By Tamara Gibbs
DURHAM (WTVD) --
Durham city leaders are set to
review a controversial report that accuses its police force of racial
profiling.
It comes as the department
defends itself against an excessive force complaint that was caught on police
dash cam video.
John Hill accused the officer
of using excessive force after he was thrown to the ground and arrested for
allegedly running a red light on his bike last September. The charges were
later dropped.
The department released the
video just days before the city council reviews a list of recommendations for
policy changes.
A report stemming from several
public hearings accuses Durham police of racial bias and profiling during
traffic stops and searches.
Hill's attorney says this video
is an example of those concerns.
"If you look at the video,
you'll see that after they have manhandled Mr. Hill, they search his bag, and
the law prohibits police from searching a bag if a person is already taken into
custody," said attorney Scott Holmes. "So, they violated his rights
not only when they attacked him and threw him to the ground, but when they
searched his bag without a warrant."
Durham Police Chief Jose Lopez,
however, says what you see is a trained officer dealing with a man who was
verbally abusive and aggressive. Police say Hill tried to touch the officer.
"What's being pretty much
promoted is that the officer did something wrong when, in fact, he did a
textbook maneuver in order to secure and take into custody an individual,"
said Lopez.
ABC11 asked Durham's Police
Chief whether there was an alternative to the maneuver used by the officer.
"When you have three
seconds, you only think of one way and you take that route to be as safe as you
can," Lopez responded. "If you look at the video, notice the amount
of traffic. Anything could've happened if the officer hadn't acted
quickly."
The city council will take up
the report at its work session Thursday.
