Live reporting by
Franklin Bennett
The board reviewed two complaint cases against Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers.
Franklin Bennett
@SebastionShaw72
Hi,everyone I will be live-tweeting the Citizens Police Complaint Board monthly meeting. @mirrorindy @indydocumenters
05:01 PM Oct 21, 2024 CDT
While we are waiting for the meeting to start it should be noted that Javeed Richards,the IMPD officer and board member who was arrested on suspicion of child exploitation has been removed from the board’s active member roster and there is a vacancy as per the board’s website.
The board approved the minutes for the September 2024 meeting.
The first case on the short docket is CPCO #2023-077F. Mike and Melissa Bova,who allege that during a house call for a potential overdose that the officer failed to confiscate the drugs and the officer failed to secure the scene and called the residents names upon arriving.
“No evidence? My son’s dead body is evidence.” Said Mike Bova,in regard to the failure of the IMPD officers to investigate his son’s death or secure the crime scene. “Your son was a dirtbag and not worth investigating” Bova alleges the police officer said about why he is not
2/2 investigating his son’s death under mysterious circumstances.
The board is discussing should Bova’s death have been investigated as a homicide and not an accidental overdose,since his death was officially ruled as accidental overdose caused by Fentanyl.Why wasn’t his dealer who was in his phone questioned?
On the first allegation that the officer was out of line in calling the deceased man a dirtbag the board voted to sustain.On the second count that the police failed to properly take steps to preserve the crime scene the board voted that officer Reese should not be exonerated.
The board voted to sustain both allegations of substandard performance in regard to officer’s Reese and Cohen.
The next case on the docket is CPCO #2023-079F in regard to Tia Kemp,who alleges the officer used unnecessary force,failed to turn on his body cam and file a proper police report in regard to the incident.
“I feel like I was judged by my mental health status and attire.” said Kemp in regard to coming to the school to try to address her daughter getting bullied and why she feels she was she was handled roughly by the police and arrested.
The board voted to sustain the allegations in agreement with IMPD Internal Affairs that the officer failed to turn on his body cam and lying about it not being operational.The board also voted to sustain the allegation that the officer used unnecessary force in regard to Tia Kemp
The meeting was adjourned at 7:44 pm.If you or anyone you know is the victim of police misconduct please contact the Citizens Police Complaint Board at 317-327-3440 or email them at cpco@indy.gov
Have questions? Think we got something wrong? Or have a potential story in regard to police misconduct please contact @mirrorindy or @indydocumenters