Milwaukee Bucks player Sterling Brown and the City of Milwaukee have reached a $750,000 settlement from his 2018 arrest where he was tased, stepped on and mocked by local police officers.
In January 2018, the NBA player was wrestled to the ground and tased by police officers after one of the officers said he parked illegally across two handicapped parking spots outside a local drugstore. Brown was never charged for a crime. Body cam footage showed the officer stepping on his ankle during the arrest, while others mocked him.
The Milwaukee Police Association initially defended the officers’ actions during the arrest, but after the body cam footage was released, they changed their tone and welcomed an “appropriate review and oversight” of the arrest.
Following the altercation, two sergeants were suspended without pay for 10 and 15 days for “failing to be a role model for professional police service.” Another officer was suspended for two days for “failing to treat a member of the public with courtesy and professionalism.” Eight other cops received “remedial training in professional communication,” according to CNN.
Brown brought a civil lawsuit against the city after the incident and claimed the cops used excessive force in violation with his Fourth Amendment rights. In addition to the monetary part of the settlement, the City of Milwaukee vowed to make changes to the way the police force operates.
On Monday (Nov. 9), the Bucks released a statement supporting Brown’s commitment to use the incident as a way to make change in the community.
“We are pleased that Sterling’s lawsuit has been mutually resolved and that there’s been an important commitment by the City of Milwaukee and its Police Department to make changes to the MPD’s standard operating procedures. No one should ever have to go through the horrifying abuse and injustice that Sterling experienced,” the statement said.
“We commend Sterling for his courageous response to this terrible situation by repeatedly sharing his story and working tirelessly with countless local groups and organizations to help make change in our community,” the statement continued. “And we also commend the City’s leadership for its commitment to implement these important changes to better Milwaukee.”