It seems rare that justice is done in cases like these so I wanted to give an update on a case that I’ve written about previously on The Memories Project.
A police officer in Colorado who used excessive physical force against a 73-year-old woman with dementia who had been accused of shoplifting has been sentenced to 5 years in prison.
The case went viral after the video of the rough arrest was released to the public and shared on social media. Karen Garner was accused by Walmart staff of trying to walk out of the store with $14 of merchandise in June 2020. Staff were able to retrieve the merchandise in question, but Garner walked away from the store before police arrived. Officer Austin Hopp attempted to stop Garner, who was confused and not cooperative due to her dementia. Hopp proceeded to slam Garner to the ground during the arrest, dislocating her shoulder. She was also hogtied and suffered a fractured arm and sprained wrist.
Garner’s ordeal didn’t end there. When she complained about pain at the police station, she was mocked and ignored. Hopp and two other police officers laughed about the incident, boasting, “We crushed it.”
You can watch the arrest below. Viewer discretion advised.
A female officer involved in the arrest has also been charged in the case and has a court hearing in June.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month so it’s a good time to advocate for dementia training for law enforcement. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill into law in April to establish dementia training for law enforcement. Every state should have such a training program.
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