DETROIT — Detroit Free Press photographer Mandi Wright was detained by Detroit police for nearly 6 1/2 hours but not charged with any crimes after recording the arrest of a man near downtown Detroit last Thursday, the Free Press reports.



The incident is now under investigation by the department's Internal Affairs Department, Police Chief James Craig has confirmed.

Additionally bothersome are accusations that police removed and failed to return the reporter's memory card, possible evidence, and left her alone in an interrogation room with the man she was videotaping.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the footage police took issue with was preserved because it was saved to the phone's internal hard drive.

In the video captured by the 47-year-old reporter using her iPhone, at least seven officers seem to have the situation under control as they walk a cuffed suspect toward a Detroit police cruiser.

The officers placing the suspect into the car seem to pay little attention to Wright, but another officer approaches and can be heard outside the frame telling her to back up, which it appears from the footage she does.

"Turn it off," the officer says with a finger pointing at the journalist as he grabs for the camera.

"I'm with the Detroit Free Press," says Wright.

"OK," responds the officer.

“I’m a journalist, working journalist,” Wright says.

“OK. I don’t care who you are,” he says, as the phone video is disrupted and Wright is heard saying, “Wait. Are you touching me? I’m sorry...” before the recoding is shut off.

According to the Free Press, Deputy Chief James Tolbert told the newspaper's editors who visited the precinct after the arrest that police were embarrassed by the ordeal and that a department-wide memo would be issued reminding police it is not illegal for reporters or the general public to record police officers.