It also included that 1,352 of the drivers he pulled over 84% of his stops were let off with just a warning. Colorado Supreme Court ruling makes more police internal investigations accessible. I was scared. For Siers and his daughter, they have both lost and continue to lose sleep while not feeling safe in their home, with S.S. suffering panic attacks and insomnia the suit says. The investigation offered a positive review on many of the departments policies and practices along with critiques on how to improve in the areas in which it was lacking. The city of Loveland and Loveland Police Department settled the lawsuit with Sowl in January for nearly $300,000. Phil Metzler, have been. After asking if Hall wanted to press charges, telling him he would need to fill out some information in a packet, Hall said he would rather just pass., The suit claims that despite Halls decision to not press charges, Dunlap decided to use the slap as a chance for Officer Wood to get more experience practicing a domestic violence arrest.. He first blew a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.000%, the complaint says, and later that night Elias was given a blood test that eventually came back negative. Body camera footage then shows an officer yanking Skippys collar and pulling him off the ground as Mr. Siers yells, Dont choke my dog!, Im not choking, the officer says. A Loveland police officer violated department policy when he forcefully arrested a witness of a motorcycle crash for refusing to answer questions, the city announced in a news release last week. Loveland resident Pretson Sowl filed the lawsuit against the city of Loveland, Loveland Police Department and Loveland police officers Paul Ashe andBenjamin DeLima, Det. Watching what they do to this family on this video has to be unsettling and terrifying for any parent in this town because there is no common sense utilized and there is no interest in the damage being inflicted to, here, a juvenile.. Most notably the department became the center of international attention when Schielke released information on the June 2020 arrest of Karen Garner, a case that resulted in a $3 million settlement from the city of Loveland and a five-year prison sentence for Garners arresting officer. Want the real scoop? The lawsuit alleged officers violated Sowl's constitutional rights when they arrested him for refusing to answer questions as a witness about a motorcycle crash outside a Loveland bar Sept. 22, 2019. This, she said, is something she hopes is exposed and ultimately ended. Garner's arrest drew national attention after body camera footage released by her family's lawyer showed former Loveland Police Department officer Austin Hopp forcibly detain the then. She added that while she is focusing on the LPD with this lawsuit, as it pertains to this specific department, she has heard from other attorneys that this is a problem across the country. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Emergency medical personnel arrived, along with police officers from the Loveland Police Department. This is not the first time the department has faced an excessive use of force lawsuit for actions of its officers. They treat animals like trash. I was mad. A blood test also later showed no impairing substances and the District Attorneys office dismissed the DUI charges, the complaint claims. The city of Loveland said Schielke had requested a settlement with the city more than a month ago and had given the city a four-day window to pay the settlement lest she release body camera video from the incident. Motorcycles can be very heavy and can cause severe damage even when just tipping over while stopped. The Loveland Reporter-Herald reports Preston Sowl claimed the officers violated his constitutional rights by detaining and injuring him after he declined to talk to them while at the scene of an accident in September 2019. Let there be no mistake: Loveland is not a safe place for children. Anyone can read what you share. Reach him at afleskes@prairiemountainmedia.com or on Twitter @Austinfleskes07. He called them back, and officers came back to his home while he was outside working on his daughters bike. His attorney says the injury required Sowl to undergo shoulder replacement surgery. I was helpless watching my daughter getting manhandled by three other police officers. Schielke also said she wanted to ensure the officers who were involved were held accountable and forced to change.. The lawsuit says the girl, Siers and the dog have all suffered since the ordeal that day and that the dog has become extremely aggressive with every stranger.. that is degrading to another person. A Loveland law office has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Loveland Police Department and the officers involved in Garner's arrest after it allegedly caused a fractured and dislocated shoulder along with other injuries. Loveland Police Department officers Jeremiah Wood and Evan Dunlap arrest a 14-year-old girl in Loveland in June of 2020. DENVER, Sept 8 (Reuters) - The city of Loveland, Colorado, has agreed to pay $3 million to an elderly woman with dementia who suffered a dislocated shoulder and broken arm while . The suit claims that at this time Siers noticed that his dogs were trying to protect him and his daughter and wanted to safely get them inside. Be Nice. The attorney representing Karen Garner and her family released a video Monday of officers discussing and joking about injuring Garner after her arrest. Sowl said he needed shoulder replacement surgery after the incident. "The city of Loveland, the family continues to anxiously await answers to any of that." Garner was arrested in June 2020 after she left a local Walmart without paying for a T-shirt, soda, candy. The city said Ashe violated three department policies and procedures: limits of authority and exercise discretion; search and seizure; and use of force. It is important to stress that this process is not an acknowledgement as to the validity or accuracy of the specific complaints made by certain individuals about our DUI program, the statement said. In an image taken from police body camera video, a 14-year-old girl is arrested at her home in Loveland, Colo., in 2020. They had yelled at each other, which caused someone to call the police, according to the lawsuit. Siers then can be seen complying with Sychla as he handcuffs him, but asks him to put the dogs away, stating he doesnt want the officers to shoot them. The city announced Tuesday it was again bringing in Jensen Hughes to review the latest incident, which happened on June 20, 2020, and involved a 14-year-old Loveland girl who was accused by police of domestic violence after she slapped her boyfriend, as well as the girls father, who was tased by an officer while trying to remove his dog from the scene. Nicole Yost, a spokeswoman for the city of Loveland, said she did not know who was representing the officers. She was on her period that day and felt scared by the thought of bleeding all over a police car or jail cell, the lawsuit states. And that starts with getting rid of every supervisor at LPD who approved of the violence in this video, she said. "Any complaint leveled against our personnel is taken seriously," the department said in a statement. Philip Metzler and the City of Loveland of excessive force and violation of the Americans With . The city of Loveland and Loveland Police Department settled the lawsuit with Sowl in January for nearly $300,000. Local attorney Sarah Schielke has filed an amended lawsuit against members of the Loveland Police Department and the city of Loveland regarding an alleged wrongful DUI arrest in early 2020. The report said Ashe and two other officers took the man to the ground and arrested him for obstructing a police officer and resisting arrest, injuring his shoulder. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. By: Colette Bordelon Posted at 7:17 PM, Mar 31, 2022 and last updated 6:17 PM, Mar 31, 2022 As for the claim of unlawful arrest, Varholak explained that the U.S. Supreme Court's decision inHeck v. Humphreyprevents criminal defendants from suing for monetary damages over unconstitutional imprisonment unless their conviction is overturned. The officers asked him to call his daughter outside, saying they just wanted to talk to her. I need to put a tampon in, she yells, using an expletive. While the original complaint totaled 15 pages, the amended complaint was filed at four times larger, coming in at 62 pages of information, allegation and claims for relief. Dutka, an active duty military member, was driving a rental car and did not realize a headlight was out. She said that without someone standing up to call out the pattern of violent conduct and complete disrespect for this community, nothing is going to change. Schielke and Sowl were not able to answer any additional questions about the settlementdue to the agreement with Loveland, according to the news release. According to the Associated Press, Garcia said the settlement states the city and officers do not admit any guilt in this case. While four officers responded to the Siers home and waited 20 minutes, they were unable to come in contact with S.S. or her father. It was unclear if the officers had lawyers, and the Loveland Police Department did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment on Thursday. You have permission to edit this article. Once in the driveway, an unidentified officer reportedly told Talmadge to face the garage, prompting Talmadge to ask if he was under arrest. The suit claims that once S.S. admitted to the slap, Wood, without warning, put his hands on her to begin an arrest by starting to put handcuffs on her, stating she was under arrest for assault. The suit says the girl suffered cuts, scrapes, bruises and a concussion during the ordeal. I felt helpless just watching them manhandle my daughter the way they did.. While S.S. tried to pull away from Wood and Dunlap, the suit claims, the officers violently assaulted her as they tried to get her in handcuffs, including slamming her body and limbs onto the concrete and against the brick wall while pushing their bodiesagainst her back. The suit, filed in the 8th Judicial District Court on Wednesday morning, lists three claims for relief: unreasonable seizure and excessive force resulting in the abuse of their dog Skippy and wrongful arrest of Siers by Sychla; violation of due process and malicious prosecution of Siers by Sychla; and unreasonable seizure and excessive force with an arrest of S.S. by Wood and Dunlap. DENVER - A consulting firm that the city of Loveland brought in to assess the Loveland Police Department last year amid several lawsuits filed over officers' use of force in different cases is coming in to look at another case in which LPD officers are alleged to have used excessive force against a man, his teenage daughter, and their dog. Excess Force Suit Against Loveland Police Settled For $290,000 January 27, 2021 / 4:46 PM / CBS Colorado LOVELAND, Colo. (AP) - An excessive force lawsuit filed against the city of. The three officers named in the lawsuit Matt Sychla, Jeremiah Wood and Evan Dunlap still arrested S.S. outside her home that day. Threats of harming another He also added that Skippy had bitten one of the officers involved. Players given Kratom by Colorado coach, police say, Skier Shiffrin's quest for 86th win extended after downhill, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, City of Loveland chooses firm to conduct independent review after arrest of Karen Garner, Former Loveland officer faces assault charge, accused of writing inaccurate reports related to Karen Garner's arrest, Karen Garner's family feels more 'concern than relief' after charges announced against officers, Policy 1.02: Limits of Authority and Exercise of Discretion. The official filing of the amended complaint comes quickly after the LPD announced that it would be launching an outside, professional review of its DUI enforcement program; Schielke said she had informed the department of the amended complaint two weeks ago. A consulting firm that the city of Loveland brought in to assess the Loveland Police Department last year amid several lawsuits filed over officers use of force in different cases is coming in to look at another case in which LPD officers are alleged to have used excessive force against a man, his teenage daughter, and their dog. We hope you will find useful information in the links on the left. The Jensen Hughes report released earlier this year found officers were focusing more on arrest and citation numbers rather than quality policing, and that some officers needed a stronger emphasis on the sanctity of all human life when using force against people. We ask the public to keep an open mind as we deal with claims that will ultimately be addressed in a court of law., The statement added that this is too important an issue for the health and safety of our community to ignore.. A civil lawsuit was filed against the Loveland Police Department and City of Loveland after a police officer shot a couple's 14-month-old dog. person will not be tolerated. The first roughly 21 pages share Elias story of his arrest the night of Jan. 4, 2020. The suit adds that the slap did not cause Hall injury or even leave a mark, with video showing him telling officers that it only stung. The lawsuit alleged that Sowl declined to provide more information when asked and was injured while being detained. While in the parking space, Sychla pulled out a stun gun and, after Siers began to walk toward him, fired it, hitting Siers in the stomach and causing him to collapse. Permalink. At one point in the interaction, Sowl can be heard telling Ashe, "I don't know what happened. Longmont landscaper under scrutiny after new complaints, Carreras Tacos Bring West Coast Mexican with a Competitive Edge, Murdaughs fall from grace ends in life sentence for murder, Former clerk Tina Peters found guilty on obstruction charge, Boulder police seek person of interest in womans shooting near CU Boulder. In their motion to dismiss, the defendants submitted a police affidavit in support of Talmadge's arrest from July 6. LOVELAND, Colo. The City of Loveland is paying out $290,000 dollars to settle a lawsuit over the wrongful arrest of a man in September 2019, the man's attorney said. In Talmadge's narrative of events, he attempted to eject his roommate from his Loveland home on July 6, 2019, but the roommate refused and instead called police to the home. The complaint also includes 20 instances from other residents claiming that they were wrongfully arrested; the complaint adds the ones listed were just some of arrests made by Hill and Gates. MORE COVERAGE:NISP opponents sue Larimer County commissioners over permit approval. I am confident that a thorough and impartial process was undertaken and appreciate the time and attention spent to review this matter, Adams said in the news release. Austin Hopp, the officer who threw Ms. Garner, pleaded guilty to assaulting her in March and was sentenced to five years in prison. The city also released its own video with footage from the incident from Sychlas body-worn camera, which includes the incident itself as well as Siers arrest and discussion with Sychla. Ashe arrested Sowl for obstruction of justice and resisting arrest, but the 8th Judicial District Attorney's Office dismissed the charges, according to the lawsuit. RM W79EWX - Feldjger, the military police of the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces. I've never been in a situation quite like that before, Siers said. The accident turned out to be a man losing his balance on his motorcycle and falling over. There was a problem saving your notification. Defund the police was the wrong slogan. Officer Paul Ashe detained Preston Sowl after Sowl refused to answer his questions about a motorcycle crash Sowl witnessed outside a Loveland bar Sept. 22, 2019. Our interviews with LPD staff revealed that they would like to be more involved with community members and community organizations, but do not have time to engage in these activities or problem solving because of the Departments emphasis on its data-driven strategies and the need to produce daily numbers of enforcement actions, the complaint quotes from the report. As with previous cases Schielke has brought forth, the newest case against the department came not only with a written description in the lawsuit itself but also with a YouTube video providing both body-worn camera and security camera footage of the incident. A civil lawsuit filed in Larimer County District Court accuses Loveland police officer Mat Grashorn of "recklessly killing" Wendy Love and her husband Jay Hamm's 14-month-old dog, a. According to the lawsuit, when Siers got home after work he noticed all the missed calls and voicemails from officers who said they wanted to talk with his daughter. The roommate then exited the house and Talmadge soon received a call from police asking him to step outside. The report said Officer Paul Ashe asked a witness what happened, and the witness told him where the motorcycle was and said he had helped pull the motorcycle off the rider. The suit claims Sychla also attempted to conduct a hold maneuver to stop Siers, an attempt that was unsuccessful. The lawsuit names three officers who were involved in the arrests of Siers and his daughter as defendants: Officers Matt Sychla, Jeremiah Wood and Evan Dunlap. She pretty much sticks to herself, stays at home, stays out of trouble, he said. The arrest startled her father, Jon Siers, who repeatedly told the officers that what they were doing was completely wrong, the lawsuit states. "The settlement ends the continuation of lengthy and expensive litigation, and resolution is deemed to be in the best interest of all parties,"Schielke said in the release. As Siers continued to try to get the dog, Sychla failed to put Siers into an arm hold and pushed him to the ground, then pushed him again, the suit says. S.S. can then be heard yelling that she needs to get a tampon, body camera footage shows. While both Siers and S.S. can be heard screaming to not choke my dog, Sychla responds by saying he is a K-9 officer. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "Being a defendant in civil rights litigation is stressful, time-consuming, and especially in the case of law enforcement, detracts from everyday duties to the public," lawyers for the defendants wrote. Police. Were not (going to) shoot your dog; knock it off, Sychla can be heard saying. Sady Swanson covers public safety, K-12 education and more throughout Northern Colorado. A Loveland, Colorado, police officer is on administrative leave and two other officers have been reassigned to administrative duties after a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging excessive use of . It also included information on timed DUI arrest competitions put on by MADD that LPD is a part of. She begged the officers to let her grab a tampon, but they told her no, causing her to flail and then collapse on the ground in tears, the lawsuit states. Get on the ground, an officer yells, pointing a Taser at Mr. Siers and then firing it. By Keith Coffman. Skippy can be seen in the video trying to pull its way over to him. "Accordingly, Plaintiffs illegal arrest claim is barred by Heck.". At one point in the interaction, Sowl can be heard telling Ashe, "I don't know what happened. As we move forward on our accountability efforts launched in 2021, best practices in law enforcement will be maintained and we are committed to accountability if those standards are not upheld.. accounts, the history behind an article. Loveland City Manager Steve Adams said the city was also releasing its own video from the ordeal and that while the city initially reviewed and deemed appropriate at the time the actions of the officers, but was now taking a second outside look at the incident in our efforts to ensure we are policing in a respectful and proper manner., As we move forward on our accountability efforts launched in 2021, best practices in law enforcement will be maintained and we are committed to accountability if those standards are not upheld.. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, She also represented Karen Garner and her family in that case, which led to a $3 million settlement last year.