A disabled man is asking city officials to take disciplinary action against several Dayton Police officers he says mistreated him in an incident last year.
Jack Runser, who has cerebral palsy and is deaf and mute, claims officers violated his rights by handcuffing him and taking him to a hospital when he was walking to the store last fall.
Earlier this year, the Dayton Human Relations Council’s Citizen’s Appeals Board recommended that the officers involved in the incident be disciplined. Mayor Nan Whaley responded that the appeals board didn’t have the authority to make that kind of recommendation.
At a city commission meeting Wednesday, June 9, Debra Southard, a citizen advocate, read a statement from Runser asking the city to take action.
The question I have is, what are you willing and brave enough to do that will impact a positive change in our community so citizens like myself don’t suffer, fear police misconduct?" Southard said. "Someone has to be held accountable.”
Last month, Runser filed a lawsuit against the city, the police department, and the officers involved in the incident. He says he will return to each week’s commission meeting until the responsible parties are held accountable.