OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) - An Overland Park police oversight meeting grew heated after exchanges over arrests Friday at a protest for racial justice.
About 14 protesters attended the Overland Park Independent Board Against Racial Profiling and Non-biased Policing meeting Monday, the Kansas City Star reports.
Protesters said police at the Friday protest didn’t act with profesionalism and some were not wearing name badges.
Jalisa Davis told the board that several officers “surrounded us in riot gear as we were marching, from behind, swooping up several people, and slamming them to the floor as well as just manhandling people, pushing people.”
The police department in a statement said that officers were allowed to remove their name badges because they were concerned that their personal information would be posted online.
Friday night’s demonstration grew tense when some protesters refused to walk on the sidewalk. The city said in a statement that municipal code requires pedestrians to walk on a sidewalk when one is available.
Four people were arrested, including one charged in connection with battery on a law enforcement officer who the city said suffered scrapes and bruises. Other protesters said the man was arrested as he ran to help his wife as she was being arrested. They say he did not attack the officer.
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