KENOSHA, Wis. — People in Kenosha shared concerns with the city's Police & Fire Commission (PFC) on Tuesday over an incident during which officers arrested the wrong couple.
In late July, police responded to an Applebee's looking for the suspects in a hit-and-run crash on Green Bay Road.
Inside the restaurant, a woman and a man holding a child were mistaken for the suspects. In smartphone video that has since gone viral, you can see the child crying and forced from the man's arms by officers.
The man was wrestled to the ground, hit repeatedly and, at one point, pepper spray was used. The man appeared out of breath. Despite mistaken identity, both the man and woman were charged with resisting an officer and disorderly conduct. The actual suspects were in the bathroom and a teenager was later charged.
"He's problematic. He need to go," said a woman during public comment at the meeting. She was referring to the officer who hit the man at Applebee's. "He needs to be charged. He need to be fired. He needs to go to jail."
"There is no evidence to me that any sort of de-escalation tactics are being utilized. And the use of force policy itself does not seem to be followed itself," said another member of the public.
Several others demanded greater communication and transparency from police to build trust with the public.
"Everyone [all police] on the scene shouldn't be held accountable," said another man. "But because there's no voice, people are left in the dark. So, everyone on the scene is being held accountable."
The commissioner thanked the public for their remarks and said they take the concerns seriously.
Kenosha Chief of Police Patrick Patton said his department has completed its own internal investigation. Now, he said, an independent, outside agency is conducting its own investigation.
"Again, we're going to make sure we're as transparent as possible with this," said Patton. "There's nothing that's going to be held within our walls. And when we go to release it, everything will be included, including what an outside agency determined."
Patton said for now, the officers involved in the incident are still employed by Kenosha PD. He said the independent investigation should wrap up soon. After that, he said, the department will decide how it responds to its officers' actions.
The department will also release dash camera and body camera video once the investigation has ended, according to Patton.
"I appreciate you guys all coming out and talking to me directly," Patton said to the crowd gathered Tuesday. "We're trying our best to get out in the community and take different opinions from different organizations and stakeholders in the community."
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