Evanston man files police misconduct report after injuries
Daily file photo by Zack Laurence
An Evanston man who was injured after Evanston Police mistakenly arrested him has filed a police misconduct complaint. The incident occurred on Jan. 22.
February 4, 2018
The 60-year-old Evanston man who was injured after Evanston Police mistook him for an armed robbery suspect filed a police misconduct complaint with the city, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Gregory Hall has worked as a wellness consultant and massage therapist in the Chicago area for 25 years. He told The Daily on Jan. 24 that he was taken to Saint Francis Hospital about 30 minutes after the arrest and received a brace on his wrist, which he said has prevented him from working. Though no bones were broken, he was referred to an orthopedic specialist to undergo treatment and had swollen fingers and bruised knees.
On Jan. 22, police handcuffed and forced Hall to his knees after they mistakenly thought he was a robbery suspect.
Hall filed the complaint with EPD’s Office of Professional Standards, which investigates allegations of misconduct, according to the Tribune. EPD has also launched an internal “use of force” investigation because of Hall’s claim that his wrists were hurt during the arrest, and Evanston police Cmdr. Jay Parrott said the investigation should be completed in roughly three weeks, according to The Tribune.
Evanston police Cmdr. Ryan Glew told the Tribune that officers offered aid to Hall once they uncuffed him, which Hall denies.
On Thursday, the Citizens’ Network of Protection will host a discussion about police reform. The event, which will be held at Family Focus, is the fifth in a series of forums that focus on the creation of a civilian board of police oversight, accountability and transparency, according to the program’s flyer.
The group said that Hall’s detainment — which they called the third such incident in the past three years — is another reason the city needs an oversight board. In July, a 12-year-old boy was arrested for riding on the back of bike pegs in downtown Evanston, and in 2015, EPD arrested a Northwestern graduate student, who someone mistakenly claimed stole a car which he owned.
Hall will try to attend the CNP meeting, according to the flyer.
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