DETROIT – A Detroit police oversight commissioner was apparently caught “with his pants down” as he is accused of “getting a blow job from a sex worker” while sitting in his truck on the city’s northwest side, the Detroit Metro Times reported.
Commissioner Bryan Ferguson was identified as the individual who was found in the compromising position by an undercover sergeant with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. Moreover, Ferguson seems to be digging himself a deeper hole the more he talks about the encounter, though he also announced he is resigning from the police oversight board, according to the news outlet.
On Wednesday just after 7 a.m., Ferguson was observed by an undercover narcotics sergeant engaging in a sex act in his truck near the intersection of Sorrento Avenue and Schoolcraft Road, according to officials with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.
The man was caught with a sex worker’s “head in his lap,” Capt. Jason Bates told The Detroit News, saying the woman jumped up “wiping her face off.”
Ferguson reportedly identified himself as a police oversight commissioner and asked, “Can you help me out with this?”
The unnamed woman and Ferguson were both cited with indecent obscene conduct and subsequently released from custody. He later announced his resignation while also calling the situation “a big misunderstanding.”
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the residents of Detroit in police oversight,” Ferguson said in a written statement Thursday afternoon. “After further consideration of the best interests of my family and the Board, I am choosing to resign as District 1 Police Commissioner effective immediately. Again, I admonish the Board and the police to remain focused on the important work of oversight, transparency and accountability.”
Reached by phone Wednesday afternoon, Ferguson denied wrongdoing, WXYZ News reported. He claimed to be driving his truck Wednesday morning when he allegedly heard a noise coming from the truck bed.
Ferguson said he pulled over to investigate the cause, and that’s when he saw a woman fleeing from a man and screaming. He claimed she jumped into his vehicle without his permission, saying she feared for her life.
“I start screaming at her: Get the F out of my truck. I was cussing — get the F out of my truck. Get out. Get out right now!’” Ferguson claimed.
“She’s hollering out, please help me, he’s going to kill me! I said I don’t even care. Get out of my truck. While I was saying that, I’m trying to push her out of my truck… well, when I went to go step out of my truck, an SUV go pulling out with white lights.”
Ferguson said he does not understand why deputies believe he was receiving oral sex. Moreover, he claimed he only identified himself as a police commissioner after they allegedly recognized him.
It’s unclear why Ferguson was quick to resign his position as a police oversight commissioner if his story was true.
As one undercover vice detective told Law Officer, “There is no mistaking a woman’s head bobbing up and down in a man’s lap while he’s seated in an automobile. It a hooter (slang for blow job) every time.”
According to his biography on the city’s website, Ferguson is married and has a daughter. He also coaches little league baseball and used to be a stand-up comedian. He graduated in 2014 from the Detroit Citizens Police Academy, and was elected to the commission in 2021. In January 2022, police commissioners appointed him to serve as vice chair.
