News Releases

POLICE RELEASE FINDINGS FROM THE TASERING INTERNAL INVESTIGATION

Aug 12th, 2009

File Number: 09-07-4150

On July 24, 2009 at approximately 12:00 PM Mobile police officers responded to the Dollar General Store on Azalea Road for a report of suspicious circumstances. The caller informed police that an adult male had been in the store bathroom for over an hour. Responding officers made several attempts over the next fifty minutes to make contact with the unknown man using pepper spray under the door to coax the individual out of the bathroom. When all attempts to get the unknown man to come out of the bathroom failed, the officers forced open the bathroom door and were met with stern resistance as the unknown man forced the door shut. During a second attempt to force the door open a Taser was deployed to overcome the resistance of the unknown man. The officers were then able to take the man into custody. Police then identified the man as Antonio Love, age thirty-seven, and discovered he was unable to communicate due to a hearing and speech impairment and appeared to have a diminished mental capacity.

The Internal Affairs Unit began the investigation and gathered evidence related to this incident and the family's formal complaint. It was the finding of the investigation that the officers' use of force to gain entry and overcome the resistance of Antonio Love after exhausting all other reasonable means of removing him from the restroom was consistent with Department policy and procedure. It was also determined through the Internal Affairs investigation that, in consideration of the physical and mental condition of Antonio Love, the supervisor on the scene, Lt. Kevin Rodgers, failed to utilize alternatives to arrest as delineated in Department policy and procedure. Lieutenant Kevin Rodgers was placed on administrative duty during the investigation, and will remain on this duty pending a departmental disciplinary hearing due to the decision to arrest Mr. Love after discovering his impairment. Two officers made the initial response and four additional officers responded by the request of the officers on the scene. No other disciplinary action is pending.

Officer Christopher Levy

Public Information Office

Office: 208-1926

Fax: 208-1758