The West Virginia State Police department has some explaining to do.
Two troopers from the Martinsburg detachment are alleged to have beaten a 16-year-old suspect badly enough that he had to be taken to the hospital. The troopers were arresting the unidentified boy after he allegedly struck a sheriff’s department cruiser with his vehicle, drove off and eventually crashed while being pursued by the State Police.
The boy was treated and released from the hospital, but the alleged assault by the troopers, which was captured on dashcam video, was serious enough to warrant an investigation. Governor Jim Justice has taken a hard line on the incident.
“While I proudly support the brave efforts of our law enforcement agencies every day, it must be perfectly clear I will NOT tolerate this kind of behavior in any way, shape, form, or fashion,” Justice said in a statement. “I have instructed Col. Cahill (State Police Superintendent Col. Jan Cahill) to begin an investigation immediately and to pursue criminal [emphasis added] charges if warranted to prevent behavior like this from ever happening again.”
The fact that Justice is even raising the possibility of criminal charges suggests this is a case where arresting troopers went beyond normal response to resistance or aggression by a suspect. Apparently the video is revealing.
“The West Virginia State Police has initiated a criminal and internal investigation, upon reviewing an in-car camera video,” said State Police Chief of Staff Services Maj. Reginald Patterson in a prepared release.
MetroNews has requested a copy of that video so we can release it to the public, but I do not believe we will get it, at least not yet. The video would be considered part of an ongoing investigation and therefore exempt from Freedom of Information Requests. That protection should expire when the investigation is complete.
The State Police internal investigation will not be the only probe. Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney Catie Wilkes Delligatti is investigating. She told MetroNews affiliate WEPM, “I just want to stress that we will ensure that a separate and transparent investigation is done.”
The public should hold her to that.
Police have a difficult job. They constitute the thin blue line that serves as a bulwark between order and chaos. They protect us and serve our communities while dealing with the worst of the worst. Their jobs are increasingly complex and risky.
However, the uniform and badge do not give them carte blanche. In fact, it is critical that our society keeps police power in check to limit abuses. West Virginia State Troopers take a sworn oath to uphold the law, not break it.
Consider these words from the State Police website: “Our sworn members have proudly served the citizens of the state with honor, bravery, and professionalism for more than 90 years. The reputation we enjoy is a representation of the character of the men and women who have served, and continue to serve within the ranks.”
The only way to protect that reputation while retaining the confidence of the people is to hold outliers responsible for their actions. Governor Justice, the State Police, and the Berkeley County Prosecutor have promised a full investigation, and we now expect that. Nothing less will do.