushed aside lightly.”

People have been playing games on computers for years, with graphics and realism improving year after year. The development of virtual reality (VR) headsets has taken gaming and simulation to a new level, offering real-time experiences with stunning graphics. Now, many companies have developed software that enables public safety organizations to conduct realistic simulations using just a laptop and a VR headset. This compact, portable setup eliminates the need for large, costly training facilities that many agencies have relied on in the past.

General Robert B. Neller, Professor of Practice, University of Virginia – Center for Public Safety and Justice; 37th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps (ret.)

But it was, a 7 News investigation reveals, and allowed the officer to be hired the following year by a different agency, where another violent tasing would trigger a six-figure settlement paid by taxpayers and felony charges against the officer and his partner.

AI offers numerous advantages, including medical evaluations, coding and writing reports. However, one area where I believe it will have a significant impact is in evaluating candidates for specific jobs and careers. Matching the right person to the right job has always been a challenge, but it is especially critical in law enforcement, where character and temperament are key.

Coney was fire chief on the day of the tasing, and would be appointed police chief weeks later while Player’s conduct was being investigated.

AI’s ability to analyze data, interpret test scores and consider recommendations can greatly enhance our ability to identify ideal candidates while excluding those who may not be a good fit. This technology holds the potential to revolutionize recruitment and selection processes, ensuring agencies are staffed with the best-suited individuals for these demanding roles.

Of course, these tools won’t replace personal drive or the willingness to open up, but they will provide the support and resources needed to make those efforts more effective. The potential for AI to enhance health monitoring and personal well-being is both exciting and transformative.

"It’s a scary situation, someone just hit their head,” McMahon said. “It’s not a situation where we should have been involved in that. It’s disappointing. That individual didn’t deserve that.”

McMahon said that was not accurate, and that the department should have reported that he resigned while under investigation.

In his 2005 book, “The Singularity Is Near,” Ray Kurzweil predicted that by 2045, machines would become as intelligent as humans. However, due to rapid advancements in technology, Kurzweil has since moved this timeline up, suggesting it could happen as soon as 2029. In the same book, Kurzweil applied Moore’s Law — which states that the capacity of a circuit chip doubles every 18 to 24 months — not just to artificial intelligence (AI) and biogenetics, but also to fields like alternative energy, additive manufacturing/3D printing and virtual reality. His predictions were accurate. We are now witnessing in real time an accelerating pace of development and innovation in these areas and beyond, driving transformational changes in our lives, workplaces, and culture.

Monitoring our physical and mental health is an ongoing process, and intelligent devices like Fitbit and the Apple Watch represent just the beginning of what’s possible. In the future, AI-powered machines will not only track our health but also interact with us — guiding workouts, managing routines and even helping us navigate mentally traumatic events.

Role ofai in public safety

The memo was never shared with Warren police when they came to review Player’s personnel file and, according to the city’s background investigation, Chief Coney gave his officer a clean bill of health.

An internal affairs investigation concluded that officer Player violated the department’s code of conduct and taser policy.

Let’s explore five key areas where I believe this technological revolution will have the most significant impact on public safety.

General Robert B. Neller served as the 37th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps from September 2015 to July 2019. He retired from active duty in 2019. Operationally, Neller participated in Operation Just Cause in Panama, Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

AI is already being used and discussed for tasks like writing post-shift and incident reports. While it cannot fully replace the officer’s involvement, tools like ChatGPT can save significant time and likely make reports more complete and coherent. However, the officer will still need to review and sign off on the final report.

The case of former Warren officer Dammeon Player, who pleaded not guilty to assault charges last year, is just the latest in a series of reports by WXYZ revealing how troubled, sometimes dangerous police officers had their badges taken by one department, only to be hired by another.

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Editor’s note: Join Police1 at SHOT Show for a fireside chat with General Robert Neller, part of Police1’s “LEEP Forward!” event during the LEEP Program. Click here for more information and to register.

Changes to Michigan law in 2018 were designed to hamper troubled officers from jumping from department to department, but the cases revealed by 7 News show how problem officers have been able to game the system.

In an interview this month, former Highland Park police chief Kevin Coney said he remember almost nothing about Player’s tasing from 2020, even though Player’s body camera shows Coney responding to the scene that day.

Some of the ideas I’ve presented here may seem like a stretch, but I don’t think so. Many of these capabilities, such as VR training and the use of UAVs, already exist. It’s simply a matter of procurement and implementation by law enforcement and emergency services organizations.

It was during his time as chief that Coney was sent the July 2020 memo, urging punishment for Player and saying his "actions should not be brushed aside lightly.”

One innovative example is a company offering prepositioned UAVs in schools, designed to respond to active shooter situations within seconds of activation. The machines are here, and they’re only going to get better, providing invaluable support to law enforcement and enhancing public safety.

James McMahon, a sergeant with Highland Park police at the time of the incident, reviewed Player’s conduct and spoke with 7 News Detroit earlier this month.

Before long, Officer Player joins in with name calling of his own. At one point, Player calls the man a homophobic slur.

“These actions could place the city in a position of civil jeopardy and should not be brushed aside lightly,” the memo said, recommending a 30-day suspension from police services, a 7-day suspension from fire services and training in de-escalation techniques.

He “had no issues” with Player, a Warren investigator wrote, and there was “no discipline” in his file. In fact, when Player left Highland Park, Chief Coney reported to state officials that he departed in good standing.

The taser didn’t take effect, so Player is seen getting out of his vehicle and begins following the man, who starts to cross the street while hurling expletives.

However, adopting these technologies will require law enforcement to engage with political leaders and the public to explain their plans and objectives. This calls for transparency and close collaboration throughout the process. Additionally, oversight boards and policies will need to be established, managed and regularly updated to adapt to technological advancements.

The following year, Officer Player would join the Warren Police Department. There to pin his new badge to his chest was then-Highland Park Police Chief Kevin Coney.

“Three years later, he was criminally charged over the very same kind of conduct that Highland Park helped to conceal,” said Chanel 7’s Ross Jones to Coney.

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The video of the tasing was released to 7 News Detroit by Highland Park's new mayor, Glenda McDonald, who overruled her own attorney’s advice to withhold the video from WXYZ. McDonald insisted that it be released.

Attorneys for Dammeon Player declined to comment for this story. The former officer and his partner are due in court on July 11. Player faces up to five years in prison.