According to the complaint, the arrest destroyed her life, derailing her military career as she was not able to be deployed until her case was resolved, and devastated her marriage. Two months later, the complaint said, her blood results came back with a BAC of 0.02% and the case was dismissed. In recent years, the Loveland Police Department has faced several lawsuits that claimed officers used excessive force while making arrests, including on June 26, 2020, when a 73-year-old woman with dementia was thrown to the ground and pinned against a squad car, breaking a bone and dislocating her shoulder in the process. Four officers were there in total, the lawsuit states. He told her they were not in a relationship, according to the suit, and the girl got upset and slapped him. While all cases referred to each person only with initials and no full names, stories mirrored what Elias went through in early 2020. Police were . Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Best practices in law enforcement will be maintained and we are committed to accountability if those standards are not upheld, he said. that is degrading to another person. The city of Loveland and Loveland Police Department settled the lawsuit with Sowl in January for nearly $300,000. She also represented Karen Garner and her family in that case, which led to a $3 million settlement last year. Austin Hopp, the officer who threw Ms. Garner, pleaded guilty to assaulting her in March and was sentenced to five years in prison. The Loveland Police Department officers had searched for the daughter, who is identified in the lawsuit only as S.S., after she slapped a boy in a Safeway supermarket parking lot because she believed he had been cheating on her with another girl, the lawsuit states. In fact, we already know that some of the allegations being made are inaccurate and do not describe the professionalism and respect shown by our officers to the individual involved. Sychla handcuffed Siers, who was still pleading to have officers let him take his dog inside. Motorcycles can be very heavy and can cause severe damage even when just tipping over while stopped. Police said the witness then said he had not pulled the motorcycle off the rider and refused to answer any more questions, saying it was his constitutional right not to talk. In a news release and in discussions with the Reporter-Herald, Schielke described the arrest as senseless and needless violence. Loveland police settle excessive force lawsuit for $290K Loveland is not a safe place for grandparents. That complaint, which only named Loveland and Gates as defendants, alleged three claims in connection to the arrest two years ago: unlawful arrest without probable cause, arrest without probable cause violating the Colorado constitution Article II Section 7 and malicious prosecution under the Fourth Amendment. 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. The Loveland Police Department has also suspended Officer Austin Hopp, who initially handcuffed Garner; two others who were on the scene, Officer Daria Jalali and Sgt. Siers was also arrested for investigation of obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest, but the district attorneys office also dismissed those charges. Sady Swanson covers public safety, criminal justice, Larimer County governmentand more throughout Northern Colorado. Sowl said he needed shoulder replacement surgery after the incident. Schielke said she filed Elias original complaint quickly as to avoid the statute of limitations closing. The lawsuit, filed against officers Ashe, DeLima, Schnorr and Brian Bartnes, alleges that police violated Sowl's First and Fourth Amendment rights, and that the city of Loveland violated his. RM W79EWX - Feldjger, the military police of the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces. Reach him at [email protected] or on Twitter @Austinfleskes07. He began to place handcuffs on her, which were too large for the 14-year-olds small wrists, making it easy to slip out of, Ms. Schielke said. 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. We need you. The city did not pay the demanded amount and the attorney subsequently released an edited version of the body-camera video to the public, the city said in a news release. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. 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. According to a complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Denver on behalf of Preston Sowl, 60, by attorney Sarah Schielke, Sowl and his wife were leaving Charlie L's Pub with some friends on. Keep it Clean. View this page in Standard (full site) format. Photo: Paul Zinken. Im not talking to nobody.. This is not the first time the department has faced an excessive use of force lawsuit for actions of its officers. I need to put a tampon in, she yells, using an expletive. 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. After grabbing witness statements from people in the area, including a statement from Hall where he said the incident did not cause him physical pain, the officers attempted to call S.S. and Siers to no success. 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. Schielke filed a 52-page lawsuit Wednesday accusing Officer Hopp, Officer Daria Jalali, Sgt. When S.S. admitted to them that she had slapped the boy, Officer Wood said that she was under arrest, the lawsuit states. The complaint goes on to say that Ticer and the LPD had a history of giving awards and recognition for high DUI arrests, including reporting the arrest numbers to agencies like Mothers Against Drunk Driving. A federal judge has dismissed a man's lawsuit against the city of Loveland and multiple police officers that alleged excessive force and unlawful arrest. 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. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Skippy can be seen in the video trying to pull its way over to him. The arrest startled her father, Jon Siers, who repeatedly told the officers that what they were doing was completely wrong, the lawsuit states. Ashe twisted Sowls arm behind his back and pushed his face into the ground, according to a civil rights lawsuit. ), First published on January 27, 2021 / 4:46 PM. Be Nice. 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. A federal judge has dismissed a man's lawsuit against the city of Loveland and multiple police officers that alleged excessive force and unlawful arrest. Both the Garner and Sowl cases were brought to light through Schielke and the Life and Liberty Law Office. Sowl was cited with obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest, but the charges were later dropped. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today. According to the report of an internal affair, the Loveland Police Department (LPD) responded to a report of a motorcycle crash that turned out to be a rider who had lost his balance while stopped. June 17, 2022 The father of a teenage girl filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against three police officers in Loveland, Colo., who arrested her in 2020, saying the men used excessive force when. Berlin germany police motorcycles Stock Photos and Images - Alamy The release did not state what disciplinary or corrective action would be taken as a result of this internal investigation, just that any disciplinary actions would be taken in accordance with the conclusion and outcome of the IA., More:Colorado Supreme Court ruling makes more police internal investigations accessible. Ashe twisted Sowls arm behind his back and pushed his face into the ground, according to a civil rights lawsuit. "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. Let there be no mistake: Loveland is not a safe place for children. The suit adds that, per LPD policy on handcuffing, people 14 or younger should not be restrained unless they are suspected of a dangerous felony.. 'Ready for the pop?': Colorado police officer joked about excessive Without intervention, this self-serving scam will continue and the wake of innocent citizens whose lives are destroyed by it will continue to grow.. The suit claims Sychla also attempted to conduct a hold maneuver to stop Siers, an attempt that was unsuccessful. 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. She added that while she had tried to let Loveland settle the matter without taking it public, the city had declined. 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.. The video also encourages viewers to contact the city of Loveland and let them know your thoughts on their amazing police department!, The theme across all these assaults is that this is a police department that has no concept of what community safety actually means and entails, Schielke told the Reporter-Herald. By: Colette Bordelon Posted at 7:17 PM, Mar 31, 2022 and last updated 6:17 PM, Mar 31, 2022 You know, it's just, it's horrifying, terrifying, Siers said in an interview Wednesday. Subscribe to Colorado Politics today! The boy, who denied that he cheated, declined to press charges, according to body camera footage of him speaking with the officers, which was released Wednesday by the familys lawyer, Sarah Schielke. Lawsuits pile up at Loveland Police Department | FOX31 Denver Two officers Dunlap and Wood responded and spoke to the girl and young man, as well as other witnesses. Ex-Loveland police officer pleads guilty to felony assault for Karen Garner arrest: Video shows Colorado police officers - CNN The complaint later stated that, in 2019, Gates initiated 1,622 traffic stops while the average total number of stops from other LPD patrol officers working similar shifts in 2019 was 200 to 400 a year. But instead of allowing that, Officer Sychla shoved Siers, according to the lawsuit. Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. You can be in the know right alongside Colorados political insiders. 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. I've never been in a situation quite like that before, Siers said. Sierss daughter tried to get to her dad, but officers continued to try to put her into handcuffs. The event also allegedly changed Skippys entire demeanor; he became extremely aggressive with every stranger to come near the Siers home and eventually had to be rehomed to family out of state. Eventually, Sychla deployed his Taser on Siers and continued to shock him for over five seconds, the lawsuit claims. The charges against them were eventually dismissed, Ms. Schielke said. By Elise Schmelzer | PUBLISHED: March 2, 2022 at 3:24 p.m. | UPDATED: March 2, 2022 at 3:26 p.m. The roommate then exited the house and Talmadge soon received a call from police asking him to step outside. Something like "Redefine the Police" might have been better. There was a problem saving your notification. Secure your subscription to Colorados premier political news journal, in continuous publication since 1898. The accident turned out to be a man losing his balance on his motorcycle and falling over. I appreciate the difficult, challenging, and often dangerous roles that LPD officers undertake to keep our community safe, and I want to express my gratitude to the men and women of LPD for taking on this important work and for continuing in our larger efforts to improve community policing to best serve our community, Adams said in the release. She pretty much sticks to herself, stays at home, stays out of trouble, he said. Get on the ground, an officer yells, pointing a Taser at Mr. Siers and then firing it. The familys small white dog, Skippy, began to bark at the officers in a show of protection, the lawsuit states, prompting Mr. Siers to tell the officers that he was going to get his dog so he wouldnt bite them. A lawsuit filed by a Fort Collins man accuses a Loveland police officer of wrongfully arresting him on suspicion of driving under the influence in January 2020. By law, if I see an OSHA violation and fail to act,I can be held personally responsible. Schielkeis alsorepresenting Karen Garner and her family in an ongoing civil rights lawsuit against Loveland police. The officers asked him to call his daughter outside, saying they just wanted to talk to her. But Schielke states in the lawsuit several times the officers were bored and that Loveland police superiors had an unspoken practice of requiring officers to finish at least 10 citations each day in order to get promoted and onto the best shifts. or anything. S.S. can then be heard yelling that she needs to get a tampon, body camera footage shows. 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. He also added that Skippy had bitten one of the officers involved. 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. The lawsuit claims Sychla arrested Siers without a warrant and used excessive force against him, and violated the Dog Protection Act when he allegedly choked the dog. So, I didn't know quite how to react.. It is terrifying because we all have to drive, we all use the roads, and it shouldnt be that easy for an officer to destroy our lives and there needs to be consequences when they recklessly do so, she said. Colorado Supreme Court ruling makes more police internal investigations accessible. She had been dating 18-year-old Elijah Hall and, around lunchtime on June 20, 2020, she rode her bike to the nearby Safeway where she found Hall with another woman. Mr. Siers and his lawyer said they would not accept a settlement and expected to take the case to a jury. 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. Schielke said the names used in the suit were gained from a records request made to the LPD and, out of respect for each persons privacy, she did not include their full names with the exception of one person. RM D5WCP3 - A police officer stops cars at a special checkpoint in Berlin, Germany, 09 April 2013. This, she said, is something she hopes is exposed and ultimately ended. He called his daughter out of the house, and according to the lawsuit, Officer Wood started to arrest his daughter as soon as she admitted to slapping the 18-year-old, which the suit says went against LPD policy of not arresting children 14 and under unless they are believed to have committed a dangerous felony.. The Loveland Police Department is facing another excessive use of force lawsuit after the release of information and footage of a 2020 arrest of a man and his then-14-year-old daughter as well as the treatment of one of their family dogs. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. She said that her hope with the filing of this amended lawsuit is to address problems she sees in how the LPD operates its DUI enforcement, focusing on her concern with incentives given to officers to arrest and charge citizens. Sychla can be seen carrying Skippy to the door before pushing him inside and eventually kicking the dog back in when it tries to come out. "Mr. Talmadge was minding his own business, and did not pose a danger to himself or others," Talmadge wrote in his complaint. All the investigation and work we were putting in to get a peek at the tip of the iceberg was taking forever, she said. 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. 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. City of Loveland reaches settlement in arrest lawsuit | 9news.com had 6 out of 6 clues of impairment and he blew a 0.042% on a preliminary breath test; he was arrested for DUI. Sowl's arrest in September 2019 was capturedon body camera footage, released by Sowl's attorney Sarah Schielke. Officers Wood and Dunlap eventually got her into handcuffs and arrested her for investigation of charges of harassment, domestic violence, obstruction and resisting arrest. The departments statement reiterated the outside review it will undergo will includes policies and procedures, overall strategy as well as status, outcomes and claims of current and recent enforcement efforts. 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. According to a release from the city, Ashe violated three LPD policies and procedures: Tice recommended a written warning and more training for the officer, according to the memo. 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. Defund the police was the wrong slogan. 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.. This included slamming her body and limbs down into concrete multiples times, the lawsuit says. When Siers returned home from work that day, he saw several missed calls from the LPD and called them back, telling them he and his daughter were at their home; this led to the three officers named in the suit responding to the residence. 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 f. Two Loveland Police Officers Involved In - Colorado Public Radio In an image taken from police body camera video, a 14-year-old girl is arrested at her home in Loveland, Colo., in 2020. The officers then approached Mr. Siers and asked him to stop resisting, according to the body camera footage. Loveland police face excessive force lawsuit for 2020 arrest of father NISP opponents sue Larimer County commissioners over permit approval, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. arrested him for refusing to answer questions as a witness about a motorcycle crash outside a Loveland bar Sept. 22,2019. She said, at the time, her records requests were not being fulfilled quickly enough to file before time ran out. When they discovered that neither Siers nor his daughter were home, they left. 2023 www.coloradoan.com. According to the lawsuit, the girl had confronted an 18-year-old she had been dating in the parking lot of a Safeway over him allegedly cheating on her with another girl or woman. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Loveland to pay $3 million to settle lawsuit from violent arrest of 73-year-old with dementia Julia Cardi [email protected] On Wednesday evening, the Lakewood Police Department said it was aware of the lawsuit. Excessive force lawsuit filed against Loveland police settled for $290K 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. What theyre doing is just violence., Arrest of Colorado 14-Year-Old Over a Slap Prompts Excessive-Force Suit, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/us/colorado-loveland-police-lawsuit.html. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today. Time for the same rules to apply to police, https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2021/01/28/loveland-police-settle-excessive-force-lawsuit-290-k/4294396001/, This cops are always repeat offenders and they keep getting assigned to patrolling citizens, Good. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Loveland police officer violated policy in arrest of motorcycle crash Mr. Siers said his daughter had nightmares for months. At one point in the interaction, Sowl can be heard telling Ashe, "I don't know what happened. Talmadge allegedly told responding officers what had happened and they left. Excess Force Suit Against Loveland Police Settled For $290,000 - CBS News In that video, Sychla can be heard explaining to Siers why he used force, explaining he wasnt sure what the Siers intentions were. 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. Victim Receives $290K Settlement | The Bexar County Jail When the officers arrived, the suit says, Siers was found in front of the house working on S.S.s bike. Chief Ticer and Sergeant Hill did not care about these poor innocent people Gates was victimizing without consequence, the complaint said. Hill said she could smell alcohol in Dutkas vehicle, which Dutka explained was due to a drunk friend whom she had driven home. During a press conference held Monday, Deputy Chief and soon-to-be Interim Chief Eric Stewart said that decision came after the department received criticism of former DUI cases, adding the critics are members of a defense bar who represent drivers who were charged and some who ultimately passed blood tests following DUI arrests; he did not say exactly who the critics were and said he could not comment on specific incidents. And it claims that Dunlap and Wood arrested the girl without a warrant and used excessive force. Sady Swanson covers public safety, criminal justice, Larimer County governmentand more throughout Northern Colorado. DENVER OK is your Colorado news, entertainment, music & fashion website. Loveland is not a safe place for pets. Sowl's arrest was captured on body camera footage. COLORADO DOCUMENTARY PROJECT Speak out! Its uncommon for the city to share information about internal investigations publicly, city manager Steve Adams said in the news release, but the city chose to in this instance to increase transparency. Phil Metzler, have been. The suit says the girl suffered cuts, scrapes, bruises and a concussion during the ordeal. Loveland Police Department | City of Loveland - Loveland, Colorado 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. The complaint also touches on results from the Jensen Hughes report that came out following the release of information on the 2020 arrest of Karen Garner, specifically what investigators heard in regard to the departments Data Driven Approach to Crime and Traffic Safety methods. The suit claims that S.S. believed Hall had been cheating on her, so she summoned up the courage to confront him. During this interaction, the suit says, she demanded he return several items of her property and, after he said they had never been dating so he wasnt actually cheating on her, she slapped him and left on her bike, sobbing. 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. We provide you with the latest news and videos straight from the Mile High City! I'm not talking to nobody.". 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. Wood was in field training at the time, according to the lawsuit, which says that Dunlap decided to use this childs slap as a chance for Officer Wood to get more experience practicing a domestic violence arrest.. 9NEWS is not naming the witness because he is not being accused of a crime. The girl left on her bike, at which time the officers started calling the numbers of the girl and her father, and eventually went to their house to try to find them after calling for backup officers. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Schielke said this incident along with others in the past show that there is a theme of issues within department leadership. Loveland police officer sued over alleged wrongful - denvergazette.com 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. They were both also making their very own wrongful DUI arrests during this time. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Loveland police officers sued over alleged excessive force - YouTube According to the suit, the event caused emotional and physical trauma to not only Siers and S.S. but also Skippy. No wonder why you guys get a bad rap, Siers can be heard saying when Sychla returns to him on the ground. but it can also be stressful. Mr. Siers then asked the officers to stop, saying she was just a child. He also claimed the encounter demonstrated a "serious training issue" with the Loveland Police Department.