Mother Claims Excessive Force Used On Son

FARMINGTON POLICE CONDUCT INTERNAL REVIEW

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

FARMINGTON -- Police are doing an internal investigation after a woman filed a complaint two officers used excessive force while arresting her 15-year-old son on New Year's Eve at the Kum & Go store on Main Street, according to Lt. Chad Parrish.

Parrish said the investigation was to ensure the department's policies and procedures were followed during the arrest. The report will be sent to the prosecutor's office for further review, Parrish said.

Parrish said no officers have been placed on leave.

Parrish said the teen was charged with resisting arrest, possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors. The arrest occurred about 10 p.m. Dec. 31. The boy was taken to the Police Department and then released to his parent.

The teen's mother, Micaela Fillmore-Stephens, wrote about the incident on her internet blog and posted videos of the arrest recorded by her son's friend. Fillmore-Stephens said police pushed her son up against a wall, breaking a front tooth, and causing other injuries.

Last week, Fillmore-Stephens said she was not making excuses for her son breaking the law. However, she said the officers gave her son no instructions and overreacted.

"And my child is now hurt because of it," she said.

In her blog she writes, "These officers were clearly not in danger, felt no threat of being in danger and had no cause to exert the amount of force they used on this child."

The videos do not show initial interaction between officers and the teen but starts at the point the boy is pushed against the wall. The teen can be heard using profanity and yelling at the officers.

Farmington police released a redacted incident report regarding the arrest Thursday. Officer Justin Collins says in the report he stopped at the store to use the restroom when he saw two teens standing in the bathroom. Collins wrote one of the teens was trying to shove what looked like a marijuana pipe into his right pocket. The officer asked what it was and the boy admitted it was a pipe, according to the report.

Collins said he grabbed the boy by the arm who immediately tensed up, pulled his arm away and refused to comply with verbal commands. Collins pushed the teen toward a wall to secure and handcuff him and the boy started yelling his face was injured. Collins saw blood coming from the boy's face near his mouth, according to the report.

Collins called for assistance and Officer Dustin Long arrived.

Long wrote in his narrative that when he arrived at Kum & Go, he could hear screaming and yelling coming from the restroom area of the store. When he entered the restroom, he saw Collins had a white male secured on the floor in handcuffs in front of the sinks, his report states.

Long's report says the teenager was attempting to resist Collins by jerking his body, kicking his legs and attempting to roll onto his back. Long said he secured the suspect's legs to help gain control of him.

Long said officers escorted the teen to a police vehicle outside and the juvenile continued to try to resist the officers.

Central EMS arrived to provide medical care to the teen but he was uncooperative and the ambulance left without providing treatment, according to the report.

Upon arrival at the police department, the teen calmed down as he waited on his mother to pick him up, according to the police report.

The teenager is scheduled to appear in Washington County Juvenile Court on Feb. 8.

General News on 01/10/2018