Following the January 25 arrest of London Colvin, an Army reservist and Norfolk State University student, an internal investigation led to the dismissal of four officers.
The arrest was deemed an excessive use of force in a statement made by Norfolk Police Chief Michael Goldsmith.
To get a clearer sense of what happened, Goldsmith launched an internal investigation into the arrest, and the officers involved.
In a statement made on April 3, Goldsmith stated that the K-9 officer and three other officers on the scene at the arrest were no longer with the Norfolk police department. Another officer involved was suspended for several days, according to the release.
“Their actions do not represent the values of my department. We have a great police department filled with men and women who work hard in this community every day. We must hold ourselves to high standards and embrace opportunities to strengthen our relationship with the people we serve,” said Goldsmith in a release.
Additionally, Goldsmith stated that there would be revisions made to K-9 usage in the case of arrests.
“Some of my K9 policy revisions include: restricting the use of a K9 in assaults which involve an officer or a citizen, and dispatching a supervising officer to the scene anytime a K9 is used to apprehend a suspect. As I stated early on in my review of Ms. Colvin’s arrest, I am committed to providing this department with the best training, best practices and ensuring the men and women who serve the community are the best people for the job,” said Goldsmith.
