Woman Dragged By Police

Recently there was a heart-wrenching and disturbing sight of a Bastrop Police officer dragging a homeless woman to his cruiser that is causing outrage. The victim's family and community are speaking out on the unfair injustice. 58-year-old Patrice D. Ukeju was shown on a video recording Capt. Gerald Givens, as he dragged her on the ground, her pants and undergarments were allegedly around her ankles. The family was very distraught and angry with the way Ukeju was handled, and they are calling for an investigation into the matter. A family member said that they are asking for Louisiana State Police(LSP) to conduct the investigation, as well as hearing from the mayor and police chief of Bastrop. A family member stressed that they are not anti-police, but something should be done in this situation, even if it leads to the officer being terminated. Family members say that a protest is in the works and that the Bastrop Police Department must be held accountable for the officer’s actions. The mayor of Bastrop released a statement that read: “As mayor for the city of Bastrop, I offer the assurance to the citizens that this administration cares about the safety and security of all citizens. The incident, which occurred on March 10, 2022 is a personnel matter and is currently under investigation. The officer has been placed on administrative leave. The Chief has confirmed to me that every detail associated with this incident will be evaluated from the time and nature of the dispatch call to arrival back to the station. I feel confident that due process will be handled fairly for all parties involved. Betty Olive, Mayor. The family said that legal action is being considered. The video again shows why citizens should record police officers involved in conduct that appears to be unprofessional. Even though police officers are equipped with body cams, recent incidents have shown that even with the evidence from body cams, the public is not convinced that justice will be served. The video of the beating of Black motorist Ronald Greene is a sad testimony to the lengths that it appears some police departments will do to protect their own. There are those who like to use the first 4-5 scriptures of Roman 13 to justify police conduct. It doesn’t look like Patrice D. Ukeju deserved that kind of justice.