Indianapolis Police Chief Paul Ciesielski called for the firing of a white officer who's been charged with repeatedly striking a 15-year-old biracial boy in the face during an arrest. The attacks allegedly occurred after the boy had been subdued by other officers.

The chief said that Jerry Piland struck Brandon Johnson in the face several times for no reason on May 16th. The boy was left with wounds to his face and a black eye.

"It was a difficult decision, but I know it was the right decision to terminate his employment because that certainly serves as an example that we have a zero-tolerance policy," Ciesielski said at a news conference.
The chief's recommendation will go to Civilian Police Merit Board, who will decide the fate of the officer. The family of the teen and civil rights leaders in the community are asking for more, though. They are calling for a federal investigation in to whether the officer violated the teen's civil rights.

"I'm grateful to have one bad cop off the streets, but there was a lot of wrongdoing here that day," Johnson's mother, Chantay Chandler, said to the Associated Press. The community is also calling for four officers involved in the arrest to be fired, but not calling for the arrest of a fifth officer who stood on the side.

"One token firing is not enough," said Stephen Wagner, the attorney for the family.

None of the officers involved in the arrest had a record of excessive force. The officer who the chief says should be fired, Piland, has received several commendations. Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi stated that he is planning to investigate the issue and has not decided whether to bring charges against any of the officers. He has also stated that he will not charge Johnson, the teen who was allegedly beaten at the scene.

The police report states that witnesses noticed Johnson's brother trying to kick in the door of an abandoned building. Officers then went to arrest him for breaking and entering, to the protest of Johnson and some others. That's when Piland came to the scene in plain clothes, attempting to help the other officers. He smacked Johnson in the face and tried to apply pain to his back when he fell to the ground.

The family is giving a different version of events. The family's attorney says that Johnson asked the officers why they were handcuffing his brother and he was then told to go get an adult. When he did so, and questioned police, that's when the officer began striking him.

The president of the Fraternal Order of Police, Sgt. Bill Owensby, believes that Piland is being scapegoated because the case has drawn so much attention. John Kautzman, the group's attorney, said that Piland was "disappointed" with the chief's recommendation.

"This is merely a recommendation by the chief of police, but that's why the [merit board] exists: for us to have an opportunity to call witnesses and have them hear the evidence," Kautzman said.

In the Brandon Johnson case, it's clear that there may have been an abuse of police authority. When compounded with the case of Oscar Grant in California, we are reminded that this kind of police brutality occurs all throughout the nation. While the evidence should be heard regarding whether or not Officer Piland violated Brandon Johnson's civil rights, there continues to be a problem with police not understanding that there must be a partnership with the community in which officers do not always possess absolute authority.

For decades, the badge and gun have been tickets for a few arrogant cowboys on the police force to rule with an iron fist. That day has passed, as citizens are continuously learning to exercise their rights. What's also true is that we need good police to do their jobs effectively, and once the relationship with the community has been modified, officers can again gain the trust of the public. In situations like this, that trust is violated, and I am particularly saddened by the fact that there are thousands of other cases that never reach the light of day.



Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.