Springettsbury
chief requests investigation in alleged police brutality cases
Police Chief Thomas Hyers said Friday that he is requesting
an investigation over two videos allegedly showing police brutality. He said he
also has put the officers in question on desk duty. A news release issued
Friday afternoon said Hyers had requested that District Attorney Tom Kearney's
Office and the Chief of York County Detectives Darryl Albright conduct an
investigation involving the two cases. Cpl. Gregory Hadfield, Patrolman Chad
Moyer and Patrolman William Polizzotto are on administrative desk duty until
the outcome of the investigation. Hyers said he will have a news conference
Tuesday morning at the police station to release additional information.
Reported earlier
Two federal civil rights lawsuits allege that two people
were beaten by Springettsbury Township police in separate incidents that were
both captured on video. Both cases filed Thursday involve allegations against
township Patrolman Chad Moyer, and one involves allegations against a second
officer. Dashboard camera videos released by attorney Devon Jacob show an
officer, identified by Jacob as Moyer, apparently punching a handcuffed woman
and kneeing a man who, the lawsuit alleges, suffered five broken ribs. Chief
Thomas Hyers said Thursday that the township had yet to be served any
paperwork. Hyers said he will make an official statement next week.
The woman, Debra Williams, was handcuffed in the back of a
police cruiser when she was allegedly struck and an officer grabbed her neck,
according to the lawsuit. Police were detaining her on April 2, 2011, after
they responded to a domestic dispute. Williams was being restrained by her husband
when police arrived, according to the lawsuit.
Williams was "emotionally ill" at the time, the
suit says, yelling that she wanted to die and asking police to shoot her. She
suffered from anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder, the lawsuit says.
After cuffing her and getting her into the police cruiser,
the lawsuit says, Officer Gregory Hadfield punched her at least two times in
the face and upper body and grabbed her neck. The video also shows an officer
Jacob identified as Moyer punching and slapping Williams at least twice.
The edited video originally provided by Jacob doesn't have
any sound and shows the officers striking Williams. The full version, also
provided by Jacob, shows Williams threatening the officers, kicking the divider
glass in the cruiser and telling the officers to close the door so she
"pound" her head.
She also curses throughout the video and said "I'm
gonna kill y'all."
The other lawsuit, filed by Steven Landis, alleges that
Moyer threw him to the ground and kneed him in the ribs. Another officer,
William Polizzotto, used a Taser on Landis while he was on the ground, the
lawsuit states. Landis was stopped while he was walking in the area of Eden and
Sand Bank roads on Aug. 5, 2012, and had been wanted on a misdemeanor warrant issued
by Northern York County Regional Police stemming from a domestic dispute.
Before Moyer knew of the warrant, he asked Landis, who he
found walking along the road just before midnight, if he needed help or a ride
home.
When Moyer tried to handcuff Landis, Landis pulled his arms
back.
While he was on the ground, according to the lawsuit, Landis
pleaded with Moyer to stop, that the officer was hurting him, to which Moyer
replied, "Yeah, well I am going to hurt you more."
Polizzotto had a dog, Petro, with him and, according to the
lawsuit, Moyer said, "I got a dog here. Listen, I got a dog here. If you
want to get bit, you are going to get bit." The lawsuit alleges that
Moyer, before kneeing Landis in the ribs, breaking five, told Landis, "You
are going to get (bleeped) up."
After Landis was in handcuffs, the video shows the officer
explaining to Landis that he had a warrant for a domestic incident earlier that
evening.
Landis charged that police refused to get him medical
attention for the injuries he suffered during his arrest.
Jacob said Landis suffers from Huntington's disease - a
neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination and leads
to cognitive decline and psychiatric problems, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Both lawsuits allege that officers filed false police
reports to cover up the alleged brutality.
Jacob, a former police officer, said, "It's a very
troubling case. That you have the same officer from the same department on two
videos (hitting suspects) and obviously nothing was done and the officer is
still on the street is very troublesome."
Jacob said Williams saw him on a news interview and
approached him about representing her, while Landis' criminal attorney reach
out to his firm.
Jacob said both plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages in
the form of medical expenses, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.
He said Landis went to the hospital for his rib injury, and
although Williams did not receive medical treatment, she suffered bruising.
The department, the township and other officers are also
named as defendants.
Former Springettsbury Township Police Chief David Eshbach,
now a district judge, is listed as a defendant on Williams lawsuit. He said
that as a judge he is not permitted to comment on a lawsuit before his court or
any other.
Watch the full version of both videos below. Editor's note:
This video contains strong language.