3 London officers disciplined after body camera shows man with autism being slapped during arrest
LONDON, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) – Three London police officers have been disciplined, with two resigning after being suspended without pay, following the release of body camera footage showing the arrest and alleged mistreatment of a 20-year-old man with autism.
The April 22 incident, captured on body camera video, shows officers pinning Cody Grimshaw to the ground and later slapping him while he was handcuffed in a police cruiser.
According to a police citation, dispatch received a call about an “out of control” man on Hicks Lane. The Laurel County Sheriff’s Department said Grimshaw had walked away from a treatment facility and traveled about a mile to a Lowe’s store, where three London officers and one deputy located him.
The citation states officers took Grimshaw to the ground when he became aggressive and refused to comply with commands.
Body camera footage shows an officer placing a spit mask on Grimshaw while he was handcuffed in the back seat of a patrol car. The officer mentioned that Grimshaw had tried to bite him.
Seconds later, the video captures an officer slapping Grimshaw. Audio from the scene includes an officer saying, “he smacked the fire out of him and he didn’t like it either. I’m going to John Doe him and he’ll stay in there indefinitely for all I care.”
London Interim Police Chief Gary Mehler said the FBI contacted the department April 23 with a complaint about the incident. An internal review led to disciplinary action against the officers involved.
“This formal process concluded that the conduct in question did not align with departmental protocols and constituted a violation of London Police Department policies and procedures,” Mehler said.
London Mayor Randall Weddle addressed the public outcry on Facebook, stating he was “disturbed” when he saw the body camera footage, noting he was upset by audio of officers laughing about the situation.
Tracie Handley, Weddle’s opponent in the mayor’s race, called the incident “heartbreaking” and “infuriating,” demanding leadership changes in the police department.
“Every officer needs to be looked at to see whether they are trained well, whether they are able to do the job well. Everyone needs to be assessed, and the ones who are not up to par need to go,” said Handley.
Mehler said the department plans additional training for officers on handling similar situations and remains committed to “professional service, accountability, and the ethical treatment of all individuals.”
