A woman says she called Warren police for help and ended up being sexually harassed and ultimately assaulted by an officer in full uniform, yet charges were never brought.
Lisa Harrison, 37, filed a lawsuit this October in Michigan against the city of Warren, the Warren Police Department, Police Commissioner Eric Hawkins, an unnamed human resources coordinator and the former officer in question, Elmondo Smith.
Harrison struggled to hold back tears as one of her lawyers, Nora Hanna of the Michigan Injury Law Center, announced the lawsuit at a news conference on the morning of Friday, Oct. 9. The lawsuit was filed in the wrong federal court that week and dismissed the day of the news conference. It was transferred into the U.S. District Court for
the Eastern District of Michigan on Friday, Oct. 16.
“The only way we can hold the city and the officer responsible is through this lawsuit,” Hanna said, adding: “We want to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else, that anyone in any position of uniform is not abusing their powers for sexual gain."
Smith could not be reached for comment after multiple attempts.
He opted to resign during an internal investigation into what happened, Hawkins, the police commissioner, said in a statement.
The commissioner said that within an hour of being alerted to the accusation, the department took action and that it placed Smith on leave the same day.
A representative for the city itself did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Free Press typically does not name victims in reported sexual assault cases, but Harrison was comfortable sharing her identity.
Harrison called Warren police in June 2025 and reported being the victim of domestic violence, she said in her lawsuit.
Thereafter, Smith used the guise of an investigation to get her cell phone number, the lawsuit alleges.
He reached out and asked to meet Harrison at a Starbucks, then had her get in his car, drove her elsewhere and made comments including that she was “sexy,” the lawsuit states. He kept up the contact.
Harrison never made any sexual advance, Hanna said.
Then, on July 9, 2025, Smith came to her home in a marked police vehicle and in full uniform, Hanna said at the news conference.
He told Harrison to meet him at a warehouse nearby, close enough that she could walk, then cornered her there and told her to perform oral sex, Hanna said.
“If she doesn't do it, she knows who he is and what he's capable of,” Hanna said.
Harrison reported the incident on July 12, 2025, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit incorrectly states that Smith was charged with criminal sexual assault. The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office investigated and the office of Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido chose not to bring charges.
A statement from Lucido's office defended that decision and pointed to the many years of experience held by the chief of the criminal sexual conduct unit.
“She is confident in her decision not to issue charges,” the statement read. “Prosecutors are bound by the law and the evidence available to them. Criminal cases have a higher burden of proof than civil cases.”
Hanna argues, and the lawsuit alleges, that Warren police should have known of potential problems with Smith. She said she found social media posts regarding accusations of past behavior.
Asked for comment on that allegation, Warren Police Lt. John Gajewski said the statement issued by the department was the only statement at this time.
“Upholding the public trust and safeguarding the integrity of our profession will always remain our highest priority,” Hawkins said in the statement. “We will never waver in our dedication to accountability and professional excellence.”
The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $75 million for economic loss, and physical and mental distress.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: She called police. Then a cop sexually assaulted her, lawsuit says
