Question
Third Roswell officer fired, fourth resigns amid 11Alive investigations
Officers only received verbal counseling before the 11Alive Investigators demanded internal documents and police videos. Now they are gone -- along with the chief.
ROSWELL, Ga. — UPDATE JUNE 21, 2019:
The City of Roswell commissioned an audit of its police department by an outside agency last year as a direct result of our investigations.
The Reveal investigative team is currently reviewing the audit report as part of our ongoing investigation and will have an in-depth analysis of the full 185 page report soon.
ORIGINAL:
The Roswell Police Department has a new acting chief of police, after Chief Rusty Grant resigned earlier this month.
The official announcement simply called it a retirement, but Grant’s own email to the police department said his intent was to resign and retire from law enforcement. His departure follows 6 months of exclusive investigations that revealed several scandals inside the department – incidents hidden from the public until 11Alive demanded internal records.
Two Roswell officers were fired after 11Alive Investigators uncovered body camera video showing the officers using a ‘coin flip’ app when deciding to arrest a driver for speeding. One of those now-former officers, Courtney Brown, blamed her termination on the international media coverage of the incident that followed our reporting. Brown said she had already received punishment in the form of verbal counseling.
Now a third officer has been fired, and a fourth resigned amid new investigations by 11Alive.
START READING HERE!
“ONE OF THE WORST THINGS A POLICE OFFICER CAN DO IS NOT HELP OUT ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER.”
Officer Brad Hill also received only verbal counseling for failing to help a fellow officer who was trying to save a dying suspect. Hill was the closest Roswell officer, just 1.3 miles away from the emergency. But police GPS data obtained by 11Alive Investigators showed his cruiser never moved during the life and death event – even as he watched two Roswell cruisers race by him with lights flashing and sirens blaring
Multiple officers from Roswell and Alpharetta responded, because the handcuffed suspect lost consciousness in the back of the Roswell patrol car in Alpharetta between the jail and the hospital.
The suspect had apparently overdosed on opioids and he was saved with Narcan administered by the officers who also rushed him to the hospital because the ambulance never made it in time.
Officers from both departments and a police dispatcher received Roswell’s Lifesaving Medal for their work in saving the man's life.
“One of the worst things a police officer can do is not help out another police officer,” Hill’s lieutenant, Bernie Holland, said in an internal affairs interview.
Officer Hill told internal affairs investigators that he did not respond for a number of reasons. He stated that he wasn’t dispatched, the Roswell officer requested only an ambulance and the emergency was in Alpharetta -- just outside his jurisdiction.
But there was another reason, according to the internal investigation case file: He was already under investigation for another case 11Alive Investigators followed -- the intentional freezing of a 13-year-old boy, to get him to talk.
“Did you make any comments related to current Internal Affairs investigations and not wanting to get in any more trouble?” an investigator asked during his interview.
“Well that’s probably accurate, yes,” Hill responded.
Hill was one of the officers on the scene when Sgt. Daniel Elzey decided to roll down the windows of a patrol car, and turn off the heat on one of the coldest nights of the year. Body camera footage showed Sgt. Elzey and the other officers waiting in warm patrol cars with the heat on, “freezing out” the handcuffed boy in the cold cruiser until he agreed to tell officers the truth.
Elzey – named Supervisor of The Year by the police chief after the incident – was demoted to patrol officer after we obtained the video through the open records act.
Before Elzey intentionally kept the boy cold, Hill and other officers noted that the boy was special needs, calling him “24,” the Roswell Police code for “emotionally disturbed.”
In late September – while Hill was under internal investigation for both the freezing incident and for not responding to the overdose call – Chief Rusty Grant approved Hill’s raise and promotion to Master Police Officer (MPO), which frustrated the officers who did respond.
“Hill getting promoted to MPO -- and I just found out about it, and it frustrated me because I knew about all of this,” Officer Zack Kowalske told Internal Affairs in a recorded statement.
Those officers on the overdose call turned in Hill, complaining to supervisors who opted to counsel Hill verbally.
Days after 11Alive Investigators asked for Hill’s GPS data, Chief Grant offered him a chance to resign. Hill refused, saying it would be reported to the state as a ‘resignation under investigation.’
When Hill was questioned by Internal Affairs, he said, “I’m going to be found wrong in this. It’s clear in the way that y’all ask the questions. So can we just get it over with?”
He was found in the wrong, and Chief Grant fired Officer Hill on Nov. 16, just two months after the chief had promoted him while he was under investigation.
The freezing incident is still part of a criminal investigation by the Fulton County District Attorney, a case launched only after we requested the body camera recordings.
FOURTH OFFICER RESIGNS
Officer Daniel MacKenzie resigned from the Roswell Police Department earlier this month. He wrote in his resignation letter, “I have a non-law enforcement opportunity that I wish to pursue” and he congratulated Chief Grant on his simultaneous retirement.
MacKenzie was also under investigation at the time of his resignation, and had been on administrative leave without pay following an incident where he punched a handcuffed suspect in the back of his police cruiser. The suspect had been kicking the security divider in his patrol car, MacKenzie reported.
Several felony charges against the suspect were suddenly and inexplicably dismissed right before Christmas by the Fulton County District Attorney -- the week before MacKenzie turned in his resignation notice.
An internal police source said the punching was caught on both body camera and backseat camera recordings in MacKenzie’s police car. The 11Alive Investigators demanded copies of those videos in early November. The videos were withheld because the criminal case against the suspect was still pending.
The police department is allowed to release such videos at its discretion regardless of the case status, but Georgia law allows law enforcement to withhold such videos, even if they capture police misconduct.
After the charges against the suspect that Officer MacKenzie punched were dropped, Roswell Police told us we could not have other records related to MacKenzie’s internal affairs investigation, citing the same code section that allows police to withhold records that are part of a criminal investigation.
We don’t know who is under criminal investigation now, only that the suspect that the officer punched had all of his charges dismissed.
TWO SETS OF BOOKS
The six-page public police report of the punching incident has only a single paragraph describing the arrest. There is no mention of the officer punching the suspect, or what led up to that action.
But there’s another report you’re not allowed to see.
The 11Alive Investigators obtained a copy of a 12-page report from the same officer and the same incident, that includes a lengthy narrative filed by the officer. An internal source says there is a drop-down menu when printing reports where officers and records clerks can print a public or confidential version of the same incident report.
Under the Georgia Open Records Act, police incident reports are always subject to release to the public and the press, regardless of whether the criminal case is still pending. Courts have ruled that such reports by any name, including “supplemental report” or “narrative report,” are to be disclosed without exception.
Roswell City Attorney David Davidson insisted that the officer’s narrative is secret, contrary to law.
“The police officer’s written statement is evidence in a pending prosecution in that he is a direct witness to the charge of obstruction of a law enforcement officer and interference with government property. While the records you request are public records, the officer’s statement is still part of an on-going prosecution in Fulton County and are not part of the initial police report,” Davidson wrote in response to our objections in November.
The officer narrative, which is supposed to be public, is even titled “confidential” on all Roswell Police incident reports.
If it were an additional statement from an officer who is also a witness in an ongoing prosecution, it would not be included in middle of a standard incident report where the regular narrative usually appears.
The report we received through a records request is sequentially numbered from page one to six, but the real incident report that was filed by Officer MacKenzie is sequentially numbered to page 12. Pages five through 10 are the officer’s narrative that is inexplicably missing from the ‘public’ police report.
There is no indication in the ‘public’ report that anything is missing or withheld.
The reason the missing officer narrative is important is that it includes the only mention that the handcuffed suspect was punched by the officer.
“I punched the subject above his left cheek with my closed fist,” MacKenzie wrote. “This was to both garner compliance to turn him to grab his handcuffed arm and the advantage if he became violently thrashing again, and also as a distraction measure to avoid further confrontation,” he stated in the confidential section of the report.
We have resubmitted our request for the video, and Roswell Police have not yet responded.
“GETTING OUR BUTTS HANDED TO US.”
Officer Kowalkse, as part of his Internal Affairs interview, commiserated with the investigator about our reporting that has left the department in crisis.
“So everyone thinks that this is a terrible place to work for, and everyone is leaving so quickly, and we just have people walking out the door,” Officer Kowalkse said, adding that people say, “How can you ever work for this place?”
"I’ve been here for 10 years. I’ve worked under four different chiefs. This sucks, this does absolutely suck. I will absolutely, whole-heartedly agree. It’s not unsurvivable. It just takes time. That’s any agency. We just happen to be getting our butts handed to us," Kowalkse said.
Complete the following on a Google Doc and submit
What would you suggest be done about officers who repeatedly violate the rules?
Do you think police departments can eliminate people who might have the potential to become corrupt from the hiring process? If so, how? If not, explain why.
Do you think there is a higher expectation for police officers to not make mistakes? If so, why? If not, why?
Do you think it is fair to police officers to have a higher expectation to not make mistakes? If so, why? If not, why?
Officers only received verbal counseling before the 11Alive Investigators demanded internal documents and police videos. Now they are gone -- along with the chief.
ROSWELL, Ga. — UPDATE JUNE 21, 2019:
The City of Roswell commissioned an audit of its police department by an outside agency last year as a direct result of our investigations.
The Reveal investigative team is currently reviewing the audit report as part of our ongoing investigation and will have an in-depth analysis of the full 185 page report soon.
ORIGINAL:
The Roswell Police Department has a new acting chief of police, after Chief Rusty Grant resigned earlier this month.
The official announcement simply called it a retirement, but Grant’s own email to the police department said his intent was to resign and retire from law enforcement. His departure follows 6 months of exclusive investigations that revealed several scandals inside the department – incidents hidden from the public until 11Alive demanded internal records.
Two Roswell officers were fired after 11Alive Investigators uncovered body camera video showing the officers using a ‘coin flip’ app when deciding to arrest a driver for speeding. One of those now-former officers, Courtney Brown, blamed her termination on the international media coverage of the incident that followed our reporting. Brown said she had already received punishment in the form of verbal counseling.
Now a third officer has been fired, and a fourth resigned amid new investigations by 11Alive.
START READING HERE!
“ONE OF THE WORST THINGS A POLICE OFFICER CAN DO IS NOT HELP OUT ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER.”
Officer Brad Hill also received only verbal counseling for failing to help a fellow officer who was trying to save a dying suspect. Hill was the closest Roswell officer, just 1.3 miles away from the emergency. But police GPS data obtained by 11Alive Investigators showed his cruiser never moved during the life and death event – even as he watched two Roswell cruisers race by him with lights flashing and sirens blaring
Multiple officers from Roswell and Alpharetta responded, because the handcuffed suspect lost consciousness in the back of the Roswell patrol car in Alpharetta between the jail and the hospital.
The suspect had apparently overdosed on opioids and he was saved with Narcan administered by the officers who also rushed him to the hospital because the ambulance never made it in time.
Officers from both departments and a police dispatcher received Roswell’s Lifesaving Medal for their work in saving the man's life.
“One of the worst things a police officer can do is not help out another police officer,” Hill’s lieutenant, Bernie Holland, said in an internal affairs interview.
Officer Hill told internal affairs investigators that he did not respond for a number of reasons. He stated that he wasn’t dispatched, the Roswell officer requested only an ambulance and the emergency was in Alpharetta -- just outside his jurisdiction.
But there was another reason, according to the internal investigation case file: He was already under investigation for another case 11Alive Investigators followed -- the intentional freezing of a 13-year-old boy, to get him to talk.
“Did you make any comments related to current Internal Affairs investigations and not wanting to get in any more trouble?” an investigator asked during his interview.
“Well that’s probably accurate, yes,” Hill responded.
Hill was one of the officers on the scene when Sgt. Daniel Elzey decided to roll down the windows of a patrol car, and turn off the heat on one of the coldest nights of the year. Body camera footage showed Sgt. Elzey and the other officers waiting in warm patrol cars with the heat on, “freezing out” the handcuffed boy in the cold cruiser until he agreed to tell officers the truth.
Elzey – named Supervisor of The Year by the police chief after the incident – was demoted to patrol officer after we obtained the video through the open records act.
Before Elzey intentionally kept the boy cold, Hill and other officers noted that the boy was special needs, calling him “24,” the Roswell Police code for “emotionally disturbed.”
In late September – while Hill was under internal investigation for both the freezing incident and for not responding to the overdose call – Chief Rusty Grant approved Hill’s raise and promotion to Master Police Officer (MPO), which frustrated the officers who did respond.
“Hill getting promoted to MPO -- and I just found out about it, and it frustrated me because I knew about all of this,” Officer Zack Kowalske told Internal Affairs in a recorded statement.
Those officers on the overdose call turned in Hill, complaining to supervisors who opted to counsel Hill verbally.
Days after 11Alive Investigators asked for Hill’s GPS data, Chief Grant offered him a chance to resign. Hill refused, saying it would be reported to the state as a ‘resignation under investigation.’
When Hill was questioned by Internal Affairs, he said, “I’m going to be found wrong in this. It’s clear in the way that y’all ask the questions. So can we just get it over with?”
He was found in the wrong, and Chief Grant fired Officer Hill on Nov. 16, just two months after the chief had promoted him while he was under investigation.
The freezing incident is still part of a criminal investigation by the Fulton County District Attorney, a case launched only after we requested the body camera recordings.
FOURTH OFFICER RESIGNS
Officer Daniel MacKenzie resigned from the Roswell Police Department earlier this month. He wrote in his resignation letter, “I have a non-law enforcement opportunity that I wish to pursue” and he congratulated Chief Grant on his simultaneous retirement.
MacKenzie was also under investigation at the time of his resignation, and had been on administrative leave without pay following an incident where he punched a handcuffed suspect in the back of his police cruiser. The suspect had been kicking the security divider in his patrol car, MacKenzie reported.
Several felony charges against the suspect were suddenly and inexplicably dismissed right before Christmas by the Fulton County District Attorney -- the week before MacKenzie turned in his resignation notice.
An internal police source said the punching was caught on both body camera and backseat camera recordings in MacKenzie’s police car. The 11Alive Investigators demanded copies of those videos in early November. The videos were withheld because the criminal case against the suspect was still pending.
The police department is allowed to release such videos at its discretion regardless of the case status, but Georgia law allows law enforcement to withhold such videos, even if they capture police misconduct.
After the charges against the suspect that Officer MacKenzie punched were dropped, Roswell Police told us we could not have other records related to MacKenzie’s internal affairs investigation, citing the same code section that allows police to withhold records that are part of a criminal investigation.
We don’t know who is under criminal investigation now, only that the suspect that the officer punched had all of his charges dismissed.
TWO SETS OF BOOKS
The six-page public police report of the punching incident has only a single paragraph describing the arrest. There is no mention of the officer punching the suspect, or what led up to that action.
But there’s another report you’re not allowed to see.
The 11Alive Investigators obtained a copy of a 12-page report from the same officer and the same incident, that includes a lengthy narrative filed by the officer. An internal source says there is a drop-down menu when printing reports where officers and records clerks can print a public or confidential version of the same incident report.
Under the Georgia Open Records Act, police incident reports are always subject to release to the public and the press, regardless of whether the criminal case is still pending. Courts have ruled that such reports by any name, including “supplemental report” or “narrative report,” are to be disclosed without exception.
Roswell City Attorney David Davidson insisted that the officer’s narrative is secret, contrary to law.
“The police officer’s written statement is evidence in a pending prosecution in that he is a direct witness to the charge of obstruction of a law enforcement officer and interference with government property. While the records you request are public records, the officer’s statement is still part of an on-going prosecution in Fulton County and are not part of the initial police report,” Davidson wrote in response to our objections in November.
The officer narrative, which is supposed to be public, is even titled “confidential” on all Roswell Police incident reports.
If it were an additional statement from an officer who is also a witness in an ongoing prosecution, it would not be included in middle of a standard incident report where the regular narrative usually appears.
The report we received through a records request is sequentially numbered from page one to six, but the real incident report that was filed by Officer MacKenzie is sequentially numbered to page 12. Pages five through 10 are the officer’s narrative that is inexplicably missing from the ‘public’ police report.
There is no indication in the ‘public’ report that anything is missing or withheld.
The reason the missing officer narrative is important is that it includes the only mention that the handcuffed suspect was punched by the officer.
“I punched the subject above his left cheek with my closed fist,” MacKenzie wrote. “This was to both garner compliance to turn him to grab his handcuffed arm and the advantage if he became violently thrashing again, and also as a distraction measure to avoid further confrontation,” he stated in the confidential section of the report.
We have resubmitted our request for the video, and Roswell Police have not yet responded.
“GETTING OUR BUTTS HANDED TO US.”
Officer Kowalkse, as part of his Internal Affairs interview, commiserated with the investigator about our reporting that has left the department in crisis.
“So everyone thinks that this is a terrible place to work for, and everyone is leaving so quickly, and we just have people walking out the door,” Officer Kowalkse said, adding that people say, “How can you ever work for this place?”
"I’ve been here for 10 years. I’ve worked under four different chiefs. This sucks, this does absolutely suck. I will absolutely, whole-heartedly agree. It’s not unsurvivable. It just takes time. That’s any agency. We just happen to be getting our butts handed to us," Kowalkse said.
Complete the following on a Google Doc and submit
What would you suggest be done about officers who repeatedly violate the rules?
Do you think police departments can eliminate people who might have the potential to become corrupt from the hiring process? If so, how? If not, explain why.
Do you think there is a higher expectation for police officers to not make mistakes? If so, why? If not, why?
Do you think it is fair to police officers to have a higher expectation to not make mistakes? If so, why? If not, why?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
**Google Document Response**
**Title:** Reflections on Police Department Accountability and Expectations
---
**What would you suggest be done about officers who repeatedly violate the rules?**
To address officers who consistently violate the rules, it is essential to implement a structured accountability framework within police departments. This could include:
- **Progressive Discipline:** Establish clear policies that outline progressive disciplinary measures for repeated offenses, starting from verbal counseling to suspension, and potentially leading to termination for persistent violations.
- **Performance Reviews:** Conduct regular performance reviews to identify patterns of misconduct. Review these evaluations during the promotion or retention process.
- **Mandatory Training:** Require officers with noted violations to undergo additional training focused on ethics, de-escalation techniques, and adherence to department policies.
- **Independent Oversight:** Create an independent oversight body that examines misconduct cases objectively, providing additional scrutiny and transparency.
Implementing these measures can help foster a culture of accountability within the department, ultimately improving public trust and officer conduct.
---
**Do you think police departments can eliminate people who might have the potential to become corrupt from the hiring process? If so, how? If not, explain why.**
While it may not be feasible to completely eliminate individuals with the potential for corruption from the hiring process, police departments can take proactive steps to significantly reduce this risk. Effective strategies may include:
- **Thorough Background Checks:** Conduct in-depth background checks that explore past behaviors, including psychological evaluations and assessments of candidates' integrity.
- **Behavioral Interviews:** Utilize behavioral interviewing techniques that assess decision-making and ethical reasoning in situational scenarios relevant to police work.
- **Continuing Education and Training:** Incorporate ethical training and discussions about corruption during the hiring process and throughout officers' careers to ensure a continuous focus on integrity.
Ultimately, while it may be impossible to predict future behavior with absolute certainty, these methods can help identify candidates less likely to engage in corrupt practices and guard against those who may exhibit concerning traits.
---
**Do you think there is a higher expectation for police officers to not make mistakes? If so, why? If not, why?**
Yes, there is a higher expectation for police officers to not make mistakes compared to other professions. This expectation stems from several factors:
- **Public Safety:** Police officers hold significant authority and responsibility for maintaining public safety and enforcing laws. Mistakes can lead to severe consequences, including loss of life or wrongful arrests.
- **Trust and Legitimacy:** The legitimacy of law enforcement relies heavily on public trust. Officers are often seen as upholding the law and should therefore be held to a higher standard of accountability due to their unique position in society.
- **Professional Accountability:** As sworn officers, they are expected to act with a level of professionalism and integrity that reflects the values of the community they serve. Errors in judgment or misconduct can undermine the entire police department and erode community relations.
Thus, the nature of their role inherently requires a higher standard of conduct.
---
**Do you think it is fair to police officers to have a higher expectation to not make mistakes? If so, why? If not, why?**
Yes, it is fair for police officers to be held to a higher standard because they have a unique role that comes with substantial responsibilities and authority. Here’s why:
- **Preventing Harm:** The nature of policing involves critical and often life-or-death situations where mistakes can have dire consequences for individuals and communities. Higher expectations help mitigate risks and protect public safety.
- **Public Trust:** Officers are public servants whose actions directly affect community trust. It is essential for them to exemplify integrity and reliability; this focus on accountability can help rebuild trust where it may have been lost.
- **Professional Standards:** Many professions with significant impacts on society, such as doctors or pilots, are held to rigorous standards because of the potential consequences of their actions. Police officers, as enforcers of the law, bear similar responsibilities and must be accountable to maintain public faith in law enforcement.
In summary, holding police officers to a higher standard is justified by their critical role in society and the potential ramifications of their actions.
---
*End of Document*
This response can be further tailored or elaborated based on specific guidelines or desired formatting for submission.
**Title:** Reflections on Police Department Accountability and Expectations
---
**What would you suggest be done about officers who repeatedly violate the rules?**
To address officers who consistently violate the rules, it is essential to implement a structured accountability framework within police departments. This could include:
- **Progressive Discipline:** Establish clear policies that outline progressive disciplinary measures for repeated offenses, starting from verbal counseling to suspension, and potentially leading to termination for persistent violations.
- **Performance Reviews:** Conduct regular performance reviews to identify patterns of misconduct. Review these evaluations during the promotion or retention process.
- **Mandatory Training:** Require officers with noted violations to undergo additional training focused on ethics, de-escalation techniques, and adherence to department policies.
- **Independent Oversight:** Create an independent oversight body that examines misconduct cases objectively, providing additional scrutiny and transparency.
Implementing these measures can help foster a culture of accountability within the department, ultimately improving public trust and officer conduct.
---
**Do you think police departments can eliminate people who might have the potential to become corrupt from the hiring process? If so, how? If not, explain why.**
While it may not be feasible to completely eliminate individuals with the potential for corruption from the hiring process, police departments can take proactive steps to significantly reduce this risk. Effective strategies may include:
- **Thorough Background Checks:** Conduct in-depth background checks that explore past behaviors, including psychological evaluations and assessments of candidates' integrity.
- **Behavioral Interviews:** Utilize behavioral interviewing techniques that assess decision-making and ethical reasoning in situational scenarios relevant to police work.
- **Continuing Education and Training:** Incorporate ethical training and discussions about corruption during the hiring process and throughout officers' careers to ensure a continuous focus on integrity.
Ultimately, while it may be impossible to predict future behavior with absolute certainty, these methods can help identify candidates less likely to engage in corrupt practices and guard against those who may exhibit concerning traits.
---
**Do you think there is a higher expectation for police officers to not make mistakes? If so, why? If not, why?**
Yes, there is a higher expectation for police officers to not make mistakes compared to other professions. This expectation stems from several factors:
- **Public Safety:** Police officers hold significant authority and responsibility for maintaining public safety and enforcing laws. Mistakes can lead to severe consequences, including loss of life or wrongful arrests.
- **Trust and Legitimacy:** The legitimacy of law enforcement relies heavily on public trust. Officers are often seen as upholding the law and should therefore be held to a higher standard of accountability due to their unique position in society.
- **Professional Accountability:** As sworn officers, they are expected to act with a level of professionalism and integrity that reflects the values of the community they serve. Errors in judgment or misconduct can undermine the entire police department and erode community relations.
Thus, the nature of their role inherently requires a higher standard of conduct.
---
**Do you think it is fair to police officers to have a higher expectation to not make mistakes? If so, why? If not, why?**
Yes, it is fair for police officers to be held to a higher standard because they have a unique role that comes with substantial responsibilities and authority. Here’s why:
- **Preventing Harm:** The nature of policing involves critical and often life-or-death situations where mistakes can have dire consequences for individuals and communities. Higher expectations help mitigate risks and protect public safety.
- **Public Trust:** Officers are public servants whose actions directly affect community trust. It is essential for them to exemplify integrity and reliability; this focus on accountability can help rebuild trust where it may have been lost.
- **Professional Standards:** Many professions with significant impacts on society, such as doctors or pilots, are held to rigorous standards because of the potential consequences of their actions. Police officers, as enforcers of the law, bear similar responsibilities and must be accountable to maintain public faith in law enforcement.
In summary, holding police officers to a higher standard is justified by their critical role in society and the potential ramifications of their actions.
---
*End of Document*
This response can be further tailored or elaborated based on specific guidelines or desired formatting for submission.