The cops involved in a contentious arrest at a Peekskill waterfront park will not be prosecuted by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. A spokesperson for the DA’s office wrote in a statement, “After reviewing all of the evidence in this case, our office has determined that there is an insufficient basis to pursue criminal charges against any Peekskill police officer involved in the incident.”
42-year-old Damar Fields was tased, kicked, and cursed at during an arrest by the gazebo at the Peekskill Riverfront Green Park, on Wednesday, December 3rd. The Peekskill Police Officer has been placed on administrative leave after a viral cellphone video shows the officer repeatedly tasing a man on the ground, as well as punching and kicking him while cursing at him to get on his face and stomach. Several other officers joined the officer in holding the man down. The video begins after the incident was already in progress.
On Dec. 4th, the Peekskill Police Department referred the use-of-force incident involving several police officers to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for review. The incident involved the arrest of a person known to the department at the Riverfront Green Park, according to the DA.
The Public and Law Enforcement Integrity Bureau of the office then began what was called a thorough investigation of the incident. The entire body-worn camera footage of the incident was examined by investigators and assistant district attorneys from various perspectives; an eyewitness was interviewed; incident police reports were examined; social media footage of a portion of the incident was examined; the Peekskill Police Department’s Standard Operating Procedure Manual was examined; and the Peekskill community was contacted directly for any further information.
“Last Tuesday, Dec 16th, I agreed to talk to investigators from Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace’s office. I told them respectfully I have no faith in their boss. They have a video of clear police brutality, and they were still investigating. I told them it looked to me that they are investigating a way to charge the Black victim and exonerate the white attackers,” said Community Activist Darrell Davis, shared with Black Westchester.
The DA’s Office also “recommended to the Peekskill Police Department that it consider additional training on how to deal with mentally ill or emotionally disturbed persons and on the use of de-escalation techniques.” The DA’s Office published all body-worn camera footage collected as part of the review, which can be viewed here.
“The City of Peekskill and its Police Department recognize that this event has the potential to damage community trust,” the city said in the official statement in the days that followed the incident. “It is important to examine all factors surrounding this incident, including those not visible in the video, to fully understand the actions of both the officer and the individual involved. For that reason, the City is committed to a comprehensive investigation.”
Priscilla Augustin, president of the Peekskill chapter of the NAACP, condemned the misuse of power by the police officers directly involved in the incident.
“After reviewing the video that was posted, it is clear that the officers used excessive force, employed derogatory language, and engaged in racial name-calling toward the man in their custody,” Augustin said on December 7th. “This is unacceptable. We acknowledge the decision to suspend the officer; however, we firmly believe the suspension should be without pay pending the outcome of a full and transparent investigation. Moreover, the consequences imposed in this case will speak volumes about whether law enforcement is truly committed to serving the community’s best interests—or whether some officers believe they are above the law.”
The DA’s office findings were sent to Peekskill Police Chief Adam Renwick, and the matter was referred back to the department for an internal investigation.
At the December 8th Council meeting, five members of the City of Peekskill’s Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) were reappointed and will be reviewing the incident. They are Dennis Adams, Jay Buckiewicz, Antonio Knott, Lisa McClain, and Harriet Ray.
Davis tells Black Westchester he will continue to seek justice for Fields. “They know Damar, they know him. Peekskill is a small city. They should have treated him from the beginning,” he said.
SMH 🙄
Police brutality!!
A man is tased, kicked, punched, and cursed at on video, and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office says there’s “no basis” to prosecute?
That’s not a lack of evidence, that’s a lack of will.
These decisions don’t happen in a vacuum. They happen inside systems that are very careful about where accountability is allowed to land. And somehow, it always stops just before it becomes professionally uncomfortable.
People aren’t angry because they don’t understand the process.
They’re angry because they do.
Watched the first body cam footage. I don’t see what the officers did wrong. The man repeatedly made threats, refused to comply with any of the officer’s directives, kept making threats even after he was tased. They warned him prior to tasing him. I don’t see the issue. You can’t be in a public park with your pants down, threatening a police officer, and lunging at officers while making threats. I agree with the decision not to charge the officers. If someone isn’t compliant what do you do other than tase them? Talk to them? The guy just kept threatening the police officer.