‘You got some pants on, officer?’: video from Detroit virtual court hearing goes viral

A video of a Detroit police officer appearing at a virtual court hearing without wearing any trousers has gone viral. “You got some pants on, officer?” Judge Sean Perkins asked police officer Matthew Jackson after he introduced himself to the virtual district courtroom on Monday and inadvertently revealed himself not to be wearing trousers. “No, sir,” Jackson admitted before the video showed him moving up the camera up so the lower half of his body was no longer in the frame. The hearing concerned a woman accused of drag racing and disorderly conduct. The defendant’s attorney, TaTaNisha Reed, told local television news station ABC 7 News Detroit: “I was trying to figure it out. Like, am I seeing what I think I’m seeing? Especially with a police officer.” The hearing continued as normal after the revelation and after Jackson had moved the camera. A chief judge and Perkins’ boss at the 36th district courts, William McConico, told 7 News that Jackson was known as a “a very professional police officer”. “I spoke with Judge Perkins, because I wanted to know, you know, what went through his mind with how he handled the case,” McConico said “He was stunned, obviously. He was shocked. Officer Jackson is a person he’s known.” In a statement to the Detroit News, the Detroit police department apologized for Jackson’s lack of trousers. “The Detroit police department requires its officers to represent themselves in a dignified and professional manner while attending court proceedings,” said Todd Bettison, the police chief. “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.”