Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Police Misconduct Public Complaint topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenter alleges civil-rights violations by Richmond Heights police, says he is drafting lawsuit
Summary
Garrett Meece said he plans to draft a lawsuit alleging civil-rights violations and unequal treatment by the Richmond Heights Police Department and criticized municipal responses; he said an internal investigation and exoneration by police leadership show systemic problems.
Garrett Meece told the council during the non-agenda public forum that he intends to draft a lawsuit alleging civil-rights violations by the Richmond Heights Police Department and related actors.
Meece criticized the department’s handling of an incident in which he says he was detained and not protected from restraint by another person, and he said an internal review and a chief’s summary exoneration demonstrated "systemic conditioning" that allows officers to violate citizens’ rights. "If you have a gun and my hands are empty, then what you hold is not just a weapon, but my life," Meece said.
He said attorneys told him he had a case but that the municipal court process and the practical costs of litigation limited his options; Meece said he will draft a suit and reach out to media to publicize his claims. The vice chair cut off the speaker at the three-minute limit; the transcript records no council response or staff follow-up on record.
