Three Colorado officers who laughed at bodycam footage of the violent arrest of a 73-year-old woman are “no longer employed” by the department, said Loveland Police Chief Robert Ticer on Friday (April 30).
On June 26, 2020, Karen Garner, who suffers from dementia and sensory aphasia, was arrested by Officer Austin Hopp and Officer Daria Jalali after leaving Walmart without allegedly paying for a T-shirt, candy bar and a can of Pepsi.
During the violent arrest, bodycam footage showed Hopp telling Garner to stop walking and speak to him. After she disregarded his demand, Hopp got out of his squad car and grabbed the elderly woman, hurling her to the ground. “I’m going home,” Garner pleaded. Eventually, he was able to handcuff Garner before Jalali arrived at the scene.
Hopp and Jalali were placed on administrative leave following the arrest, as well as Officers Tyler Blackett and Philip Metzler, who supervised the former cops at the time Garner was arrested. Garner has since filed a federal lawsuit against the officers after she suffered from a broken humerus, dislocated shoulder and a sprained wrist during the arrest.
As REVOLT previously reported, Hopp, Jalali and Blackett were caught on camera laughing and making jokes about Garner’s arrest. Hopp even mimicked the popping sound that occurred when her shoulder popped out of the socket.
“Ready for the pop?” Hopp asked. Blackett responded, “What popped?” Hopp casually replied, “I think it was her shoulder.”
“I can’t believe I threw a 73-year-old on the ground,” he added.
“It’s like live TV… Body cams are my favorite thing to watch, I could watch livestream body cams all day,” said Jalali.
On Friday, Ticer revealed that the officers were no longer employed by the Loveland Police Department, but he would not say whether or not the officers had stepped down. However, a police spokesman told CNN that the former cops had resigned.
“I share the community’s concerns on this,” Ticer said when referring to his reaction of the bodycam footage. “It hurt to see that. I’ve been in law enforcement 32 years and what I saw in there hurt me personally.”