An Aurora police sergeant was suspended for yelling and cursing at a teen driver who was allegedly speeding. Captured June 29 on a body camera, the footage showed the sergeant yelling and cursing, then putting her in handcuffs after the driver’s male passenger dropped a stolen gun that was loaded and fled the scene. The footage was recently made public.
In it, the driver became increasingly distraught because the passenger was reportedly her child’s father. She repeatedly asked the officer to call her mother and repeatedly said: “This is what y’all do. Y’all kill people.” A short time later, she apologized, saying she was scared. Soon after that, an officer called her mother.
Sgt. Ed Acuti recovered the stolen weapon and told her to “shut your f—— mouth” as another officer interviewed the teen. A fellow officer reported the officer in question’s actions. The Aurora Police Chief reviewed the footage and ordered an internal investigation. The officer is on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete.
The Aurora police department issued a statement: “Sgt. Acuti yells at the female using profane and unprofessional language not consistent with the training or expectations of an Aurora Police officer.”
Many no doubt remember that Aurora was the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, who was arrested and then beaten by an officer. Three officers and two paramedics were indicted on manslaughter and other charges involving McClain’s death.
There was also an investigation of Aurora police officers after detaining four Black girls at gunpoint they erroneously thought were driving a stolen car. They put two women in handcuffs and put all four on the ground. The officer and the teen driver in this latest incident were both white.
This unfortunate incident is just one egregious example of how officers can violate their code of ethics and the law when they pull over drivers. This example and other less obvious ones are why it is always helpful for those charged to work with an attorney who can review the charges and represent them in court.