Detroit police sergeant who failed to respond to officer shooting retiring, had PTSD attorney says

The police sergeant who failed to respond to a shooting that left one Detroit officer dead is retiring from the force and his attorney says the lack of response was because he was suffering PTSD.

Sgt. Ronald Kidd had been suspended by Detroit Police Chief James Craig after bodycam footage revealed he failed to follow protocol the night Cpl. Rasheen McClain was shot and killed during a home invasion. 

During a press conference in late November, Craig told reporters when reports came in that McClain had been shot, Kidd told a newer officer they should take cover after seeing four or five officers run in a certain direction.

"All (Kidd) could say was, 'they must know something that we don't know,'" Craig said. "And here is the part that causes me great concern: 'We should take cover.'"

The officers were believed to be working to track down the suspect who had shot McClain. 

Kidd, in addition to the suspension, may be charged by the Wayne County Prosecutors office for neglect of duty, a misdemeanor.

On Thursday, Kidd's attorney said he had suffered from PTSD after serving the city of Detroit and in the military.

"Sgt Kidd, on the night in question, suffered from an episode of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This episode manifested from a culmination of 21 years serving the city of Detroit and its people and before that, our country as both in the US army and as a US Marine," said attorney Odey Meroueh.

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Kidd, a 21-year-veteran of the force had previously been fired for cowardliness for failing to assist another officer who was being attacked. In that case, Kidd was in a cell block and his female partner was getting assaulted by a mentally ill person who had been arrested. Kidd did nothing to assist and walked away.

However, he was placed back on the force after a 68-day break. However, Craig said there was ambiguity regarding his reinstatement because it was not a decision he signed off on, and that someone else did.

"I would not have wanted to agree to 68 days. Because that was a serious allegation and there are many in this organization who are aware of it, who remember this case," Craig said. "I hate to use the word forged because that constitutes a crime. I will just say someone signed my name, and it was not my signature."