WXYZ's 'traveling cop' investigation honored with regional Murrow Award

The WXYZ investigative team was honored with a regional Edward R. Murrow Award Tuesday for its investigation into a former Detroit police officer who faced firing for punching a man, but instead was given a badge in another city .

The Murrow Award came in the category of investigative reporting, and honored investigative reporter Ross Jones, editor Randy Lundquist and photojournalist Ramon Rosario.

WXYZ will now advance to the national competition, with the winners announced in August. The awards are given out by the Radio Television Digital News Association.

Watch the original investigation below: A Detroit cop faced firing for Greektown punch—until Eastpointe gave him a badge

A Detroit cop faced firing for Greektown punch—until Eastpointe gave him a badge

In August 2021, Detroit police officer Kairy Roberts was caught on video punching a man in the face in Greektown—even though he appeared to pose no threat—and briefly knocking him unconscious.

• ONGOING COVERAGE: Conduct Unbecoming: Detroit’s Troubled Officers

Within hours of the punch, the video made headlines nationwide and Detroit Police Chief James White announced that Roberts would be suspended. An internal investigation quickly followed.
By July of the following year, DPD concluded that Roberts had punched the man, 34-year-old Marcus Alston, without justification.

The investigation also found that he failed to render aid after Alston was briefly knocked unconscious and that he was not truthful with investigators.

Roberts was hit with a slew of internal charges, and Detroit police officials say the presumptive penalty was termination.

But Roberts didn't give his bosses a chance to take action against him. He resigned in September and, days later, accepted a new badge in Eastpointe.

WATCH: Troubled Eastpointe officer resigns as state pursues his law enforcement license

Troubled Eastpointe officer resigns as state pursues his law enforcement license

After our investigation, the state agency that licenses police officers in Michigan began investigating the circumstances that allowed Roberts to join Eastpointe .

In September 2023, the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards suspended Roberts . A week later, he resigned from the department .