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Attorney and residents call for accountability after Jan. 16 arrest of Tanisha Thompson; responses in council meeting split
Summary
At a Hurst City Council meeting, attorney Lee Merritt and multiple residents described what they view as excessive force during the Jan. 16 stop and arrest of Tanisha Thompson while other residents praised police professionalism; commenters urged SOP review and accountability.
Attorney Lee Merritt spoke to the council as a representative of victims of police violence in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and directly criticized the Hurst Police Department's handling of a Jan. 16 traffic stop involving Tanisha Thompson. "This was an abuse of discretion," Merritt said, repeating that the officer's actions—he said—included opening Thompson's door, physically assaulting her, and causing injury and trauma to her and her 15-year-old son.
Kathleen Kearney, a registered nurse and a personal-injury attorney, reviewed the same video and told the council the force used appeared disproportionate. "That officer could have broken her neck and killed her," Kearney said, calling the maneuver "harsh treatment and uncalled for." Leon Willis, who identified himself as a retired military member and a nurse, urged the chief to review standard operating procedures and to encourage officers to call a supervisor or wait for backup when confrontations risk escalation.
At the same meeting a number of residents offered a different view. A speaker who identified affiliation with Pennstead praised a separate Mayfair Village incident response and thanked the Hurst Police Department for arriving quickly, saying officers were on scene "inside of 5 minutes" and that the response builds community trust. Bob Coffee, who said he served as a police officer for 35 years, acknowledged the video could have been handled differently but emphasized that officers sometimes have limited options and must enforce the law.
The council did not take formal action on the allegations at the meeting. The public-comment period was used for community members to present their perspectives; the chair reminded speakers that under state law the council cannot respond because the matter was not on the agenda. The record shows calls from multiple speakers to review procedures, consider training or supervisory changes, and to investigate the incident through appropriate departmental channels.
