IMPD releases names, discipline records for officers in violent curfew arrest video
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has released information regarding several officers involved in the violent arrests of two women that led to a lawsuit against the city.
Video captured by News 8’s Richard Essex on the evening of May 31 showed IMPD officers strike and shove two women who were out past curfew, which had been instituted after two nights of rioting and civil unrest in the city by Mayor Joe Hogsett. The arrests occurred about 45 minutes after the 8 p.m. curfew.
More than two months later, IMPD has released names, experience levels and discipline records for the officers involved.
- Sergeant David Kinsey (20-year veteran)
- Officer Conrad Simpson (18-year veteran)
- Officer Johnathan Horlock (5-year veteran)
- Officer Nathanial Schauwecker (8-year veteran)
Simpson, Horlock and Schauwecker do not have any notes in their disciplinary files.
Kinsey received a one-day suspension, without pay, in April 2004. He also received a written reprimand in November 2004. News 8 has asked for clarification on what rules were broken by Kinsey.
Ivoré Westfield, one of the women in the video, was struck multiple times with pepper balls and batons. Rachel Harding was shoved to the ground after asking “why her” as Westfield was being struck.
Lawyers for the women say they didn’t know each other prior to the protests and that Harding had agreed to give Westfield a ride home.
A federal lawsuit was filed on their behalf in late June.
The day after News 8 aired the video of the arrests, IMPD Chief Randal Taylor said the use of force would be reviewed.
“While I don’t have enough information yet for disciplinary actions, I can tell you that this type of incident is exactly the type of incident that the new use of force review board we are creating is aimed at reviewing,” Taylor said at the time.
IMPD investigators were expected to forward their report, once completed, to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office for review. No charges have been filed so far.