A Chicago police officer has been put on administrative duty after a video appeared to show him grabbing a woman walking her dog on a local beach, police Superintendent David Brown announced Monday. The woman, whom her lawyers have identified as Nikkita Brown, called 911 and said she had a racial profile, CBS Chicago reports.
The viewer’s video shows Brown walking his dog on the beach around midnight on Sunday. Her lawyers, from Saulter Law PC, say the officer approached her because the beach closes at 11 p.m., Brown, who is black, was not the only person on the beach, according to her lawyers. He saw other people, who were white, walking in the distance, according to CBS Chicago.
When the agent approached him, Brown began filming him. In his video, Brown asks the agent to stay away because of COVID-19.
He hears the officer say he doesn’t need a mask because he’s out. Then he tries to handcuff her and the two fight a bit. Brown’s lawyers say the agent tried to attack her. Eventually, the officer stops and they both walk away. Brown’s lawyer said she suffered emotional trauma.
“Even if he used abbreviated language with this officer, first of all what we see in the video, according to the general orders of the Chicago Police Department, there is no cause, even if someone calls you a name or he says a word of curse to you to palpate or manipulate a woman by herself, “said a lawyer representing Brown.
Records show the officer has been in effect since Sept. 28, 1998, CBS Chicago reports. According to CBS Chicago, he has at least 24 allegations of misconduct against him, three of which were sustained and led to discipline.
Following Saturday’s incident, the Civil Liability Office warned that the officer should be put on administrative duty or relieved. The officer agreed to a 20-day suspension after the charges against him were upheld by the Independent Police Review Authority, the predecessor organization of the COPA.
The COPA continues to investigate the incident on Saturday and said it has obtained the video from the body camera of the incident and is requesting video from several additional cameras in the area.
“We are committed to a fair, timely and objective investigation to determine whether the actions of the official involved comply with the Department’s Policy and Training,” COPA interim head Andrea Kersten said in a press release. “We have a responsibility to investigate allegations of police misconduct and determine whether they are substantiated based on the facts and evidence in each case. Should violations occur, COPA will hold the officer accountable.”
In addition to the COPA investigation, the Chicago police superintendent also announced an internal police investigation.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot tweeted about her “deep concern” over the incident.
Caitlin O’Kane contributed to the reports.