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Use of excessive force at ECU football game ‘sickening’
University’s police chief distraught
By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
The excessive use of force by police officers and deputies following East Carolina University’s victory over West Virginia University at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday evening was “sickening in nature,” said ECU Police Chief Scott Shelton.
With complaints of excessive force by the police officers and deputies coming forward in the aftermath of the incident, Shelton held a press conference Monday afternoon at the Mendenhall Student Center to address the situation.
Investigator Curtis Hayes with the university’s department is investigating several isolated incidents where excessive force is being claimed. The department is trying to determine why the actions were taken by the accused and what agencies the accused are with.
At the press conference, Shelton said the department has determined that officers with the ECU Police Department, the City of Greenville Police Department, the Winterville Police Department and deputies with the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office were not involved in any of the publicized altercations. The other two agencies on the field were the City of Kinston Police Department and the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office.
By the process of elimination, visual evidence caught on WITN and ESPN live broadcasts indicates that the accused were with either or both agencies, Shelton said.
As part of the university’s agreement with the agencies, disciplinary matters regarding personnel are handled within the appropriate agency.
“They are responsible for taking disciplinary action against their employees,” Shelton said.
As routine protocol, the department holds a briefing before each ECU home game to coordinate a security game plan.
“Part of that briefing is safety,” Shelton said. “Safety for the fans ... the officers.”
After the initial briefing, the department holds a follow-up briefing with the outside agencies, including Kinston Police Department and Lenior County Sheriff’s Office.
“We have a second briefing later on when all of the police officers from other jurisdictions and the remainder of our officers come in to be briefed on the game and any conditions,” Shelton said.
The university’s chief of police made it clear that conditions during the game would be rowdy. He also reminded the agencies that there was a distinct possibility that fans would rush the field in the event of a win.
“Our briefing consisted of advising the officers that they were to make a visible presence at the gates, the fences, on the field-level, and then to try to deter people from coming over the fences,” Shelton said.
The officers and deputies were instructed to detain individuals if they chose to hop the fence.
“(They were told that) if we have a few individuals come after the initial run out of the gate, try to detain those individuals, so that sends a message to the other fans that they should stay off the field,” Shelton said regarding the briefing. “If we get large numbers of people coming over the fence or out of the stadium, back off, watch the goal posts … but then also observe the crowd to render aide when aide needs to be rendered.”
As the visual evidence shows, a number of officers did not “back off” after the onslaught of fans.
“There is no denying that what you saw on the film is sickening in nature,” Shelton said about video seen on YouTube.com.
As described by witness accounts, one officer or deputy was seen punching a detained fan, while several other jumped on top to secure the individual. There was also evidence of officers or deputies tackling fans and throwing fans to the ground, as Shelton said.
“Now what we have to do is make sure we do a thorough investigation and find out, not necessarily what the person did for him to be taken to the ground, but why were punches thrown?” Shelton said.
The university’s chief of police said that a total of three arrests were made, but only one was made during the storming of the field. The other two were made during the game.
He said that about 60 officers were on the field at the conclusion of the game.
Once the department’s investigation is complete, it will look at ways to improve security and make sure the incident does not happen again.
“(We need to address), how can we do it better? Can we deploy event staff in a different way, in a better way to show visibility,” Shelton said. “That’s what we look at, who are the best people?”
The chief of police questioned using agencies outside of the county.
“Other jurisdictions have other problems and are not familiar with the problems we have here at East Carolina University at large events. They may react differently,” he said
Shelton, who was working his first game as the university’s chief of police, said he enjoyed the game, but not the aftermath.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the game, but there was some sad commentary at the end,” Shelton said.
Drew Griffin, president of ECU’s student body, was witness to officers man-handling fans, as well as using intimidation tactics.
At the press conference, Griffin told Shelton, “I was actually on the fence, front row and was wondering … what, through your investigation, excited these police officers that really were confrontational to the students in front of the fence? They were really taunting us and saying, ‘Hey, if you come over this fence, you will get hurt.’”
Shelton, who looked surprised by the statement, said, “that’s absolutely, totally unacceptable.”
Ashley Woolard, president of the Beaufort County Pirate Club, said the intimidation has been going on at ECU home games for years.
Woolard, a Washington native and ECU alumnus, said the incident “reminded me of the old Soviet Union, a police state.”
ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard commented that it was an unfortunate situation.
“These incidents are the most disappointing and shocking I’ve witnessed in my more than four years here,” Ballard said. “I promise we will get to the bottom of this and the officers responsible will be held accountable.”
By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
The excessive use of force by police officers and deputies following East Carolina University’s victory over West Virginia University at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday evening was “sickening in nature,” said ECU Police Chief Scott Shelton.
With complaints of excessive force by the police officers and deputies coming forward in the aftermath of the incident, Shelton held a press conference Monday afternoon at the Mendenhall Student Center to address the situation.
Investigator Curtis Hayes with the university’s department is investigating several isolated incidents where excessive force is being claimed. The department is trying to determine why the actions were taken by the accused and what agencies the accused are with.
At the press conference, Shelton said the department has determined that officers with the ECU Police Department, the City of Greenville Police Department, the Winterville Police Department and deputies with the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office were not involved in any of the publicized altercations. The other two agencies on the field were the City of Kinston Police Department and the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office.
By the process of elimination, visual evidence caught on WITN and ESPN live broadcasts indicates that the accused were with either or both agencies, Shelton said.
As part of the university’s agreement with the agencies, disciplinary matters regarding personnel are handled within the appropriate agency.
“They are responsible for taking disciplinary action against their employees,” Shelton said.
As routine protocol, the department holds a briefing before each ECU home game to coordinate a security game plan.
“Part of that briefing is safety,” Shelton said. “Safety for the fans ... the officers.”
After the initial briefing, the department holds a follow-up briefing with the outside agencies, including Kinston Police Department and Lenior County Sheriff’s Office.
“We have a second briefing later on when all of the police officers from other jurisdictions and the remainder of our officers come in to be briefed on the game and any conditions,” Shelton said.
The university’s chief of police made it clear that conditions during the game would be rowdy. He also reminded the agencies that there was a distinct possibility that fans would rush the field in the event of a win.
“Our briefing consisted of advising the officers that they were to make a visible presence at the gates, the fences, on the field-level, and then to try to deter people from coming over the fences,” Shelton said.
The officers and deputies were instructed to detain individuals if they chose to hop the fence.
“(They were told that) if we have a few individuals come after the initial run out of the gate, try to detain those individuals, so that sends a message to the other fans that they should stay off the field,” Shelton said regarding the briefing. “If we get large numbers of people coming over the fence or out of the stadium, back off, watch the goal posts … but then also observe the crowd to render aide when aide needs to be rendered.”
As the visual evidence shows, a number of officers did not “back off” after the onslaught of fans.
“There is no denying that what you saw on the film is sickening in nature,” Shelton said about video seen on YouTube.com.
As described by witness accounts, one officer or deputy was seen punching a detained fan, while several other jumped on top to secure the individual. There was also evidence of officers or deputies tackling fans and throwing fans to the ground, as Shelton said.
“Now what we have to do is make sure we do a thorough investigation and find out, not necessarily what the person did for him to be taken to the ground, but why were punches thrown?” Shelton said.
The university’s chief of police said that a total of three arrests were made, but only one was made during the storming of the field. The other two were made during the game.
He said that about 60 officers were on the field at the conclusion of the game.
Once the department’s investigation is complete, it will look at ways to improve security and make sure the incident does not happen again.
“(We need to address), how can we do it better? Can we deploy event staff in a different way, in a better way to show visibility,” Shelton said. “That’s what we look at, who are the best people?”
The chief of police questioned using agencies outside of the county.
“Other jurisdictions have other problems and are not familiar with the problems we have here at East Carolina University at large events. They may react differently,” he said
Shelton, who was working his first game as the university’s chief of police, said he enjoyed the game, but not the aftermath.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the game, but there was some sad commentary at the end,” Shelton said.
Drew Griffin, president of ECU’s student body, was witness to officers man-handling fans, as well as using intimidation tactics.
At the press conference, Griffin told Shelton, “I was actually on the fence, front row and was wondering … what, through your investigation, excited these police officers that really were confrontational to the students in front of the fence? They were really taunting us and saying, ‘Hey, if you come over this fence, you will get hurt.’”
Shelton, who looked surprised by the statement, said, “that’s absolutely, totally unacceptable.”
Ashley Woolard, president of the Beaufort County Pirate Club, said the intimidation has been going on at ECU home games for years.
Woolard, a Washington native and ECU alumnus, said the incident “reminded me of the old Soviet Union, a police state.”
ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard commented that it was an unfortunate situation.
“These incidents are the most disappointing and shocking I’ve witnessed in my more than four years here,” Ballard said. “I promise we will get to the bottom of this and the officers responsible will be held accountable.”
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tunne rat wrote on Jul 6, 2009 8:55 PM:
that is the biggest propganda word that every came out of butterfields and rino jones mouth in the past hundred years .
just 2 water boys for the obama socalist party , and a hand full of red necks that dont have a clue about whast they are talking about . "