While Lovelands Police Department said Monday that it would not comment on new footage released by Garners attorney, City Manager Steve Adams opened the meeting by sharing his own concerns about the video that shows arresting officer Austin Hopp and others in the police department laughing and joking about the arrest of the 73-year-old with dementia. He was previously named in a separate excessive force lawsuit that resulted in a $290,000 settlement by the city in January 2021. Denver Post reporter Sam Tabachnik contributed to this report. RELATED: Loveland Police to require training by Alzheimer's Association after excessive force allegation, SUGGESTED VIDEOS:Investigations from 9Wants to Know. He also said the department will review its paid leave policy in the case of extenuating circumstances., While he acknowledged that the steps were not a final solution, he said the steps he listed are only immediate actions we are taking to restore our public trust in our city.. A statement from Walmart indicates that police were called only after Garner became "physical" with an associate. A former Loveland police officer says he was wrongfully fired in October and is asking a jury to overturn the decision and award him back pay, according to a lawsuit filed in December. Garner's daughter, Allisa Swartz, spoke about the arrest with 9Wants to Know reporter Matt Jablow. Ashe filed a lawsuit in 8th Judicial District Court against the city of Loveland in December, alleging that he should not have been fired and asking for his job back. April 30, 2021 / 2:58 PM An initial lawsuit was filed on April 14, but the new amended suit filed Sunday names the city of Loveland and five officers as defendants. ", A concerned passerby is then heard off-camera pulling over and calling out to the cops: "Do you have to use that much aggression? While peace officers are permitted to use reasonable force to effect an arrest, the investigation in this case showed that Austin Hopp used excessive force in the arrest of Ms. Garner that resulted in serious bodily injury to Ms. Garner, District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin said at a news conference Wednesday. Hopp is facing felony charges for his . The cops then took Garner into custody, where she was allegedly held for hours before her injuries were tended to. In his use-of-force report filed after the arrest, Hopp said Garner was asked several times if she wanted medical attention and she either would not answer or start(ed) talking about something else, Hopps arrest affidavit states. Most of the departments officers have completed Alzheimers awareness training since the lawsuit was filed and the department also will do more de-escalation training, the chief said. Ashe was not involved in Garners arrest or the civil lawsuit filed against the department and several officers, including Metzler. Department spokesman Tom Hacker later confirmed they had resigned. Your Loveland Police Department remains one of my top priorities.. The department has been under scrutiny since the forceful arrest of 73-year-old Karen Garner in 2020. Karen Garner, who has dementia, was arrested last June for walking out of a Walmart in Loveland, Colorado, with $13.88 worth of items, according to an amended lawsuit filed Sunday. It hurt to see that," he added. LOVELAND, Colo. (CBS4) - Nearly two years after allegedly breaking the arm of an elderly woman living with dementia during a controversial arrest, former Loveland Police Officer Austin Hopp was sentenced to five years in prison as part of a plea agreement to lessen his jail sentence. Blackett responds by saying, the bodycam show, as someone giggles. Former Loveland Police Officer Paul Ashe sues, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Former Loveland Police Officer Paul Ashe sues for wrongful termination, Loveland Museum showcases mid-century masters of the New York School, Loveland, Berthoud law enforcement calls: Arrests for impaired driving, Man charged with shooting at Larimer County deputies sentenced to 18 years in prison, Ferguson High School student business wins top DECA award, Brought to you by Prairie Mountain Publishing. Footage from the video was shot in the Loveland Police Departments booking area shortly after Garners arrest. The case was later dismissed. One resident, Shane Ritter, was ceded time by others to read a letter that had been signed by more than 160 people sincerely, and with outrage.. The suit claims that Ashe was fired on that day for asking a records technician to do a search of reports involving Sgt. LPD publicly claimed earlier this month that they were unaware of the incident until the lawsuit was filed, nearly a year after the incident happened. Players given Kratom by Colorado coach, police say, Skier Shiffrin's quest for 86th win extended after downhill, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, Lawyer claims new video shows Loveland police knew of injuries caused to 73-year-old woman during arrest, Larimer DA announces independent investigation after forcible arrest of 73-year-old woman, Loveland Police to require training by Alzheimer's Association after excessive force allegation. But after reviewing footage from the jail cell, investigators found Garner repeated more than 20 times that her shoulder hurt, according to the arrest affidavit. As for the Loveland community, we will build upon recent progress in strengthening trust in our police department. 9NEWS has not been able to obtain the raw video. Earlier this week, Schielke released a second video that shows three Loveland officers laughing about Garner's arrest. According to LPD, the incident took place on June 26, 2020, but police said until this month; they had not received a complaint regarding "serious injuries" to Garner. Ashe also claims Chief Bob Ticer fired him without issuing a final written warning and without consulting with the citys human resources department both of which he is required to do according to the city's administrative policy, according to the lawsuit. Sgt. According to LPD, He and councilor Steve Olson also said they were hesitant to pass judgment on the officers involved, even as they expressed concern about what was shown in the footage. The city of Loveland declined to comment for this article because of the pending litigation. Philip Metzler, was also placed on administrative leave but was not among those who lost their jobs. Garners family wants him to be fired and criminally charged and for the police chief to resign, Schielke said. Jalali previously worked for the Lafayette Police Department and volunteered with the Weld County Sheriffs Office mounted posse. Two co-responders help Loveland police officers on calls related to mental health. ", About 30 seconds later, Garner began to slump toward the ground. Psychologist Kathi Fanning, who is the director of training for the Center for Trauma and Resilience, said that kind of reaction from the officers could be a sign of desensitization. Detectives with the Fort Collins Police Department led the investigation and reviewed videos, phone calls and hundreds of pages of reports, and interviewed more than 20 people, Fort Collins police Chief Jeff Swoboda said. FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Three police officers involved in the arrest and detention of 73-year-old Karen Garner, who has dementia, last summer have resigned, Loveland police officials. 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Viewed separately, the body camera footage shows Hopp holding the handcuffed Garner facing away from him against the car. Additionally, he said the department is mandating training around mental health conditions, specifically Alzheimers and dementia, and including the City Attorneys Office and Human Resources staffers on the review of use-of-force reports entered into the BlueTeam software suite. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "I've been in law enforcement 32 years, and what I saw in there hurt me personally. The police have known about this for 10 months and the videos speak for themselves. The investigation will be led by Fort Collins Police Services. He did not immediately provide the name of the lawyers hired by the city. He then said that four police officers involved in the arrest have been placed on administrative leave, including Hopp, Tyler Blackett, Sgt. Are you finished? Loveland places 4 police officers on leave over, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Get to know all 17 Denver mayor candidates , Loveland places 4 police officers on leave over violent arrest of 73-year-old with dementia, Colorado officers who violently arrested 73-year-old with dementia laughed about incident afterward, video shows, DA launches investigation of Loveland polices forceful arrest of 73-year-old woman with dementia, Loveland police officer on leave after arrest video of 73-year-old woman with dementia, Denver weather: Strong winds and low humidity will elevate fire concerns Sunday, Vehicle owners can register for car theft deterrent program DenverTrack, Data breach of DPS computer servers affects all district employees, officials say, Colorado psychologists gain authority to prescribe mental health medication, laughing and joking about the arrest of the 73-year-old with dementia, Colorado property owners to face astronomical tax increases next year, After School Satan Club launching first Colorado chapter, but organizer promises "we are not devil worshippers", PHOTOS: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band play Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado landlords say eviction-protection proposal could make dropping problem renters too hard, 5 can't-miss menus for Denver Restaurant Week, No more greasy pizza boxes, paper towels or takeout containers in Front Range compost bins come April 1, After teen's death, Denver East High students walk out to advocate for gun legislation, Boulder house where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Metro Denver housing market crosses firmly into negative territory in February, Kiszla: With Brendan Rodgers down and out, Kris Bryant could become $182 million face of worst team in Rockies history, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The results of the independent assessment were released publicly and presented to the city council in January. Failing to intervene in an excessive use of force by police became a crime in Colorado one week before Garners arrest when Gov. We don't play this game. The Loveland Police Department was hit with many negative headlines related to the rough arrest of Karen Garner, a 73-year-old suffering from dementia who's only five feet tall and weighs. Phillip Metzler. Investigators also allege that Hopp knew about the shoulder injury given that he described the pop sound as he dislocated Garners shoulder while showing the others video of the arrest. McLaughlin said in the statement that he will consider the officers' comments about the arrest, along with other evidence, in making his charging decision. He also said there was no internal affairs investigation immediately after the arrest. "Seeing horrible things that people do to each other every day really plays a part in that disconnect, and when that disconnect really happens, [that video is] what it looks like," Fanning told 9NEWS. The lawsuit claims Ashe was fired because he was not an employee of the Police Department who has been trained in the use of the records management system and therefore was not authorized to query this information.. During this period of time we were able to accomplish many projects such as the building of the Northern Colorado Regional Law Enforcement Training Center and completion of the Combined Regional Information Systems Project (CRISP), both of which support community safety for our officers and the public. Loveland, Colo., Police Department body-camera video from June 26, 2020, shows the violent arrest of Karen Garner, a 73-year-old with dementia. The officers' initial report said Garner, who has dementia, was not injured. 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CNN has contacted the Fraternal Order of Police numerous times and has not heard back. Garner was taken to an intake holding facility at Loveland Police Department where she complained multiple times about having injuries. Civil rights attorney Sarah Schielke,. Body camera video shows police force 78-year-old woman with dementia to ground, arrest and booking of a 73-year-old woman with dementia, Video appears to show Colorado officers laughing after arresting 73-year-old with dementia. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Garners family released a statement Tuesday saying they were devastated because Garner is a human being that was treated by Loveland police like an animal., We are physically sickened. LOVELAND, Colo. ( KDVR) The chief of the Loveland Police Department is leaving in the midst of controversy within the city's force. Phil Metzler, knew about the forceful arrest because he responded to the scene. Who is Quintin Jones and why is he on death row? The Larimer County District Attorney's Office later announced there would be an independent investigation of the incident led by Fort Collins Police with help, as needed, from the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI. During an open public comment period, callers who spoke on the issue were unilaterally critical of the police department. McLaughlin said that the charges of attempting to influence a public servant against Hopp were related to substantial omissions and inaccuracies in his reports about the incident. Schielke said the arresting officers told the Larimer County Jail staff that Garner was uninjured despite obvious signs that she had painful injuries. Ashe was fired after he allegedly asked a records division technician to search for records pertaining to Sgt. Minyvonne Burke. Loveland, Colo., Police Department It's been nearly a year since police officers in Loveland, Colo., injured an older woman with dementia and then laughed at the footage of her arrest.. Thank you for your interest in the Loveland Police Department. Metzler arrived after Garner was in the vehicle. "It's a really important thing for everyone to know that this is now a criminal investigation," said Hacker. ", Jalali appeared to ruefully brush off the dustup: "A little muddy, a little bloody, that's how it works.". Councilor Rob Molloy, who had previously tried to schedule a closed-door performance review of Adams and City Attorney Moses Garcia, slammed the citys management of the crisis. "It is clear that the only thing that has 'hurt him personally' has been the attention this case has brought to his department. Garner's family felt the video in the case proved Hopp was guilty on all counts beyond a reasonable doubt. Karen Garner suffered from a broken arm, sprained wrist and separated shoulder during her June 2020 arrest by Hopp. I will consider those statements along with all relevant evidence compiled by the (Critical Incident Response Team) in making a charging decision.. City officials could not be reached Friday to confirm the date his employment ended. The incident occurred in 2020 but a lawsuit wasnt filed until last year. Loveland Police Chief Robert Ticer said at a news conference Friday that Hopp, Blackett and Jalali "are no longer employed" with the department but declined to specify whether they resigned. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The statement you made was very, I dont know, eloquent, but it did not bring out anything thats going to help our citizens understand whats going on, he added. It was discussed at every level of the process, including the actions Chief Ticer took once he was made aware of the situation.. We have elected each of you to serve us. Former Loveland police officer Austin Hopp enters the courtroom for his preliminary hearing Thursday, August 19, 2021, at the Larimer County Justice Center. The 8th Judicial District Attorneys Office of Colorado said last week it has requested a review of the incident. Ticer, he alleges, did neither. The assault and attempt to influence a public servant are felony charges and the official misconduct charge is a misdemeanor. These opportunities and partnerships provided a mechanism to put more police officers into our schools to protect our children and staff. Arrest warrants were issued Wednesday for Hopp and Jalali, and McLaughlin said he believed the two former officers planned to turn themselves in. After keeping her pinned down, Hopp appears to announce for purposes of documenting the bodycam evidence: "After a short struggle, she is now detained. A Loveland law office has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Loveland Police Department and the officers involved in Garner's arrest after it allegedly caused a fractured. House votes to create January 6 Commission to investigate Capitol riot - but Senate GOP set to scupper 'biased' probe, Loveland Police Chief Robert Ticer repeated twice during a press conference on Wednesday, resigned from the Loveland Police Department in Colorado when a federal lawsuit was filed last month. Hopp worked for the Nacogdoches Police Department in Texas and at the Monroe County Sheriffs Office in Florida, according to records obtained by The Denver Post through a records request. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. An innocent, elderly, disabled and severely injured resident of the United States of America was left handcuffed to a bench in a holding cell while the arresting officers laughed, joked and gloated about the arrest while watching their own body camera footage, Ritter said, and questioned how the incident was handled internally. The former officer appealed his termination to the City Managers Office, and Assistant City Manager Rod Wensing, in a Nov. 12 written order, upheld Ticers decision. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. 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