Two Savannah police officers have been fired after an investigation into their use of force while serving a warrant, and their cases have been turned over to local district attorneys for possible future prosecution.
The announcement was made during a Wednesday afternoon news conference that included Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter.
After an Internal Affairs investigation, Cpl. Daniel Kang and Sgt. Octavio Arango were fired.
In April, the officers notified their supervisor a use-of-force incident had taken place while attempting to locate a wanted subject at a Savannah apartment complex.
Body cameras recorded the incident, and the officers’ supervisor notified Internal Affairs that use-of-force guidelines may have been violated.
The investigation, according to police, then found Kang and Arango had violated multiple department policies. Both officers were placed on administrative leave throughout the investigation.
Minter fired the officers late last month. Both officers appealed to the city manager, who upheld the firings.
On Aug. 7, Minter presented the body camera footage and the investigation’s results to Mayor Van Johnson and a specially appointed task force that Johnson formed to review the department’s use-of-force policies in the wake of George Floyd’s death while in Minneapolis police custody.
“It is our duty and mission to serve, protect and build trust with the community,” Minter said. “The actions of these officers were not in line with our mission and were a direct violation of our existing policies.”
During Wednesday’s news conference, District Attorney Meg Heap said she and her assistants “will personally handle this case.
“I have reviewed the body cam; I have received statements,” Heap said. “When we receive everything, we will prepare and draft an indictment. At that point, depending on what the grand jury’s decision is, it will be filed with the clerk in open court.”
Johnson, who viewed the body camera footage, said he was “horrified” by what he saw. Johnson referenced an earlier promise he made to residents amid the national protests against racism and police brutality following Floyd’s death.
“I meant what I said on that hot day at the end of May, that it was going to be a new day in Savannah, that Black lives matter, that everyone’s lives matter,” Johnson said. “We’re going to support our police department, but yet, we are going to be committed that individuals who do bad things, who don’t respect, serve and protect, will no longer be members of our police department.”
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