A city water utility employee was briefly handcuffed when police mistook her for a suspect in a custody dispute.It happened Wednesday around 11:45 a.m. on Vera Avenue in Golf Manor. Two Golf Manor police officers were responding to an aggravated menacing report.A woman working for Greater Cincinnati Water Works, who just climbed into her car after posting a shut-off notice, was quickly approached by officers pulling up to the home. "What's up, ma'am? What's your name, young lady?" one of the officers asked."Denise," the woman said. "Denise? Is that her?" the officer asked someone. "OK. Go ahead and stand up for me."He tells the woman to turn around as she asked, "For what?" and "What's going on?""Turn around. Turn around. Do it now, ma'am," the officer said. He handcuffs her as he asks her about the situation he was responding to. "What's going on today with you and your boyfriend?" he asked. "What's going on today? You're just being detained right now. What's going on?"What are you talking about?" the woman said. "What boyfriend? I'm at work. What are you talking about?"The other officer can be seen relaying the license plate information from the work vehicle, presumably to police dispatchers.The officer again asks the woman what her name is. This time when she tells them, they realize she is not who they were looking for. "We're just investigating. That's all," another officer said.According to a Golf Manor police department, a man went to the police department in reference to child custody issues. He told police the mother of his child threatened to go to his home and shoot him. The man said he gave police the mother's name, described her as a Black woman about 5 feet, 3 inches tall and said she drives a gold Chevy sedan. While the man was at the station, the woman who was filing a complaint about him called 911. She told dispatchers she knew he was going to police and she was walking to the house and wanted to meet police there. "Yeah, I'm not in a car. I have on black leggings and a purple shirt," the woman told a dispatcher.While police were questioning the water utility employee, the woman they were looking for was trying to flag down an Amberley Village police officer. Golf Manor officers responded and questioned the woman, who said she did not threaten the father of her child and that he made threatening remarks.Ultimately, no charges were filed because "officers did not have sufficient evidence to charge either party."After the Water Works employee was released, she told officers, "I'm in a (expletive) Cincinnati Water Works work truck!""Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter," an officer replied."We're just making sure everybody's safe, including you," another officer said."You just scared the (expletive) out of me, and I didn't even do nothing," she said. Greater Cincinnati Water Works told WLWT in a statement, "Our employee was told by police they thought she may have been carrying a weapon. She was not — she was simply doing her job. Our employee complied with police directions. We take the safety of our employees seriously and will be communicating with the Village of Golf Manor to discuss our concerns about this incident."In an email to employees, the water company said it believed the woman was "detained without just cause."Village of Golf Manor mayor Stefan C. Densmore released a statement on the incident Wednesday:"I watched the body cam video this morning. As to the officers’ behavior, I think it's clear the officers thought they had the right person, and I think they behaved exemplary in that context. There have been far too many instances across the country of innocent people being killed or beaten up by police," Densmore said.Densmore continued, saying "I think it is tragic that anyone might naturally lump this situation in with those. Our officers indeed had the wrong person. I’m told she was in handcuffs for twenty seconds. As short as that was, I’m sure it was still terrifying. I don’t think anyone disputes that. As such, the administration and I are continuing to review the incident. This includes a review of the standard police protocols for the use of handcuffs. To make sure we get this right, we are additionally considering referring the matter to an outside agency for an assessment of what occurred."As a result of the incident, GWCC is distributing photos of the front and back of its employee uniform so that officers are more familiar with it.
A city water utility employee was briefly handcuffed when police mistook her for a suspect in a custody dispute.
It happened Wednesday around 11:45 a.m. on Vera Avenue in Golf Manor. Two Golf Manor police officers were responding to an aggravated menacing report.
A woman working for Greater Cincinnati Water Works, who just climbed into her car after posting a shut-off notice, was quickly approached by officers pulling up to the home.
"What's up, ma'am? What's your name, young lady?" one of the officers asked.
"Denise," the woman said.
"Denise? Is that her?" the officer asked someone. "OK. Go ahead and stand up for me."
He tells the woman to turn around as she asked, "For what?" and "What's going on?"
"Turn around. Turn around. Do it now, ma'am," the officer said.
He handcuffs her as he asks her about the situation he was responding to.
"What's going on today with you and your boyfriend?" he asked. "What's going on today? You're just being detained right now. What's going on?
"What are you talking about?" the woman said. "What boyfriend? I'm at work. What are you talking about?"
The other officer can be seen relaying the license plate information from the work vehicle, presumably to police dispatchers.
The officer again asks the woman what her name is. This time when she tells them, they realize she is not who they were looking for.
"We're just investigating. That's all," another officer said.
According to a Golf Manor police department, a man went to the police department in reference to child custody issues. He told police the mother of his child threatened to go to his home and shoot him.
The man said he gave police the mother's name, described her as a Black woman about 5 feet, 3 inches tall and said she drives a gold Chevy sedan.
While the man was at the station, the woman who was filing a complaint about him called 911. She told dispatchers she knew he was going to police and she was walking to the house and wanted to meet police there.
"Yeah, I'm not in a car. I have on black leggings and a purple shirt," the woman told a dispatcher.
While police were questioning the water utility employee, the woman they were looking for was trying to flag down an Amberley Village police officer. Golf Manor officers responded and questioned the woman, who said she did not threaten the father of her child and that he made threatening remarks.
Ultimately, no charges were filed because "officers did not have sufficient evidence to charge either party."
After the Water Works employee was released, she told officers, "I'm in a (expletive) Cincinnati Water Works work truck!"
"Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter," an officer replied.
"We're just making sure everybody's safe, including you," another officer said.
"You just scared the (expletive) out of me, and I didn't even do nothing," she said.
Greater Cincinnati Water Works told WLWT in a statement, "Our employee was told by police they thought she may have been carrying a weapon. She was not — she was simply doing her job. Our employee complied with police directions. We take the safety of our employees seriously and will be communicating with the Village of Golf Manor to discuss our concerns about this incident."
In an email to employees, the water company said it believed the woman was "detained without just cause."
Village of Golf Manor mayor Stefan C. Densmore released a statement on the incident Wednesday:
"I watched the body cam video this morning. As to the officers’ behavior, I think it's clear the officers thought they had the right person, and I think they behaved exemplary in that context. There have been far too many instances across the country of innocent people being killed or beaten up by police," Densmore said.
Densmore continued, saying "I think it is tragic that anyone might naturally lump this situation in with those. Our officers indeed had the wrong person. I’m told she was in handcuffs for twenty seconds. As short as that was, I’m sure it was still terrifying. I don’t think anyone disputes that. As such, the administration and I are continuing to review the incident. This includes a review of the standard police protocols for the use of handcuffs. To make sure we get this right, we are additionally considering referring the matter to an outside agency for an assessment of what occurred."
As a result of the incident, GWCC is distributing photos of the front and back of its employee uniform so that officers are more familiar with it.
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