Officer awaits discrimination complaint outcome
Madelyn Ragland
Senior Staff Reporter
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Campus News
"Bowen told me that Freeman wanted to keep this in-house," Yoquelet said. "Bowen also said after the meeting that this was all over with because it was in-house now. The citations were pulled."
Two weeks later, Bowen was promoted to serve as Student Affairs' special assistant to the vice president for parent relations and Yoquelet received a memorandum from Russell, who in a Dec. 13 memorandum stated that he had violated office and handcuff policies in addition to becoming personally involved.
The Dec. 13 memorandum from Russell read that she was "greatly disturbed at the decision-making that (Yoquelet) displayed in handling the situation."
The memorandum also stated that because the incident was concerning the closing time of the library this incident should not have escalated to a degree where arrest was considered.
"We (TSUPD) are charged with protecting the university community," the memorandum read. "It is the police that are expected to provide assistance and support at incidents and guidance for resolving disputes."
In the memorandum, Russell required Yoquelet to receive remedial training in the use of force continuum and completing a course on interaction with the public. She also removed him from any supervisory capacity until he completes a course of instruction on mid-level supervision.
Yoquelet said he feels he was targeted by Russell because the investigation should have been carried out by Bowen, who authorized the handling of the situation except for involving Hoggett. He also said that there have been at least two other incidents involving corporals, both black officers, to whom no actions were taken against.
"One corporal handcuffed a student when he was called a nigger," Yoquelet said. "In another incident, another corporal did not report a rape in the (New Resident Complex), but turned his paper work into Metro (Nashville Police Department)."
Though Yoquelet's complaint is currently under investigation, he maintains that he followed proper procedures. He also charged that Russell combined two policies, TSUPD's Use of Force Policy, 524, and Handcuffing Policy, 505, as justification for his
Two weeks later, Bowen was promoted to serve as Student Affairs' special assistant to the vice president for parent relations and Yoquelet received a memorandum from Russell, who in a Dec. 13 memorandum stated that he had violated office and handcuff policies in addition to becoming personally involved.
The Dec. 13 memorandum from Russell read that she was "greatly disturbed at the decision-making that (Yoquelet) displayed in handling the situation."
The memorandum also stated that because the incident was concerning the closing time of the library this incident should not have escalated to a degree where arrest was considered.
"We (TSUPD) are charged with protecting the university community," the memorandum read. "It is the police that are expected to provide assistance and support at incidents and guidance for resolving disputes."
In the memorandum, Russell required Yoquelet to receive remedial training in the use of force continuum and completing a course on interaction with the public. She also removed him from any supervisory capacity until he completes a course of instruction on mid-level supervision.
Yoquelet said he feels he was targeted by Russell because the investigation should have been carried out by Bowen, who authorized the handling of the situation except for involving Hoggett. He also said that there have been at least two other incidents involving corporals, both black officers, to whom no actions were taken against.
"One corporal handcuffed a student when he was called a nigger," Yoquelet said. "In another incident, another corporal did not report a rape in the (New Resident Complex), but turned his paper work into Metro (Nashville Police Department)."
Though Yoquelet's complaint is currently under investigation, he maintains that he followed proper procedures. He also charged that Russell combined two policies, TSUPD's Use of Force Policy, 524, and Handcuffing Policy, 505, as justification for his
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
kalexander
posted 3/14/07 @ 3:25 PM EST
I believe that the police officer pulling the "race" card is unacceptable. I personally know two of the people involved in the library incident and they were not so much a threat to the officers for them to use physical force and handcuff them over a dispute about the closing time of the library. (Continued…)
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