DPD task force members charged with home invasion caught after body camera check

Two Detroit Police who are facing prison time after being charged with home invasion during a January incident were caught by their own body cameras.

Sgt. Paul Glaza and Officer Bradley Clark knocked on the front door of a home on Pembroke near Lahser. The two officers were part of the burglary task force and were trying to find a suspect. 

Inside the home was 28-year-old Tashar Cornelius and he said the officers were looking for a man named Mike.

"They kicked the door open and came right in," Cornelius said. "They forced their way into the property. The guy was not there. They searched around. One handcuffed me right away and kinda ransacked the house."

Cornelius is a convicted felon and had a taser on the table when they entered the home. He was arrested and taken away in handcuffs.

"I spent 36 hours in the county with no charges. My lawyer couldn't even get any information or anything like that," he said.

Detroit police say, not long after, a supervisor was conducting a random body cam video review. He watched the officers' entry and interaction with Cornelius and, according to Assistant Police Chief James White, they went against department policy.

"The training we give out, the way that we train to search and seizure, this clearly did not follow that practice and policy," White said.

After further investigation, the supervisor was even more concerned and contacted internal affairs and the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

"If there's any glimmer of positivity in the circumstances the fact that it was found by our supervisor doing what we ask them to do on a day in, day out basis," White said.

Detroit police burglary task force members charged with home invasion

Glaza and Clark were both suspended with pay pending a review by the board of police commissioners. Prosecutors charging them both with two counts of home invasion and misconduct in office.

Detroit Police Officer Association President Mark Diaz said the prosecutor's office is "100 percent over-charging" the duo. 

Cornelius plans to file a lawsuit for the damage to his home and for violating his rights.

"I didn't believe it. I didn't know what was going on. They were just forcing their way and taking their badge overboard," Cornelius said. "They did not have my permission to enter the property. I want justice. I don't want anyone to go through what I went through that day."