Supervisor held responsible for tasing

MOBILE, Ala. - Never-before seen footage from inside the Dollar General store on Azalea Road has been released. It's from the day a Mobile Police officer tased a deaf and mentally challenged man.

The tape shows a store manager pacing the floor near the front door, waiting for police to arrive. The tape goes on to show customer after customer being turned away. It also shows officers enter the store, take Love out and sit him on the pavement.

All of this happened after the store manager called 911. The manager became suspicious about Antonio Love being in the store's bathroom for a very long time.

"Normally the bathroom door doesn't lock unless someone's inside bathroom, and I wondered if an officer can come out and check it out for me?" asked the store manager during his 911 call.

Surveillance video shows officers enter the store, take Love out, and sit him on the pavement. Police now admit officers made a mistake.

"I'm sorry that we had an incident with Mr. Love. I wish we would have not, and the outcome would have been different," said Mobile Police Chief Phillip Garrett. Read the Mobile Police Department's statement on the incident here.

Garrett said he supports the officers actions, up to the point when they came out of the bathroom. Garrett said they had no idea what was waiting for them on the other side of the door.

"There could have been someone in there trying to commit suicide, or they could have a child in there. You don't have a clue," added Garrett.

Garrett doesn't support the decision to take Love to jail. Garrett holds Lt. Kevin Rodgers responsible. He was the officer in charge that day.

"Take him home, and talk to a mother, a brother or a relative and explain what happened and leave him at home. That would have been my preference," said Garrett.

Instead, Garrett said Love was taken to jail and then dropped off in the parking lot of his apartment complex.

Love's family referred us to their attorney,Tommy James, an attorney from Birmingham. James said Love has never had any run-ins with the law. James questions why the police were called in the first place. The family hasn't decided on any legal action.

In a written statement, James said, "We may be forced to file suit, so that we can issue subpoenas to obtain the Internal Affairs investigation and other relevant documents, because the Mobile Police are not willing to release this
information to us."

For now, Chief Garrett said police are taking ownership of their role in all of this, but won't speculate on why Love was alone in the store in the first place.

Lt. Rodgers has been placed on administrative duty, pending the outcome of a due process hearing. Chief Garrett said depending on the results of that hearing, punishment could range from nothing, to termination.

Chief Garrett said Lt. Rodgers has been with the department for about 15 years. The officer who tased Love twice isn't in any trouble.

"He was acting under the orders of his supervisor," said Garrett.

Garrett said this whole incident has been a learning experience for the Department.

"The goal is for officers to meet the needs of every citizen every time, and now we must take another look at our policy and make it stronger."

Mobile Police are also taking another look at training because of the Antonio Love incident.

Chief Garrett said officers will be instructed on how to take into consideration a persons state of mind. The Department will also work with the Independent Living Center to call on certified interpreters.

Michael Davis runs the Independent Living Center in Mobile. Davis is an avid supporter of disabled rights. Davis himself is paralyzed.

From his Moffet Road office, Davis said the whole situation is sad, and agreed certified interpreters would help.

"It's very important that we have certified interpreters available to provide training, and so we certainly will work with the police department to make sure those certified interpreters are in place," said Davis.

Davis said the tasing investigation is an example of why good communication is important in any encounter.

"I look forward to working with law enforcement, and everyone involved in that arena such as paramedics, and fire fighters to meet the needs of the disabled," said Davis.

Garrett said an interpreter was called on the day of the tasing, but was not available.

"Officers noticed a hearing aid, and found a card in his wallet. We tried several numbers but got no answer," said Garrett.

The due process hearing could take several weeks to complete.