INDIANAPOLIS–Two Indianapolis Metro Police officers face battery charges. The charges date to the May 31, arrest of two women who were out after curfew on the Sunday evening after riots in downtown Indianapolis.
Video from WISH-TV’s Richard Essex shows one of the women, Ivore’ Westfield, being hit with a baton several times and with pepper balls fired by one of the officers. Another woman, Rachel Harding, who didn’t know Westfield, but stepped up to her defense, was shoved to the ground.
Officer Jonathan Horlock, a five-year veteran of the department, is charged with three counts of battery, perjury, obstruction of justice and official misconduct.
Officer Nathanial Shauwecker, an eight-year veteran of the department, is charged with three counts of battery and official misconduct.
Statement from IMPD Chief Randal Taylor:
“I hold great respect for our criminal justice system and have faith that this process will deliver a just outcome. These officers will remain on administrative duty with no police authority. While our internal investigation will continue, it is my intention to address our administrative review of the officer conduct at the conclusion of the ongoing criminal prosecution.”
Prosecutor Ryan Mears would not comment on the specifics of the case or what evidence the grand jury saw (The six-person panel met in-person to evaluate evidence), but said the decision on whether or not to charge the officers came down to a question about whether the force they used was reasonable.
“In this particular case the legal standard is reasonableness. And, what better way to get a determination as to whether or not someone’s conduct was reasonable under the circumstances than to take it to the community, which is what we did here,” said Mears.
He added that whether or not a police officer followed training in making an arrest is not a defense.
“It’s certainly something that people can consider in determining whether or not someone’s conduct was reasonable. But, you can’t say hey, my training told me to do this if that conduct turns out to be unconstitutional or excessive.”
Mears said he would like to see some changes to the system for reporting excessive force.
“If you feel like you’ve been a victim of excessive force, the only recourse you have is to complain to the very agency that initiated the force.”
