OCEAN CITY – A federal inquiry has found no civil right violations occurred last June during the use of force by Ocean City police officers to apprehend suspects on the Boardwalk.
“The FBI did conduct an inquiry into the two use force cases that occurred in early June 2021,” said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan in a response letter to Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s recent request for an update on the incidents. “We have recently learned that the FBI determined neither case rose to the level of a Federal Civil Rights Violation and that its inquiry is now closed. As I understand the facts and process, in late June the Ocean City Police Department was contacted by the FBI who had been asked to conduct an inquiry into both use of force matters. Subsequently, we invited FBI Supervisory Special Agent Thomas Coyle and Special Agent Joe Lear to meet with OCPD, and provided all of the information requested and further offered to cooperate in any way that would be of assistance. Thereafter, the FBI conducted its inquiry and forwarded its recommendation to the Assistant United States Attorney and then to person(s) within the Department of Justice. After this multi-level review, this matter was closed.”
Meehan’s letter, dated Sept. 17, was released Thursday to the media along with a written response by OCPD Records Supervisor Margie Lonergan dated Oct. 26 to The Washington Post’s Public Information Act requested Oct. 13. The newspaper’s request sought internal reviews of two incidents – June 6 when Taizier Griffin was arrested on the Boardwalk and on June 12 when teeagers Brian Anderson, Jatique John Lewis and Kamere Day were apprehended on the Boardwalk.
Both incidents, stemming from vaping on the Boardwalk that is prohibited, involved police using force to gain compliance with the suspects, resulting in national media and civil rights groups questioning the police department with accusations of racism and unfair treatment of minority.
Lonergan’s letter restated Meehan’s conclusion to the senator, saying, “The Town has recently learned that the FBI determined neither incident rose to the level of a Federal Civil Rights Violation, and after a multi-level review this matter was closed. Neither the Department nor the Town have the FBI inquiry records.”
Good!!!! Stop giving in to those who believe they are above the law.
Dag shorty, no FREE CHECKS FOE YA…
Had these POC simply complied with the officer’s initial request and stopped vaping and then moved on, nothing would have happened. It is obvious that they wanted a confrontation that would hopefully end up in a financial settlement. They got the confrontation they wanted, just no financial settlement.
Good JOB !!!! Let the cops do their jobs. If you act like a thug you should be treated like a thug . . . . .
Finally. All those protests, meeting with Rickie and it got you NOTHING.
Act appropriately and move along. Dont and well 3 hots and a cot.
The national news (MSM) will ignore it because it doesn’t fit the everything racist narrative.
I wonder if CAAL will apologize. I mean, they had to know that there was more to both videos – that’s just common sense…ooops….I wrote ‘common sense’. What was I thinking?
geez looks like the popo is trying to save a beached seal!