FOP president welcomes protest to Metro Corrections body cam video, but with a catch

Chad Mills

Chad Mills
Reporter
Dec 10, 2018
Dec 10, 2018 Updated Dec 11, 2018

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Newly-released body camera footage from April of a Louisville Metro Corrections officer punching an inmate continues to go viral.

"First thing through my mind is probably the first thing through everyone's mind who sees it," said Tracy Dotson, president of the Louisville Corrections Lodge #77 Fraternal Order of Police union. "There's a serious problem there."

To Dotson, the video seems cut and dry.

"It is what it is. I think it is what it appears to be, and I don't think it needs a great amount of explanation as to what's going on there," he said.

The body cam recording shows a Metro Corrections officer punch a cuffed inmate, Terry Whitehead, who, according to a lawsuit, had gotten permission to cover his cell window with toilet paper for privacy to use the restroom. Additionally, the suit claims the recording didn't capture other punches from two of the officers present, even though both deny it. And back in April, days after it happened, the two were fired.

"It's been handled as best as it could have been handled with Metro Corrections," Dotson said.

But now, according to a spokesman for the Whitehead family, a Dallas-based group could protest here soon, along with others, as some wonder why the officers involved haven't been charged. Dotson says he understands why protests might happen.

"I think the potential is high for it," he said.

But his message to those protesters is simple: any protest should be directed at prosecutors, not the jail, since Metro Corrections fired the two quickly and has been transparent about the incident ever since.

"I would never tell anyone when and where to protest, but I think for that voice to be heard it just needs to be directed at the voice that needs to hear it," Dotson said.

Saturday, Mayor Greg Fischer added his voice to those who've denounced the incident.

"The disturbing and totally unacceptable actions of these two probationary officers do not reflect the values of Louisville Metro Government, nor our Metro Corrections team," his statement said in part.