Police Seen Laughing at Brutal Arrest Video of Dementia Patient
Police Seen Laughing at Brutal Arrest Video of Dementia Patient
Disclaimer: This article contains footage that some may find upsetting.
Shocking footage has been released showing Colorado cops laughing at the brutal arrest of a seventy-three-year-old female dementia patient.
This comes just days after former police officer, Derek Chauvin, was convicted of the murder of George Floyd.
When Floyd died as a result of Chauvin kneeling on his neck for nearly 9 minutes in May last year, the issue surrounding systematic racism within our police force was brought to light in a way it had never been before.
Following Floyd's death, thousands upon thousands of people from all over world took to the streets in protest.
However, despite the Black Lives Matter movement being bigger than ever before, the issue prevailed.
Police brutality has long been an issue here in the states...
For too long, our law enforcement has been riddled with unnecessary force and violence, particularly among minority communities.
This month alone, several young Black and Hispanic people have been fatally shot by police officers.
Daunte White, Adam Toledo, and Ma'Khia Bryant are just some of the names of those who have lost their lives.
Our police officers are suppose to be protecting us.
But, sadly, there are a select few who instead choose to abuse their power and privilege, rather than use it for the better...
Seventy-three-year-old Karen Garner of Loveland, Colorado, was arrested by officers in June last year.
Garner, who suffers from dementia and sensory aphasia - conditions that impair her ability to communicate and understand - had walked out of her local Walmart without paying for a candy bar, a can of Pepsi, and a t-shirt, a haul totaling $13.38.
Assuming she was shoplifting, staff had called the cops, who quickly tracked Garner down along the side of a road.
However, upon confronting the elderly woman - who, might I add, showed no signs of aggression - the police officers acted with sickening force and violence.
And now, newly released footage has shown the Colorado officers allegedly laughing at their actions upon watching the footage of her arrest.
With one officer even asking if they are "ready for the pop" from her shoulder...
And after the footage was shared online, many were outraged by what they saw...
The pandemic of police brutality continues unabated. We need a cure, not yet another reprimand.
— Sometimes I despair 🤦♂️💻🦖🦴 🪐 (@SenekalWillie) April 27, 2021
Criminals with a badge.
— Bravado (@bravado8513) April 27, 2021
And still a Cop..
— Cuty Dave (@CutyDave) April 27, 2021
Maybe we need to treat cops the way they treat others to get them to understand
— FelixHelix (@FelixHelix4) April 27, 2021
What the fuck is wrong with this country's cops?
— The Leftish SuccDem Gaytheist Zoomer🧦🏳️🌈↙↙↙🗽⚛ (@SolarpunkTechn1) April 27, 2021
This is heartbreaking. Giving her medical condition and age. she deserved to be treated with respect and dignity.
— Dr. Swapnîl Balu Bhakarê (@SwapnilBbhakare) April 27, 2021
To any cops happening to be reading this tweet, stories like this is why so many of us hate you.
— John Anthony Miller (@807JohnMiller82) April 27, 2021
"Did you hear the pop?"
— I am Leland (@ebaylia) April 27, 2021
What a big man he is.
I wonder how many more citizens these officers have abused and misused their power. Just a downright shame, disgusting!
— Gloria Tucker (@keithgloria123) April 27, 2021
The original body cam footage showed Garner being forced to the floor with her arm twisted behind her back...
Before being roughly handcuffed by who has now been identified as Loveland Police officer, Austin Hopp.
Garner was visibly distressed as she was arrested...
And could be heard screaming, "I'm going home!" as officer Hopp and assisting officer, Daria Jalali, hauled her into the back of their vehicle.
Upon arrival at the police station, Garner was carried out of the car, still handcuffed and visibly upset.
It was later found that she had suffered from a dislocated shoulder and a fractured arm as a result of the forcible arrest.
Garner was taken into custody following her roadside arrest and was reportedly held for hours without medical attention, despite verbalizing that she was in pain.
Photos taken afterwards show Garner with a severely bruised and swollen arm.
Nearly a year on from the incident, Loveland Police have since been slapped with a federal lawsuit for their officers' actions against Garner.
According to a press release from attorney Sarah Schielke, the Life and Liberty Law Office filed the lawsuit and initiated the case Wednesday, alleging excessive use of force against the department and officers Austin Hopp and Daria Jalali, and Sgt. Phil Metzler for the arrest of Karen Garner on June 26th, 2020
The lawsuit states that Hopp had "violently assaulted Garner without provocation."
Press release from Loveland PD concerning arrest of Karen Garner @KDVR pic.twitter.com/HZhly42Iy7
— Michael Konopasek (@MikeKonopasek) April 15, 2021
Responding to the suit, Loveland Police said in a statement:
"LPD takes very seriously the allegations concerning the arrest of resident Karen Garner, and shares with the community the concerns about video images that became public on Wednesday."
And now, new surveillance footage has been made public by Ms Garner's attorney showing officers laughing at the treatment that she received.
The footage shows the officer inside of the Loveland police station after Garner was taken into custody, rewatching the footage of them arresting Ms. Garner.
The footage hears Mr Hopp saying "Ready for the pop? Hear the pop?" in reference to Ms Garner's shoulder.
"I can't believe I threw a 73-year-old on the ground," Hopp also said.
"It's just like live TV," Jalai allegedly said.
"Body-cams are my favorite thing to watch, I could watch livestream body-cams all day."
One officer also said: "I hate this."
Before receiving the response: "I love it."
As per the Independent, Ms Garner's, attorney Sarah Schielke said in a statement: "This is utterly disgusting. These videos cannot be unseen or unheard. I am sorry to have to share them with the public. This will be traumatic and deeply upsetting for everyone to see."
"But as it often goes with bad police departments, it seems this is the only way to make them change," she added.
"They have to be exposed. If I didn't release this, the Loveland Police's toxic culture of arrogance and entitlement, along with their horrific abuse of the vulnerable and powerless, would carry on, business as usual."
The lawsuit is ongoing.
You can see the distressing footage below.
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