Arrest of Rev. Bullock outside church investigated in Highland Park

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (WJBK) - The arrest of a well-known pastor outside of his church Sunday is being investigated by the Highland Park Police Department. 

Rev. David Bullock says he was trying to help police after an attack outside Greater St. Matthew Baptist Church in Highland Park when he was arrested. Rev. Bullock says a woman with a mental illness attacked two members of his church in the parking lot. 

Three Highland Park officers responded to question them. When Rev. Bullock approached to try to help, police told him to stay out of it. 

"I told him, 'Hey man, I'm the pastor of this church.' I explained everything to him and he was not paying attention because I was black," Rev. Bullock believes. 

He says police physically moved him several feet away. When he approached again, they put him in handcuffs. He was taken to lock-up and eventually released. He was ticketed for obstructing police and providing false information.

Highland Park Police Chief Chester Logan explains why his officers might have reacted that way.  

"Every second that officer has to take his or her attention off that person and direct it towards the pastor, it interferes with the officer's investigation," he says.

"This I why people don't trust the police; this is why people don't want to help the police. This is why people don't like the police. I'm trying to help the police do their job and they are turning on the help," Rev. Bullock says.

Chief Logan tells FOX 2 they're now launching an internal investigation.  

"This is not something that arises to a suspension yet; we have to see exactly what we have. We don't want to rush to judgment," he says. "We have a lot of camera footage so we will let the chips fall where they may."

Bullock is the campaign manager for Shri Thanedar who is running for Governor. We talked with a spokesperson from the campaign. They didn't have any comment on what happened.