MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Community Rally Calls for Transparency in Alonzo Lee-Perkins Case
Media Contacts:
Jacob Smith Organizer,
Detroit Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DAARPR)
Email: enforcie@gmail.com
Willie Burton, Police Commissioner Emeritus
Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight (DRACO)
Phone: (313) 454-1307
Organizers Demand Release of Body Camera Footage and Full Public Accountability
July 22, 2026 – Detroit, Michigan — Community organizations, civil rights advocates, and concerned Detroit residents will gather Wednesday evening outside the Detroit Police Department’s Third Precinct to demand greater transparency in the investigation surrounding the police shooting of Alonzo Lee-Perkins. Organizers are calling upon the Detroit Police Department to release body camera footage and other available information without unnecessary delay, asserting that public trust depends upon openness and accountability.
The rally will take place on Wednesday, July 22, at 6:00 p.m. outside the Detroit Police Department Third Precinct, 2875 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, Michigan 48202.
Hosted by the Detroit Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DAARPR), the event will feature community leaders and activists urging city officials to ensure a transparent investigative process. Participants will also call for charges against Alonzo Lee-Perkins to be dismissed and for an impartial review of the incident based upon all available evidence.
Among those appearing in support of the rally will be Willie Burton, Police Commissioner Emeritus, representing Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight (DRACO).
Burton emphasized that transparency benefits both the public and law enforcement alike.
“As a former Police Commissioner, I believe we should all want the same thing in 2026: transparency, accountability, and facts.
I thought we had moved past police departments hiding behind tape and releasing information only after the community became outraged. I worked with my colleagues to help make transparency part of the process—not the exception.
Asking questions is not anti-police. The community deserves timely information, and officers deserve a fair review based on the facts. Transparency builds trust and confidence in the outcome.
Why would we stop now?”
Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight (DRACO) has long advocated for meaningful civilian oversight of policing and policies that strengthen both public confidence and constitutional policing. Organizers state that the rally is intended to encourage openness throughout the investigative process and to reaffirm the community’s expectation that public institutions remain accountable to the people they serve.
Members of the media are invited to attend. Interview opportunities with organizers and community leaders will be available before and after the program.
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Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight 