Protestors want DeKalb Police Officer fired for using excessive - CBS46 News

Community activists demanded that DeKalb County Police fire one of their officers on Friday. They protested the actions of Officer P.J. Larscheid seen on video striking a homeless woman with a baton more than a dozen times last month.

According to the incident report, Katie McCrary was questioned by police after begging customers for money at a Chevron gas station on Glenwood Road in Decatur and that’s when she allegedly pushed the responding officer at the scene. Protesters don’t believe the officers use of force was warranted.

“Everyone deserves to be treated equally especially by our law enforcement officers,” Community activist Arit Essien said.

CBS46 learned that officer Larscheid filed a use of force report immediately following the incident, but the department failed to obtain store surveillance video to thoroughly investigate, relying solely on the officers account.

“If you can’t do the job that you were hired and sworn to do then we’re going then we’re going to have to replace you with somebody that can,” DeKalb SCLC President Nathan Knight said.

We’ve asked officials tough questions like why they didn’t obtain surveillance video in a timely manner.  And whether they interviewed witnesses during the initial investigation before clearing the officer of any wrong doing.   

“It was a rushed investigation and a hasty closure.  There was no due diligence,” Essien said.

“They have a duty and responsibility and they failed in their duty and responsibility and I’m telling the Chief you’re wrong and we’re not going to tolerate you being wrong,” Knight said.

DeKalb officials tell CBS46 they can’t answer our questions about how they conducted their initial investigation because that is now a part of the GBI investigation. We checked with Georgia POST Council and Larscheid does not currently have any infractions on his record.  He remains on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

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