This pay is 70 percent lower than average and 68 percent lower than median salary in City Of Salisbury. During the interaction, Cuthbertson swung his helmet, striking Officer B. W. Jones in the face. After she cried for police to get her medical attention I am hurting really bad one of the officers on the scene congratulated his law enforcement colleagues on a job well done, according to the lawsuit. The report states Naves reviewed body camera footage. 2 State House Station Newcastle, ME 04553 Augusta, ME 04333-0002 Cell: (207) 975-3132 (207) 287-1400 TTY: (207) 287-4469 mick@mickdevin.org State Representative - CHLOE S. MAxMIN Capitol Address: Home Address: We know that North Carolina has really widespread and entrenched, pronounced racial disparities in terms of the way that black and white motorists are policed, he said. Time and time again I see this where people get mad at someone for not shooting them in the leg or some bullshit, its because they have a split second to decide what theyre gonna do, how theyre gonna do it, and do it. She is requesting a jury trial, compensatory and punitive damages and the costs of court and attorney fees to be covered. When Bottoms didn't immediately pull over, one of the officers making the traffic stop identified in the lawsuit as Salisbury Police Officer Devin Barkalow made statements recorded by his body . 2/26/2023 3:37:00 AM. The video was released to the Charlotte Observer by Bottoms attorneys, but has not been released publicly. Bottoms lawsuit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court for North Carolinas Middle District and accuses officers of using excessive force and violating her constitutional rights. SCOTT D. MACLATCHIE Hall Booth Smith, P.C. While state law allows people pictured in body camera videos to receive a copy, the Rowan County Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department are prevented from releasing the video without a court order. But they approached her vehicle with guns drawn and later violated her rights by using excessive force, the lawsuit said. Bottoms attorneys also argue that officers were deliberately indifferent to the womans pain. Officers with the Rowan County Sheriff's Office and the Salisbury Police Department were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on Bottom, alleging she was driving 80 mph in a 70-mph zone, according to the suit. It also claims that the officers congratulated one other for their work and an officer identified in the lawsuit as Barkalow is heard bragging about grabbing a "handful of dreads," saying "at that point she earned it.". The force applied by the officers caused Bottom's "shoulder to 'pop,' tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury," according to the lawsuit. And they did their jobs while bullets were flying around them and a gunman was on the loose. The arresting officers involved were identified as Salisbury police officers Adam Bouk and Devin Barkalow, Rowan County sheriff's deputy Mark Benfield, and a Highway Patrol trooper only . Bottom is seeking a jury trial, compensatory and punitive damages as well as court costs and attorneys fees. Barkalow said he no longer works for the police department but declined to say where he's working now. They finally were able to stop her with tire spikesshe still didn't listen when they ordered her out of the car. Yeah, she WAS speeding. When she asked for medical assistance, she estimated that an hour elapsed before officers called for help, the lawsuit said. And theyre the ones we fear the most.. Four law enforcement officers are named in the federal lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Linda McElroy, a spokeswoman for the City of Salisbury, said that Barkalow was hired by the department in 2015 and left the agency in Feb. 2020 to take a job with . One of the police officers who no longer works for the Salisbury Police Department declined to comment when contacted by the Charlotte Observer. "Once it became clear they wanted her to pull over she was afraid and was looking for a safe place to pull over," Holmes told CNN in an email. Officers had their sirens on for at least 10 minutes, according to body camera footage that is cited in the lawsuit and was reviewed by CNN. As she was handcuffed on the side of the road, the officers searched her vehicle and purse without her consent, a warrant, or probable cause which violated Bottom's Fourth Amendment rights, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. Jacob Linn (1825-1878) was a gunsmith, business owner, Bexar County commissioner, landowner, and rancher. Four law enforcement officers are named in the federal lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. See the correctional supervision record for Kyle Devin Barkalow, who is or was recently under the supervision of the department of corrections in the state of Florida. Some of those images can be seen immediately below: In the footage, Bottom is seen screaming as Benfield, Barkalow, and Salisbury Police Officer Adam Bouk force her to lay face down on the ground, according to the lawsuit. Theres nothing that can justify how she was pulled out of the car, but what led up to that?. JAMES R. MORGAN, JR. Womble Bond Dickinson (us) LLP contact info. Officers used stop sticks and pulled Bottom over at gunpoint. We as a council have to say more than, be patient. We have to say more than let the process play out. The following alternative links are available: Note: this is a bot providing a directory service. We released a statement because theres a lot of concern on how these officers and the Sheriffs department handled the situation, when they couldve handed it much more professionally than that, said Black, who was in Elizabeth City on Saturday taking part in state NAACP activity regarding the police shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. All rights reserved. Neither the Salisbury Police Department nor the Rowan County Sheriffs Office immediately responded to requests for comment Thursday. Pretty soon, four male officers were involved in the chase. One of the officers' body cameras also captured one of the Salisbury police officers bragging about "grabbing a handful of dreads" and saying "she earned it." The four officers involved in the incident were Salisbury Police Officers Devin Barkalow and Adam Bouk, Rowan County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Benfield, and an officer only . Bottom, who is Black, is suing three officers, the sheriff of Rowan County, N.C., and the city of Salisbury, accusing them of using excessive force and violating her Fourth Amendment rights during a traffic stop that seriously injured her. It caused her a very significant injury that required surgery, that required her to spend time in the hospital. The officers pulled Bottom's arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. Sergeant J. Naves believes Master Deputy M. Benfield and Master Deputy M. Smith complied with the Rowan County Sheriffs Office policy and procedures during this incident, the use of force report states. I know she did not apparently have medical issues but they should have checked her over first before slamming her to the ground. Despite that, authorities felt justified in threatening deadly force and physically assaulting the woman because she didnt pull over in a timely manner. How many more Black and brown people are going to be hurt and killed by the hands of officers, Miller said. "Why are you doing this. The second cop just comes rushing in and let's adrenaline take over. Her attorneys said she had to foot the bill for medical treatments, repairs to her SUV and was left to grapple with the emotional fallout of her encounter. against her in a 2019 traffic stop, the Salisbury-Rowan NAACP is calling for accountability and transparency from local law enforcement agencies. Yeah she ran for 10 miles. In this conversation. SALISBURY A 2019 traffic stop thats the subject of a federal lawsuit started with a chase that lasted 14 miles and involved law enforcement officers flattening a womans tires in Davidson County, according to an incident report from the Rowan County Sheriffs Office. 'White privilege and entitlement:' NC city official fired after refusing to address woman by doctoral title. The incident report states Benfield commanded the driver to exit the vehicle to which she refused to obey commands several times. Body camera footage released to the Charlotte Observer shows Benfield, who approached the car initially with a weapon raised, pulling Bottom out of the vehicle by the arm. As Rowan County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Benfield and Barkalow approached her vehicle they had their guns drawn and pointed at her, according to the lawsuit. Olen Bruner called on city leadership to work toward and enact changes that residents elected them to address, particularly archaic laws regarding racial injustice and police brutality that city leaders can hide behind and that protect the system., My first change is stop killing us, he said. Whitney Peckman criticized local law enforcement for stating they want a good community relationship but choosing to gloss this over by hiding information about the incident until media reports. The man facing murder charges, 29-year-old John Calvin Sifford III, crashed his car and ran away in an attempt to flee the officers, according to Salisbury police. The car was stopped when they apprehended her. As for the other demands, Black said he thinks those could be delivered upon easily. The officers pulled Bottom's arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. Another officer involved in the traffic stop, only identified as Officer Smith, pulled ahead of Bottom and deployed spike strips that immediately immobilized her vehicle, the lawsuit says. Law enforcement officers and sheriffs deputies are held to a certain standard and they should live up to that standard.. Bouk refused, while the three other officers ignored her pleas. Devin Michael Barkalow is listed at 3579 Farm Lake Dr Sw Concord, Nc 28027 and is affiliated with the Republican Party. Some of the other officers congratulated each other for a job well done, the lawsuit alleges. His femoral arteries in both legs had been severed by the gunshots. The officers pulled Bottom's arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. Saturday night. Stephanie Bottom was driving on May 30, 2019, along Interstate 85 from Georgia to North Carolina to attend her great aunt's funeral, her attorney Scott Holmes told CNN on Tuesday. Child Endangerment/abuse-non Serious Inj; Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Flow Of Air/Blood; Domestic Abuse Assault-Injury Or Mental Illness-1st. Smith pulled ahead of Bottom at one point and laid down a spike strip to flatten her SUVs tires. Bottom claims the officers refused to get her medical treatment even as she told them she was in pain, according to the lawsuit. Like, theres got to be a better way to handle this. Former Salisbury Police officer Devin Barkalow is accused of pulling Bottom out of the vehicle by her hair. Officers with the Rowan County Sheriff's Office and the Salisbury Police Department were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on Bottom, alleging she was driving 80 mph in a 70-mph zone, according to the suit. The Salisbury-Rowan NAACP listed five demands to the Salisbury Police Department and Rowan Sheriffs Office in a letter that was published on its Facebook page Saturday night. The Salisbury-Rowan NAACP listed five demands to the Salisbury Police Department and Rowan Sheriffs Office, in a letter that was published on its Facebook page. Linda McElroy, a spokeswoman for the city of Salisbury, wrote in an email to the Observer that the Salisbury Police always strives for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where we may suspect criminal activity.. Black said he would like to see an updated mission statement that features language pertaining to people like Bottom, who may only be visiting Rowan County or simply passing through. "There is some good news with this, even though what they did was horrible," Barkalow . Shouldnt have been stupid. Cars are extremely dangerous in the wrong hands, and just in general. But she added the data showing Black and brown individuals are disproportionately subject to police violence cannot be overlooked. Efforts to reach the officers and Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten were unsuccessful. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiff's purse and vehicle. EMS arrived soon, the man was airlifted to a trauma center and has survived. Another officer involved in the traffic stop, only identified as Officer Smith, pulled ahead of Bottom and deployed spike strips that immediately immobilized her vehicle, the lawsuit says. Gemale Black, president of the Salisbury-Rowan NAACP, said the letter was sent to both law enforcement agencies as well as Salisbury city council members and the Rowan County Board of Commissioners. When police vehicles pulled behind her, Bottom continued driving for another 10 miles, oblivious, she says, to the fact that they were trying to stop her for speeding. "With each pump of his heart you could just see it coming out," Wilson added. Thats not the case in a lot of states. Bottom, who did not immediately realize police wanted her to stop, was looking for a safe place to pull over when police used spike strips to stop her SUV. On 02/15/2022 STEPHANIE IVETTE CARRASQUILLO filed a Family - Other Family lawsuit against KYLE DEVIN BARKALOW. Officers with the Rowan County Sheriff's Office and the Salisbury Police Department were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on Bottom, alleging she was driving 80 mph in a 70-mph zone, according to the suit. Authorities scoffed at her explanation, finding it hard to believe she didnt notice them for 10 miles. View Devin B. The suit also maintains that officers had no probable cause and never asked for Bottoms consent to search her SUV or her purse, which was in the vehicle. The fourth officer named in the lawsuit is Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. Salisbury police. A Salisbury police officer involved in the stop bragged about grabbing a handful of dreads, and said at that point she earned it,' the lawsuit said, citing footage from the officers body camera. She really looked confused and scared if anything. It was late August, Officer Wilson and Detective Devin Barkalow rushed to the 700 block of Second Street where they saw a man leaning up against the front door of a duplex. Bottom didnt think she was speeding and claims she didnt realize she was being pulled over. Devin Barkalow M in 2019 was employed in City of Salisbury and had annual salary of $54,148 according to public records. This practice of editing out the why for these videos and only showing the police response is likely to destroy any credibility as these videos continue to get debunked. Within seconds of arriving at her driver's side door, the officers grabbed Bottom by her arm and hair and pulled her from her vehicle to the ground, according to body camera footage. Ummm dont think there are usually like a dozen police cars for a traffic stop obviously something else is going on here. She thought the police were attempting to stop another motorist on the interstate, and claims her music drowned out the sirens. Mike Colvin and Detective Devin Barkalow, are now on administrative duty. The suit says Bottoms injuries required surgery that did not fully repair the shoulder and that she feared the police and did not want to pull over on the side of the interstate. The officers made several attempts to gain the cooperation of Mr. Tori Cuthbertson to turn down his motorcycle radio/music and speak with them about the matter. Librarian Sues Over How She Was Treated During Traffic Stop 847,182 views Apr 29, 2021 Body cam video of a 68-year-old Georgia librarian's encounter with police who handcuffed her on the side of. Ian Mance is the attorney handling the case for the public policy program, which is dedicated to criminal justice reform and eradicating structural racism. Were asking for simple things that should already be in place.. The man facing murder charges, 29-year-old John Calvin Sifford III, crashed his car and ran away in an attempt to flee the officers, according to Salisbury police. The company has 1 contact on record. Sifford was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center under an additional $500,000 bond. It wasn't just me, it was Officer Barkalow, it wasn't just me and Officer Barkalow, it was Baker team of the Salisbury Police Department, it took all of us to do that". Following the public comments, Mayor Pro Tem Al Heggins asked the city council to find a way to address the concerns and deliver transparency. This is a military officer and this is a woman, the two pictures are saying. Bottom said all of the arresting officers were white. In the footage, Bottom is seen screaming as Benfield, Barkalow, and Salisbury Police Officer Adam Bouk force her to lay face down on the ground, according to the lawsuit. The other officers did not respond to requests for comment. Its not like the cop decided that they wanted the hair because it would be more aggressive, theyre just grabbing her and getting her out of the vehicle to detain her as fast as possible. Look at the tires in the beginning. And if the two concepts seem to conflict -- well, yes, they sometimes do, but Carol Barkalow, 31, wants you to know . She was accused of refusing to get out of her vehicle and pulling away from the officer. The lawsuit denied those allegations. Officers issued Bottom a summons, charging her with "speeding failure to heed blue lights, and resisting, delaying, and obstructing an officer for allegedly refusing to get out of her vehicle and pulling away from the officer," according to the lawsuit. It's unclear how close police were to Bottom's vehicle before she pulled over, as the footage only shows the inside of the police vehicle and the sky. . Barkalow remembers how female cadets were hazed and harassed back then. Thats good police work, baby, he said, according to body-cam footage. SALISBURY, NC (WBTV) - Two Salisbury police officers were honored as lifesavers for their work in saving a man who had been shot twice and was bleeding to death. 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