Henry Dudzinski

Henry Dudzinski is a retired Detroit police officer who joined the force in 1948, five years after the 1943 Detroit Riot, serving as a member of the elite “Big Four” unit. He was present on the scene of the 1965 Kercheval incident, which was a smaller “riot” that preceded the 1967 disturbance. During the events of July 1967, he was assigned to the Palmer Station on 7 Mile Road, where he was responsible for processing arrestees.
After retiring from the police force, Dudzinski has worked as an activist against police brutality. We met him at a forum on non-lethal police tactics held at Wayne State University. He continues to reside in the Southfield section of Detroit, otherwise referred to as “Copper Canyon” for its high proportion of police and firemen.