police officer – Cincy Link

Brett Hankison trial set to begin, nearly 2 years after Breonna Taylor’s death

cincylink — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 18:07:21 +0000

Trial begins for former cop involved in deadly Breonna Taylor raid nearly 2 years after her death

Brett Hankison's defense attorney put it succinctly during jury selection on Tuesday."Breonna Taylor has nothing to do with the charges against Brett Hankison this morning, and yet, she has everything to do with it," said Stew Matthews, as he questioned prospective jurors.Hankison is facing three counts of wanton endangerment, but those charges are not for Taylor's death. They are for shots fired into a neighboring apartment with three people inside.Hankison was one of three Louisville officers serving a no-knock search warrant on Taylor's apartment on March 20, 2022. When they entered, Taylor's boyfriend Kenneth Walker – who says he did not know the men entering his home were police officers – fired a single shot. The officers fired back and Taylor, who was behind Walker, was hit six times, police say. The bullet that killed her was fired by Myles Cosgrove, another officer who was present that night, according to the investigation that ensued.Cosgrove is scheduled to appear as a witness in Hankison's trial. The other officer present that night, former LMPD detective Jonathan Mattingly, has said he will plead the Fifth Amendment and refuse to testify, citing the pending U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the LMPD.In all, more than 30 witnesses are slated to testify in a trial expected to last two to three weeks."The commonwealth has the burden of proof in a criminal case and we gladly accept that burden of proof," said Barbara Whaley, the special prosecutor handling the case.Opening arguments are scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Brett Hankison's defense attorney put it succinctly during jury selection on Tuesday.

"Breonna Taylor has nothing to do with the charges against Brett Hankison this morning, and yet, she has everything to do with it," said Stew Matthews, as he questioned prospective jurors.

Hankison is facing three counts of wanton endangerment, but those charges are not for Taylor's death. They are for shots fired into a neighboring apartment with three people inside.

Hankison was one of three Louisville officers serving a no-knock search warrant on Taylor's apartment on March 20, 2022. When they entered, Taylor's boyfriend Kenneth Walker – who says he did not know the men entering his home were police officers – fired a single shot.

The officers fired back and Taylor, who was behind Walker, was hit six times, police say. The bullet that killed her was fired by Myles Cosgrove, another officer who was present that night, according to the investigation that ensued.

Cosgrove is scheduled to appear as a witness in Hankison's trial. The other officer present that night, former LMPD detective Jonathan Mattingly, has said he will plead the Fifth Amendment and refuse to testify, citing the pending U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the LMPD.

In all, more than 30 witnesses are slated to testify in a trial expected to last two to three weeks.

"The commonwealth has the burden of proof in a criminal case and we gladly accept that burden of proof," said Barbara Whaley, the special prosecutor handling the case.

Opening arguments are scheduled for Wednesday morning.

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Kim Potter testifies in trial over Daunte Wright’s death

cincylink — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 19:47:24 +0000

Warning: This live video may contain graphic images and intense language. Viewer discretion is advised.The suburban Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright testified Friday that the traffic stop “just went chaotic” after Wright tried to get back into his car and leave.Kim Potter, who is charged with manslaughter in Wright’s April 11 death, said she saw a look of fear on another officer’s face before she fired.“I remember yelling, Taser, Taser, Taser, and nothing happened, and then he told me I shot him,” Potter said through tears.It was the first time the former Brooklyn Center officer publicly spoke in detail about the shooting. Potter, 49, has said she meant to draw her Taser instead of her gun when she shot the 20-year-old Wright during an April 11 traffic stop as he was trying to drive away from officers seeking to arrest him on a weapons possession warrant.Video of the shooting recorded by officers’ body cameras showed Potter shouting “I’ll tase you!” and “Taser, Taser, Taser!” before she fired once.Potter’s attorneys have argued that she made a mistake but also would have been within her rights to use deadly force if she had meant to because another officer was at risk of being dragged by Wright’s car.Prosecutors say Potter was an experienced officer who had extensive training in Taser use and the use of deadly force, and that her actions were unreasonable.Potter testified that she had no training on “weapons confusion,” saying it was something mentioned in training but not something they were physically trained on. She also said never used her Taser while on duty during her 26 years on the force.Potter, who was training another officer, Anthony Luckey, said Luckey noticed Wright’s car in a turn lane with the signal turned on inappropriately. The two of them talked a little bit about suspicious activity, and he saw an air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror as well as expired tags.She said Luckey wanted to stop the vehicle, though she would “most likely” not have done so if she’d been on patrol by herself, citing the lengthy delays for Minnesota drivers to renew vehicle tags at that point of the coronavirus pandemic. But she said after they found that Wright had a bench warrant for a weapons violation, they were required to arrest him because the warrant “was an order of the court.”She said they were also required to find out who Wright’s female passenger was, because a woman — a different one, it turned out — had taken out a restraining order against him.Under cross-examination by prosecutor Erin Eldridge, Potter agreed that her use of force training was a “key component” to being an officer. Potter testified that she was also trained on when to use force, how much force to use, and that there was also a policy that dictated what officers could or could not do.Before Potter took the stand, a witness called by her lawyers testified that police officers can mistakenly draw their guns instead of their Tasers under high-stress situations because their ingrained training takes over.Laurence Miller, a psychologist who teaches at Florida Atlantic University, said Friday that the more someone repeats the same act, the less they have to think about it and there can be circumstances during a stressful situation in which someone's normal reactions may be “hijacked.”The death of Wright set off angry demonstrations for several days in Brooklyn Center. It happened as another white officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd.Prosecutors argue that Potter was an experienced officer who had been thoroughly trained in the use of a Taser, including warnings about the danger of confusing one with a handgun. They have to prove recklessness or culpable negligence in order to win a conviction on the manslaughter charges.Miller said that when a person learns a new skill, memory of an old skill might override that, resulting in an “action error” in which an intended action has an unintended effect.”You intend to do one thing, think you’re doing that thing, but do something else and only realize later that the action that you intended was not the one you took,” he said.Miller said it happens all the time and is often trivial, like writing the wrong year on a check early in January. There are also more serious examples of action error, such as when a doctor might use an old approach to treat someone even after being trained in a newer one, he said.The person committing the error, “thinks they are performing one action when they are performing something else,” Miller said. When the intended result does not occur, they realize it, he said.“If it’s a high-stress circumstance, extremely high arousal” the person is more susceptible to making a mistake that can put their life in danger, said Miller, who said the most typical example of “weapon confusion” is when an officer confuses a gun for a Taser.He said it is called “slip and capture,” meaning that under a state of high arousal and hyper focus, the ability to choose the correct response slips away and is “captured” by the more baked-in knowledge that a person has had for a longer time.Some experts are skeptical of the theory. Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina who is not involved in Potter's trial, has said there’s no science behind it.On cross-examination, prosecutor Erin Eldridge read to Miller from a 2010 article he wrote in which he described how police can avoid what he termed “one big mistake.” He wrote that many such mistakes are preventable through proper training and practice.Eldridge said the term slip and capture has been termed “junk science” and has no foundation in the general field of psychology. Miller said the term is not common, but the theory behind it is.The defense began its case on Thursday.The case is being heard by a mostly white jury.___Associated Press writers Tammy Webber in Fenton, Michigan, and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

MINNEAPOLIS —

Warning: This live video may contain graphic images and intense language. Viewer discretion is advised.

The suburban Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright testified Friday that the traffic stop “just went chaotic” after Wright tried to get back into his car and leave.

Kim Potter, who is charged with manslaughter in Wright’s April 11 death, said she saw a look of fear on another officer’s face before she fired.

“I remember yelling, Taser, Taser, Taser, and nothing happened, and then he told me I shot him,” Potter said through tears.

It was the first time the former Brooklyn Center officer publicly spoke in detail about the shooting. Potter, 49, has said she meant to draw her Taser instead of her gun when she shot the 20-year-old Wright during an April 11 traffic stop as he was trying to drive away from officers seeking to arrest him on a weapons possession warrant.

Video of the shooting recorded by officers’ body cameras showed Potter shouting “I’ll tase you!” and “Taser, Taser, Taser!” before she fired once.

Potter’s attorneys have argued that she made a mistake but also would have been within her rights to use deadly force if she had meant to because another officer was at risk of being dragged by Wright’s car.

Prosecutors say Potter was an experienced officer who had extensive training in Taser use and the use of deadly force, and that her actions were unreasonable.

Potter testified that she had no training on “weapons confusion,” saying it was something mentioned in training but not something they were physically trained on. She also said never used her Taser while on duty during her 26 years on the force.

Potter, who was training another officer, Anthony Luckey, said Luckey noticed Wright’s car in a turn lane with the signal turned on inappropriately. The two of them talked a little bit about suspicious activity, and he saw an air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror as well as expired tags.

She said Luckey wanted to stop the vehicle, though she would “most likely” not have done so if she’d been on patrol by herself, citing the lengthy delays for Minnesota drivers to renew vehicle tags at that point of the coronavirus pandemic. But she said after they found that Wright had a bench warrant for a weapons violation, they were required to arrest him because the warrant “was an order of the court.”

She said they were also required to find out who Wright’s female passenger was, because a woman — a different one, it turned out — had taken out a restraining order against him.

Under cross-examination by prosecutor Erin Eldridge, Potter agreed that her use of force training was a “key component” to being an officer. Potter testified that she was also trained on when to use force, how much force to use, and that there was also a policy that dictated what officers could or could not do.

Before Potter took the stand, a witness called by her lawyers testified that police officers can mistakenly draw their guns instead of their Tasers under high-stress situations because their ingrained training takes over.

Laurence Miller, a psychologist who teaches at Florida Atlantic University, said Friday that the more someone repeats the same act, the less they have to think about it and there can be circumstances during a stressful situation in which someone's normal reactions may be “hijacked.”

The death of Wright set off angry demonstrations for several days in Brooklyn Center. It happened as another white officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd.

Prosecutors argue that Potter was an experienced officer who had been thoroughly trained in the use of a Taser, including warnings about the danger of confusing one with a handgun. They have to prove recklessness or culpable negligence in order to win a conviction on the manslaughter charges.

Miller said that when a person learns a new skill, memory of an old skill might override that, resulting in an “action error” in which an intended action has an unintended effect.

”You intend to do one thing, think you’re doing that thing, but do something else and only realize later that the action that you intended was not the one you took,” he said.

Miller said it happens all the time and is often trivial, like writing the wrong year on a check early in January. There are also more serious examples of action error, such as when a doctor might use an old approach to treat someone even after being trained in a newer one, he said.

The person committing the error, “thinks they are performing one action when they are performing something else,” Miller said. When the intended result does not occur, they realize it, he said.

“If it’s a high-stress circumstance, extremely high arousal” the person is more susceptible to making a mistake that can put their life in danger, said Miller, who said the most typical example of “weapon confusion” is when an officer confuses a gun for a Taser.

He said it is called “slip and capture,” meaning that under a state of high arousal and hyper focus, the ability to choose the correct response slips away and is “captured” by the more baked-in knowledge that a person has had for a longer time.

Some experts are skeptical of the theory. Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina who is not involved in Potter's trial, has said there’s no science behind it.

On cross-examination, prosecutor Erin Eldridge read to Miller from a 2010 article he wrote in which he described how police can avoid what he termed “one big mistake.” He wrote that many such mistakes are preventable through proper training and practice.

Eldridge said the term slip and capture has been termed “junk science” and has no foundation in the general field of psychology. Miller said the term is not common, but the theory behind it is.

The defense began its case on Thursday.

The case is being heard by a mostly white jury.

___

Associated Press writers Tammy Webber in Fenton, Michigan, and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

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Former Cincinnati police officer back in the academy 25 years later

cincylink — Sat, 20 Nov 2021 00:17:13 +0000

Among the group of Cincinnati police recruits currently training at the police academy is a former officer who is a testament to the saying "never give up."Darryl Williams, 57, has been through the academy once before. He graduated from it in 1997 and served on the Cincinnati police department for several years. Williams worked as a patrol officer in district three until 2006 when his oldest daughter accepted a scholarship officer to play at a premier sports academy in Florida. The family moved to Florida and Williams left his dream job behind.In February, he will graduate from trainee to officer again, this time almost 25 years later."I think I still have something to offer. I think I still have something to give back. I left in a time that I really didn't want to leave but I left for my family, but I still feel I have a whole lot to give to the city of Cincinnati," Williams said. Williams said it was always in his heart to come back to policing. He said he was a community-oriented police officer "before they had that name."He hopes his determination inspires others who are considering going into policing, especially as police recruitment has grown more difficult. "Never give up. I applied since leaving the department at least five or six times. Never gave up, never gave up hope," he said. "Hopefully other people will see if he's 56 or 57 and can do it, maybe at 35, 34 I can do it."Williams has lost thirty pounds since training started. He said the physical challenges have been different this time around."I used to be the number one or two in running, pushups, sit-ups. It's sort of humbling to come in and now I'm struggling," he joked. He said his fellow recruits are respectful but tease him about his age."They all call me 56 but I guess they're gonna have to change it 'cause I had a birthday in October. I'm 57 now," he said. Lt. Col. Mike John, one of the department's assistant chiefs, graduated in the 83rd class with Williams. "If I even go back 25 years, he wasn't the youngest in the class then. He was someone that we all looked up to. He was actually somewhat of a father figure to us," John said. "He is the type of person we want policing the streets of Cincinnati."John said Williams used to pray for the class every day. He was also admired for his physical fitness. "We used to call him Big Daddy," John said. "We actually changed his nickname when we started doing defensive tactics and ground fighting. We called him Big Damage."Williams said he has learned a lot from his fellow recruits, especially on the technology front."I've never owned a laptop before so I had to get one for this class. Everything we did was hand-written, complaints, everything," he said. "I had been typing for days, wasn't saving anything. So one of my recruits had to say 'Mr. Williams, every now and then you have to save something.'"He is sharing his knowledge and experience with the younger recruits, many of whom are half his age."I think I can help the young people understand exactly what they're getting into. I think a lot of them don't really understand what they're about to see. Some of the things they're going to see and do, they're never going to be able to take out their mind," he said. A lot changes in 25 years, but John said Williams has remained the same. "The temperament he has now is exactly the same as he had back in 1997 to the point where he left in 2006. He's not changed," John said. "He is the absolute servant leader."

CINCINNATI —

Among the group of Cincinnati police recruits currently training at the police academy is a former officer who is a testament to the saying "never give up."

Darryl Williams, 57, has been through the academy once before. He graduated from it in 1997 and served on the Cincinnati police department for several years. Williams worked as a patrol officer in district three until 2006 when his oldest daughter accepted a scholarship officer to play at a premier sports academy in Florida. The family moved to Florida and Williams left his dream job behind.

In February, he will graduate from trainee to officer again, this time almost 25 years later.

"I think I still have something to offer. I think I still have something to give back. I left in a time that I really didn't want to leave but I left for my family, but I still feel I have a whole lot to give to the city of Cincinnati," Williams said.

Williams said it was always in his heart to come back to policing. He said he was a community-oriented police officer "before they had that name."

He hopes his determination inspires others who are considering going into policing, especially as police recruitment has grown more difficult.

"Never give up. I applied since leaving the department at least five or six times. Never gave up, never gave up hope," he said. "Hopefully other people will see if he's 56 or 57 and can do it, maybe at 35, 34 I can do it."

Williams has lost thirty pounds since training started. He said the physical challenges have been different this time around.

"I used to be the number one or two in running, pushups, sit-ups. It's sort of humbling to come in and now I'm struggling," he joked.

He said his fellow recruits are respectful but tease him about his age.

"They all call me 56 but I guess they're gonna have to change it 'cause I had a birthday in October. I'm 57 now," he said.

Lt. Col. Mike John, one of the department's assistant chiefs, graduated in the 83rd class with Williams.

"If I even go back 25 years, he wasn't the youngest in the class then. He was someone that we all looked up to. He was actually somewhat of a father figure to us," John said. "He is the type of person we want policing the streets of Cincinnati."

John said Williams used to pray for the class every day. He was also admired for his physical fitness.

"We used to call him Big Daddy," John said. "We actually changed his nickname when we started doing defensive tactics and ground fighting. We called him Big Damage."

Williams said he has learned a lot from his fellow recruits, especially on the technology front.

"I've never owned a laptop before so I had to get one for this class. Everything we did was hand-written, complaints, everything," he said. "I had been typing for days, wasn't saving anything. So one of my recruits had to say 'Mr. Williams, every now and then you have to save something.'"

He is sharing his knowledge and experience with the younger recruits, many of whom are half his age.

"I think I can help the young people understand exactly what they're getting into. I think a lot of them don't really understand what they're about to see. Some of the things they're going to see and do, they're never going to be able to take out their mind," he said.

A lot changes in 25 years, but John said Williams has remained the same.

"The temperament he has now is exactly the same as he had back in 1997 to the point where he left in 2006. He's not changed," John said. "He is the absolute servant leader."

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Police officer killed weeks after father urged him to leave law enforcement

cincylink — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 04:09:02 +0000

Just weeks ago, Dylan Harrison's father tried to persuade him to leave law enforcement to be an electrician. Instead, Harrison redoubled his commitment to policing.On his first part-time shift with a new agency, Harrison was shot dead last weekend in Middle Georgia. He'd sought the second job to supplement his full-time duties with a drug task force elsewhere in the state.Related video: Several cities across America confront aftermath of violent weekendAhead of Harrison's funeral Friday, his relatives remembered a man always drawn to public service and to doing well by his wife and infant son.He is among at least 111 U.S. law enforcement officers who have died this year in the line of duty from nonmedical causes, according to a nonprofit that tracks such deaths."(Harrison's father) was trying so hard to get him to apply for a job in the electrical field," because he had just obtained his electrician's certificate, Harrison's mother, Kathy Harrison, told CNN affiliate WGXA this week."(But) he told me a few weeks ago ... 'Daddy, I love what I'm doing. I love helping people,'" the father, Jeff Harrison, said.Harrison's uncle shared a similar memory: "He told us that he wouldn't be happy unless he was a law enforcement officer," Michael Cauley told the local TV station. "That's just what he loved doing."'The kindest, sweetest soul you would ever meet'Harrison, 26, of Dublin, Georgia, already was a full-time agent with the Oconee Drug Task Force.But to earn extra money, his family says, he'd recently taken a part-time job as a police officer in Alamo, about a 30-mile drive from Dublin and a 160-mile drive southeast of Atlanta.During his first shift in Alamo, Harrison was fatally shot around 1 a.m. ET Saturday outside the police department, police said. Investigators believe Harrison was shot "ambush-style" in retaliation for an encounter hours earlier in which he used his Taser on a known associate of the man now jailed and charged with killing him, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a news release.On Monday, police vehicles escorted a hearse with Harrison's remains from the bureau's crime lab in Atlanta to Dublin.His parents and other family members stood alongside a road there and watched the hearse drive into town. WGXA interviewed Harrison's parents and Cauley then.The 26-year-old was jovial and a prankster, Cauley told WGXA."He was just always happy and smiling. You see the pictures of him, he's got these two dimples, and that just sums up what he was like. He was just a very happy, jovial guy. He'll be missed."His survivors also include his wife, Heather Milks Harrison, and son, Brody Cash Harrison."I wish y'all could have known him," Kathy Harrison told WGXA. "He was the kindest, sweetest soul you would ever meet."Suspect faces murder and other chargesAuthorities have arrested Damien Ferguson, 43, of Alamo, on suspicion of killing Harrison. He was charged with murder and bias motivated intimidation of first responders in connection with the shooting, and aggravated stalking for a separate incident, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.Ferguson had an initial court appearance Tuesday but has not had a chance to enter a plea. He did not have a lawyer listed for him on Thursday, according to the clerk's office in Laurens County, where Ferguson was jailed.Harrison had taken the part-time job in Alamo to earn more money "to buy a new house," the uncle, Michael Cauley, told WGXA.But his affinity for civic service ran deep, Cauley said."He joined the ... volunteer fire department when he was 16, 18 years old," Cauley told the TV station. "He just dedicated his life to service, and that's what he was all about."Harrison held several public safety jobs as an adult. He had been a full-time firefighter at Southside Fire Department on Georgia's Wilmington Island before working as a 911 operator for Laurens County, according to his obituary.He also had been a part-time police officer with Middle Georgia College, the city of Cochran, and the East Dublin Police Department.Harrison's funeral is scheduled for Friday morning at the DuBose Porter conference center in Dublin.Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp offered his condolences to Harrison's family Saturday on Twitter.Alamo Police Chief Karen Zanders had "never experienced a grief that I have felt since Officer Dylan Harrison's life was taken in our small, quiet town," she said."Officer Harrison was a husband, a son and, more importantly, he was the father of a 6-month-old boy," Zanders told reporters on Sunday."His life was taken from him for simply doing his job," she said. "We will never forget Officer Harrison and the fact that he made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of each one of us."

MACON, Ga. —

Just weeks ago, Dylan Harrison's father tried to persuade him to leave law enforcement to be an electrician. Instead, Harrison redoubled his commitment to policing.

On his first part-time shift with a new agency, Harrison was shot dead last weekend in Middle Georgia. He'd sought the second job to supplement his full-time duties with a drug task force elsewhere in the state.

Related video: Several cities across America confront aftermath of violent weekend

Ahead of Harrison's funeral Friday, his relatives remembered a man always drawn to public service and to doing well by his wife and infant son.

He is among at least 111 U.S. law enforcement officers who have died this year in the line of duty from nonmedical causes, according to a nonprofit that tracks such deaths.

"(Harrison's father) was trying so hard to get him to apply for a job in the electrical field," because he had just obtained his electrician's certificate, Harrison's mother, Kathy Harrison, told CNN affiliate WGXA this week.

"(But) he told me a few weeks ago ... 'Daddy, I love what I'm doing. I love helping people,'" the father, Jeff Harrison, said.

Harrison's uncle shared a similar memory: "He told us that he wouldn't be happy unless he was a law enforcement officer," Michael Cauley told the local TV station. "That's just what he loved doing."

'The kindest, sweetest soul you would ever meet'

Harrison, 26, of Dublin, Georgia, already was a full-time agent with the Oconee Drug Task Force.

But to earn extra money, his family says, he'd recently taken a part-time job as a police officer in Alamo, about a 30-mile drive from Dublin and a 160-mile drive southeast of Atlanta.

During his first shift in Alamo, Harrison was fatally shot around 1 a.m. ET Saturday outside the police department, police said. Investigators believe Harrison was shot "ambush-style" in retaliation for an encounter hours earlier in which he used his Taser on a known associate of the man now jailed and charged with killing him, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a news release.

On Monday, police vehicles escorted a hearse with Harrison's remains from the bureau's crime lab in Atlanta to Dublin.

His parents and other family members stood alongside a road there and watched the hearse drive into town. WGXA interviewed Harrison's parents and Cauley then.

The 26-year-old was jovial and a prankster, Cauley told WGXA.

"He was just always happy and smiling. You see the pictures of him, he's got these two dimples, and that just sums up what he was like. He was just a very happy, jovial guy. He'll be missed."

His survivors also include his wife, Heather Milks Harrison, and son, Brody Cash Harrison.

"I wish y'all could have known him," Kathy Harrison told WGXA. "He was the kindest, sweetest soul you would ever meet."

Suspect faces murder and other charges

Authorities have arrested Damien Ferguson, 43, of Alamo, on suspicion of killing Harrison. He was charged with murder and bias motivated intimidation of first responders in connection with the shooting, and aggravated stalking for a separate incident, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

Ferguson had an initial court appearance Tuesday but has not had a chance to enter a plea. He did not have a lawyer listed for him on Thursday, according to the clerk's office in Laurens County, where Ferguson was jailed.

Harrison had taken the part-time job in Alamo to earn more money "to buy a new house," the uncle, Michael Cauley, told WGXA.

But his affinity for civic service ran deep, Cauley said.

"He joined the ... volunteer fire department when he was 16, 18 years old," Cauley told the TV station. "He just dedicated his life to service, and that's what he was all about."

Harrison held several public safety jobs as an adult. He had been a full-time firefighter at Southside Fire Department on Georgia's Wilmington Island before working as a 911 operator for Laurens County, according to his obituary.

He also had been a part-time police officer with Middle Georgia College, the city of Cochran, and the East Dublin Police Department.

Harrison's funeral is scheduled for Friday morning at the DuBose Porter conference center in Dublin.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp offered his condolences to Harrison's family Saturday on Twitter.

Alamo Police Chief Karen Zanders had "never experienced a grief that I have felt since Officer Dylan Harrison's life was taken in our small, quiet town," she said.

"Officer Harrison was a husband, a son and, more importantly, he was the father of a 6-month-old boy," Zanders told reporters on Sunday.

"His life was taken from him for simply doing his job," she said. "We will never forget Officer Harrison and the fact that he made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of each one of us."

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The first officer who responded to Colorado shooting scene was killed. He leaves behind 7 children

cincylink — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 04:38:26 +0000

Officer Eric Talley was the first officer to respond to reports of an armed man inside a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday — and it's where the father of seven died after actions that were described as "heroic" by officials.The member of the Boulder Police Department was one of 10 people killed when a gunman opened fire at the King Soopers store. Officials have not disclosed the names of the other victims.Talley, 51, had been a member of the force since 2010, according to Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold."Didn't surprise me he was the first one there," Talley's father, Homer Talley, told KUSA.He is survived by his wife and seven children, the oldest of whom is 20, according to his father."He loved his family more than anything," Homer Talley said.He described his son as a prankster with a "great sense of humor," the affiliate reported.In 2013, Talley was among a small group of Boulder officers who made headlines after a duckling rescue from a drainage ditch. The officer had "waded into the calf-deep water to try to round up the ducks" and save them, the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder had reported.Talley is the first officer from the Boulder police department to be killed in the line of duty since 1994 and the sixth on-duty death in the department's history, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.According to KUSA, Homer Talley said his son had recently been looking into becoming a drone operator because he believed it was safer.He was the first on sceneTalley arrived on scene just minutes after the first 911 calls came in reporting shots fired around 2:30 p.m. local time, Herold said Monday night."I have to tell you the heroic action of this officer when he responded to the scene," the chief said, adding that Talley responded after "a phone call about a possible person with a patrol rifle.""Officer Talley responded to the scene, was first on the scene, and he was fatally shot," Herold said.The fallen officer "served in numerous roles supporting the Boulder Police Department and the community of Boulder," the chief told reporters.He was remembered as "one of the outstanding officers" by the county's district attorney."My heart goes out to Eric Talley's family, his loved ones, and his colleagues," Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty said. "He was, by all accounts, one of the outstanding officers of the Boulder Police Department, and his life was cut far too short, as he responded to the shooting that was taking place at King Soopers."Multiple law enforcement agencies held a rolling vigil in Talley's honor Monday night.Local, state and federal partners are all working on the investigation into the shooting, along with prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office "to ensure that justice is done," Dougherty told reporters."I promise the victims and the people of the state of Colorado, that we will secure justice and do everything we must do to get justice in this case, in order for that to happen, a painstaking investigation is already underway, both at the crime scene and in interviews to make sure we receive all the accurate information," the district attorney said."For all the victims who were killed at King Soopers, these were people going about their day, doing their food shopping, and their lives were cut abruptly and tragically short by the shooter, who is now in custody," Dougherty added.

BOULDER, Colo. —

Officer Eric Talley was the first officer to respond to reports of an armed man inside a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday — and it's where the father of seven died after actions that were described as "heroic" by officials.

The member of the Boulder Police Department was one of 10 people killed when a gunman opened fire at the King Soopers store. Officials have not disclosed the names of the other victims.

Talley, 51, had been a member of the force since 2010, according to Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold.

"Didn't surprise me he was the first one there," Talley's father, Homer Talley, told KUSA.

He is survived by his wife and seven children, the oldest of whom is 20, according to his father.

"He loved his family more than anything," Homer Talley said.

He described his son as a prankster with a "great sense of humor," the affiliate reported.
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In 2013, Talley was among a small group of Boulder officers who made headlines after a duckling rescue from a drainage ditch. The officer had "waded into the calf-deep water to try to round up the ducks" and save them, the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder had reported.

Talley is the first officer from the Boulder police department to be killed in the line of duty since 1994 and the sixth on-duty death in the department's history, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

According to KUSA, Homer Talley said his son had recently been looking into becoming a drone operator because he believed it was safer.

He was the first on scene

Talley arrived on scene just minutes after the first 911 calls came in reporting shots fired around 2:30 p.m. local time, Herold said Monday night.

"I have to tell you the heroic action of this officer when he responded to the scene," the chief said, adding that Talley responded after "a phone call about a possible person with a patrol rifle."

"Officer Talley responded to the scene, was first on the scene, and he was fatally shot," Herold said.
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The fallen officer "served in numerous roles supporting the Boulder Police Department and the community of Boulder," the chief told reporters.

He was remembered as "one of the outstanding officers" by the county's district attorney.

"My heart goes out to Eric Talley's family, his loved ones, and his colleagues," Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty said. "He was, by all accounts, one of the outstanding officers of the Boulder Police Department, and his life was cut far too short, as he responded to the shooting that was taking place at King Soopers."

Multiple law enforcement agencies held a rolling vigil in Talley's honor Monday night.

Local, state and federal partners are all working on the investigation into the shooting, along with prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office "to ensure that justice is done," Dougherty told reporters.

"I promise the victims and the people of the state of Colorado, that we will secure justice and do everything we must do to get justice in this case, in order for that to happen, a painstaking investigation is already underway, both at the crime scene and in interviews to make sure we receive all the accurate information," the district attorney said.

"For all the victims who were killed at King Soopers, these were people going about their day, doing their food shopping, and their lives were cut abruptly and tragically short by the shooter, who is now in custody," Dougherty added.

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Remorseful man praises Cincinnati officer after close call caught on body camera

cincylink — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 04:39:11 +0000

The man at the center of gripping police body camera video says he is remorseful and lucky to be alive. Tony Timberlake had just retrieved a gun from his car during a volatile scene on Hawaiian Terrace last month. There were several children and police officers in the immediate area.Officer Deon Mack, one of several Cincinnati police officers on scene, spotted the gun in his hand and drew his weapon. "Hey! Put that s*** down. F*** wrong with you!? Put that s*** down." Mack yelled.It stunned Timberlake and he put the gun down. Cincinnati police leadership said many less experienced officers would have fired their weapon."It's just like a flashback came back like wow," Timberlake said, explaining how he felt when he saw the video for the first time. "I was not tryna hurt nobody. I was just trying to protect my family, you know? And I wasn't gonna shoot nobody. Just put it in my holster, come back and sit down."Police were responding to a juvenile throwing a brick through the home where Timberlake, his fiance and several children live."In response to that, his juvenile ran outside and grabbed one of the kids and assaulted him. Then those children went and got their families and their friends of families," Mack explained, estimating that the scene quickly grew to several dozen people. "You almost forced me and many others to take your life," Mack is heard saying to Timberlake on his body camera video. "And that would have been so unfair, not only to you, not only to your family but to us.""I lost my head. I'm sorry," Timberlake responded.He told WLWT he had no intention of shooting anyone but wanted the gun on his for protection. It was not loaded. Mack said within a few seconds, he saw that there was no magazine in the gun but did not know if there was a bullet in the chamber. Mack said he was aware that several people at the scene threatened Timberlake and his family, saying they would come back to their apartment once police left.That encouraged Mack to push for Timberlake to be released and not arrested. Timberlake does not have a criminal history, and he said his gun is legally registered. He does not have a CCW permit."The only real reason you are being cut a break is because I really have compassion for your family, and I have compassion for your family because when we leave here, they need somebody to help protect them," Mack said."I was just so grateful and thanked God that he did not or they did not, all of them, did not shoot him," said Sabrina Clark, Timberlake's fiance. "That would have killed me literally, 'cause he was here tryna be for our family, tryna protect us."Clark watched the entire encounter."I've done seen so much that cops been going through and at the blink of an eye, when a man pulls out a gun, they don't know what that man is gonna do," she said. Mack said after the scene quieted down, she thanked him for sparing Timberlake's life.Timberlake was charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. He said he appreciates Mack and was glad he was responded that day."He's a good person and he was doing his job. He made sure nothing happened," he said. "He's a good cop. If it wasn't for him, there's no telling what would happen."

CINCINNATI —

The man at the center of gripping police body camera video says he is remorseful and lucky to be alive.

Tony Timberlake had just retrieved a gun from his car during a volatile scene on Hawaiian Terrace last month. There were several children and police officers in the immediate area.

Officer Deon Mack, one of several Cincinnati police officers on scene, spotted the gun in his hand and drew his weapon.

"Hey! Put that s*** down. F*** wrong with you!? Put that s*** down." Mack yelled.

It stunned Timberlake and he put the gun down. Cincinnati police leadership said many less experienced officers would have fired their weapon.

"It's just like a flashback came back like wow," Timberlake said, explaining how he felt when he saw the video for the first time. "I was not tryna hurt nobody. I was just trying to protect my family, you know? And I wasn't gonna shoot nobody. Just put it in my holster, come back and sit down."

Police were responding to a juvenile throwing a brick through the home where Timberlake, his fiance and several children live.

"In response to that, his juvenile ran outside and grabbed one of the kids and assaulted him. Then those children went and got their families and their friends of families," Mack explained, estimating that the scene quickly grew to several dozen people.

"You almost forced me and many others to take your life," Mack is heard saying to Timberlake on his body camera video. "And that would have been so unfair, not only to you, not only to your family but to us."

"I lost my head. I'm sorry," Timberlake responded.

He told WLWT he had no intention of shooting anyone but wanted the gun on his for protection. It was not loaded. Mack said within a few seconds, he saw that there was no magazine in the gun but did not know if there was a bullet in the chamber.

Mack said he was aware that several people at the scene threatened Timberlake and his family, saying they would come back to their apartment once police left.

That encouraged Mack to push for Timberlake to be released and not arrested.

Timberlake does not have a criminal history, and he said his gun is legally registered. He does not have a CCW permit.

"The only real reason you are being cut a break is because I really have compassion for your family, and I have compassion for your family because when we leave here, they need somebody to help protect them," Mack said.

"I was just so grateful and thanked God that he did not or they did not, all of them, did not shoot him," said Sabrina Clark, Timberlake's fiance. "That would have killed me literally, 'cause he was here tryna be for our family, tryna protect us."

Clark watched the entire encounter.

"I've done seen so much that cops been going through and at the blink of an eye, when a man pulls out a gun, they don't know what that man is gonna do," she said.

Mack said after the scene quieted down, she thanked him for sparing Timberlake's life.

Timberlake was charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. He said he appreciates Mack and was glad he was responded that day.

"He's a good person and he was doing his job. He made sure nothing happened," he said. "He's a good cop. If it wasn't for him, there's no telling what would happen."

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Police officer in Ohio on paid leave after running over gunshot victim with cruiser

cincylink — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 04:07:32 +0000

Officials in Ohio are investigating after a police officer in Springfield ran over a gunshot victim with her cruiser while responding to the incident on Sunday night.

That victim, 42-year-old Eric Eugene Cole, later died at a nearby hospital.

The Springfield Police Department placed Officer Amanda Rosales on paid administrative leave after dashcam video shows she ran over Cole, who called 911 for assistance with a gunshot wound.

According to WHIO-TV in Dayton, Ohio, the incident occurred at 11:15 p.m. on Sunday night. Cole had just called 911 and told dispatchers he had been shot.

"I'm in the middle of the street," Cole told 911 dispatchers according to records obtained by WHIO. "I'm about to die."

Cole remained on the phone with dispatchers as sirens blared in the background.

"They just hit me...the police," Cole told dispatchers.

Dashcam footage obtained by the Dayton Daily News shows a cruiser run over Cole, who was lying in the street. The video shows officers immediately provide aid to the victim.

Springfield Police Chief Lee Graf has said that Rosales was attempting to read house addresses in an attempt to find Cole and did not see him in the roadway.

WHIO reports that Cole was rushed to a local hospital, and he was later life-flighted to a second hospital in the region. He died early Monday morning.

According to an autopsy report obtained by WHIO, Cole had been shot in the left arm. He also suffered a fractured sternum, multiple fractured ribs, had suffered internal bleeding and experienced "blunt force trauma to his arms, knees and legs."

The coroner has not yet determined Cole's cause of death.

The Springfield News Sun reports that the Ohio State Highway Patrol is conducting an investigation into the incident.

"This was an accident," Graf said during a press conference on Wednesday. "That doesn't mean it's OK. This was not an intentional act by the officer. I am sure of that."

According to the News Sun, the local NAACP chapter is calling for transparency in the investigation.

"This is why Springfield has an NAACP," Denise Williams, President of the Springfield NAACP, told the Sun Times. "We will get all the answers. Our arms spread wide."

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Pennsylvania police officer saves 9-day-old baby after she stopped breathing

cincylink — Thu, 27 May 2021 04:38:19 +0000

Pennsylvania police Officer Kristin Mitrisin was driving through the city of Pittsburgh on Saturday to take drugs collected during her department's drug take-back event to a facility when a father began flagging her down in traffic. "I heard beeping next to me. I looked over to the side, I saw a gentleman waving in his car," said Mitrisin. "I put down my window and I asked him 'Sir, do you need help with something?' He said 'Yes, I need you to get me to the hospital my baby is not breathing.'"Mitrisin said it took a second to register what he had just said."I said 'Sir, did you just say your baby is not breathing,' and he said 'Yes, my baby is not breathing' and I said 'You need to pull over right here. I have to help you here,'" said Mitrisin.Mitrisin said she performed CPR on the tailgate of the police pickup truck that she was only driving to transport boxes, in a community where she wouldn't typically be. "The baby finally took a gasp for air after about a minute of CPR," Mitrisin said. The officer said after a few more rounds of CPR, the baby, Olivia, began to cry. Mitrisin said the paramedics were still minutes away, but a new nearby emergency room was just seconds away. "I put the mother and the baby right in the police car we went right there. We were there in 20 seconds," said Mitrisn. "I took the baby from the mother and ran it into the doctors."According to the GoFundMe set up for Olivia's family, the doctors found the baby girl was living with a heart condition. "I just ask everyone to pray for the baby I hope she's able to make a strong recovery," said Mitrisin. "I'm just thankful I was there to help them on that day."

Pennsylvania police Officer Kristin Mitrisin was driving through the city of Pittsburgh on Saturday to take drugs collected during her department's drug take-back event to a facility when a father began flagging her down in traffic.

"I heard beeping next to me. I looked over to the side, I saw a gentleman waving in his car," said Mitrisin. "I put down my window and I asked him 'Sir, do you need help with something?' He said 'Yes, I need you to get me to the hospital my baby is not breathing.'"

Mitrisin said it took a second to register what he had just said.

"I said 'Sir, did you just say your baby is not breathing,' and he said 'Yes, my baby is not breathing' and I said 'You need to pull over right here. I have to help you here,'" said Mitrisin.

Mitrisin said she performed CPR on the tailgate of the police pickup truck that she was only driving to transport boxes, in a community where she wouldn't typically be.

"The baby finally took a gasp for air after about a minute of CPR," Mitrisin said.

The officer said after a few more rounds of CPR, the baby, Olivia, began to cry. Mitrisin said the paramedics were still minutes away, but a new nearby emergency room was just seconds away.

"I put the mother and the baby right in the police car we went right there. We were there in 20 seconds," said Mitrisn. "I took the baby from the mother and ran it into the doctors."

According to the GoFundMe set up for Olivia's family, the doctors found the baby girl was living with a heart condition.

"I just ask everyone to pray for the baby I hope she's able to make a strong recovery," said Mitrisin. "I'm just thankful I was there to help them on that day."

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Erlanger officer struck by car while helping children cross street

cincylink — Sat, 22 May 2021 04:19:06 +0000

An Erlanger police officer was struck by a car Friday morning while helping children cross the street. It happened around 7:45 a.m. at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Baker Street near Lloyd High School.The officer appears to have minor injuries, officials said, and was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment. The driver of the vehicle stayed on the scene and is cooperating with detectives. Authorities say the officer – who has not been named – works this detail every morning, directing traffic and helping children cross the street. Officials say all of the children were out of the crosswalk when the officer was struck. WLWT has a crew on the scene and will update this story as details develop.

ERLANGER, Ky. —

An Erlanger police officer was struck by a car Friday morning while helping children cross the street.

It happened around 7:45 a.m. at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Baker Street near Lloyd High School.

The officer appears to have minor injuries, officials said, and was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment.

The driver of the vehicle stayed on the scene and is cooperating with detectives.

Authorities say the officer – who has not been named – works this detail every morning, directing traffic and helping children cross the street.

Officials say all of the children were out of the crosswalk when the officer was struck.

WLWT has a crew on the scene and will update this story as details develop.

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