The Colorado cops who are being investigated over their disturbing arrest of a grandmother with dementia were caught laughing at the woman’s injuries.
Austin Hopp and Daria Jalali are Loveland Police Officers who have come under fire after their brutal arrest of a 73-year-old dementia sufferer, Karen Garner, after the woman left a Walmart without paying for several items.
Following the confrontation, during which the two officers reportedly broke the elderly woman’s arm and dislocated her shoulder, the items Garner had taken off with were recovered and the city apologized for the harsh treatment of the senior woman.
In the family’s lawsuit against the city, it is cited that Garner wasn’t provided with any medical treatment despite complaining about cops hurting her shoulder and wrists while in custody.
Though the incident took place in June 2020, the video of the violent arrest went viral this month after it was released as part of the federal lawsuit Garner’s family has since filed against Loveland PD and Officers Hopp and Jalali.point 318 |
Included in the lawsuit are also the officers’ supervising sergeant Phil Metzler and Officers Tyler Blackett and Sgt.point 102 | Antolina Hill.point 115 | 1
Amid the public outrage over the incident, Attorney Sarah Schielke also released a video showing Jalali and Hopp celebrating, laughing, and giving each other fist bumps while reviewing the bodycam footage from the day of the arrest.
“Ready for the pop?” Hopp says in the video before Garner’s shoulder is dislocated. “I think it was her shoulder,” he adds in response to another cop before saying: “I can’t believe I threw a 73-year-old on the ground.”
Meanwhile, Jalali seemed to enjoy the brutal footage no less than her colleague. “It’s like live TV. Body-cams are my favorite thing to watch, I could watch livestream body-cams all day,” she added.
The third cop in the footage added to the disgusting debate by calling the arrest “impressive” and saying they should make their own TV show.
According to Schielke, the officers in question made the disturbing comments just moments after Garner was brought to the station and while she “remained handcuffed to a bench in a cell just 10 feet away from them, alone, confused and crying in pain.”
The attorney added:
“The video reveals a grotesque culture of callous disregard for the health and safety of citizens. The officers fist bump one another multiple times in self-congratulation for both the assault on Garner and the intimidation of the citizen who attempted to complain about it.
“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.
“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.”
What are your thoughts on this matter? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your family and friends. For more news and stories, follow us on Facebook!