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Home · News

Texas Police Blasted After Mounted Officers Pictured Leading Black Man By Leash

Donald Neely, 43, who is mentally ill according to family, was led down the street by a leash after being arrested for trespassing.
Texas Police Blasted After Mounted Officers Pictured Leading Black Man By Leash
Adrienne Bell Facebook
By Breanna Edwards · Updated October 23, 2020

The Galveston Police Department in Galveston, Texas, is attempting to apologize after a disturbing photo surfaced showing two of its mounted officers, both of whom are white, leading a Black man, 43-year-old Donald Neely, with his hands cuffed behind his back by a leash or a length of rope.

Adrienne Bell, who is running for Congress in Texas’ 14th District, posted the image on Monday evening, noting: “We have verified with law enforcement officials in Galveston that the photograph taken in Galveston is real.

“It is hard to understand why these officers felt this young man required a leash, as he was handcuffed and walking between two mounted officers. It is a scene that has invoked anger, disgust, and questions from the community,” Bell added. “We will be watching for the Galveston Police Department’s response to their investigation of this matter and the accountability of the officers involved. Swift action is needed to ensure that no one is demeaned in this manner again, and arrest procedures are fair, just, and humane.”

We have verified with law enforcement officials in Galveston, that the photograph taken in Galveston is real. It is hard…

Posted by Adrienne Bell on Monday, August 5, 2019

According to ABC13, the man in the photo, Neely was arrested on Saturday after being accused of criminal trespass.

Neely’s sister, who was upset when she saw the photo, told the news station that her brother battles with mental illness and is homeless.

The police department said that Neely was handcuffed and the rope they used was clipped to the handcuffs. The officers involved were identified in a press release as Officers P. Brosch and A. Smith. The body cameras of both the officers involved were activated, according to the release.

“First and foremost I must apologize to Mister Neely for this unnecessary embarrassment,” Police Chief Vernon L. Hale, III said in the press release. “Although this is a trained technique and best practice in some scenarios, I believe our officers showed poor judgement [sic] in this instance and could have waited for a transport unit at the location of arrest.”

“My officers did not have any malicious intent at the time of the arrest, but we have immediately changed the policy to prevent the use of this technique and will review all mounted training and procedures for more appropriate methods,” Hale added.

We became aware today of an arrest Saturday involving two mounted patrol officers and how the arrested individual was…

Posted by Galveston Police Department on Monday, August 5, 2019

Nonetheless, according to ABC13, the officers are not currently facing any disciplinary action for using the dehumanizing technique on Neely.

People commented under Bell’s post and the police department’s post, as well as on other social media platforms in outrage.

“Texas was one of the last states to release its slaves From chattel slavery…doesn’t surprise me one bit,” one commenter wrote under the department’s post.

“How are these police officers ALLOWED to get away with this?” another commenter asked under Bell’s post.

This is just sickening and uncalled for.

This young black man was put on a leash while handcuffed between two mounted horses in Galveston, Texas.

This invokes painful imagery of slave catchers and runaway enslaved Africans. pic.twitter.com/ZHEmyCYbUE

— zellie (@zellieimani) August 6, 2019

Police officers arrested Donald Neely, who is Black, for trespassing, handcuffed him, attached a rope to the handcuffs and led him through the streets of Galverston on mounted horses. All as though they were slave masters, and he were their slave. https://t.co/G0ryVdi8Mj

— Rebecca J. Kavanagh (@DrRJKavanagh) August 6, 2019

This is Galveston, TX in 2019. No we don’t need the whole story. This is straight from the slave catchers handbook. #WhiteSupremacistTerrorism pic.twitter.com/DQTOVVbSiu

— Freeborn Black Woman First of Her Name 🖤 (@TheWayWithAnoa) August 5, 2019
TOPICS:  Donald Neely Galveston Police Department police accountability Texas White Supremacy
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