Saraland police officers pulled Chikesia Clemons' top down, threatened to break her arm, and choked her in the course of an arrest at an Alabama Waffle House. A bystander caught it all on video, showing a graphic and dramatic abuse of force. No circumstances could possibly justify such an extreme response.
The department says the situation is under "active investigation," but we don't think that's enough. The three police officers involved should be clearly identified and immediately fired — to assure members of the public that the police department takes the physical abuse of civilians seriously. Sign the petition if you agree.
And the Saraland Police Department needs to be transparent about what it plans to do to prevent similar incidents in the future, since these three officers may be representative of a larger problem at the agency. This could include deescalation training; a clear and understandable use of force policy; publishing diversity statistics for the department; and working with local businesses to educate them about when it's appropriate to call police.
Don't let these three officers hide behind the badge: sign on if you think excessive force should have consequences! Fire these brutal officers now!
Photo: rpavich
