A family is alleging that excessive force was used during the arrests of two women at a public pool in Royse City last week. The incident has drawn attention following claims that the arresting officer failed to de-escalate a confrontation and instead resorted to aggressive tactics.
On Thursday, the family and their legal representatives viewed body camera and dash camera footage of the altercation, although the Royse City Police Department has not made this footage publicly available. The officer involved, who is currently on administrative leave, reportedly charged one of the women after she stepped off the sidewalk.
During a press conference, attorneys for Janiaca Wheeler and her daughter, Amaiyah Allen-Smith, highlighted that the arresting officer serves as a training officer for the department. The officer is under scrutiny after a video of the incident went viral, depicting him pulling Wheeler’s hair and pushing other women during the arrests.
The situation escalated after police were called to the pool due to an argument between the family and an older man. After officers instructed the family to leave the premises, they allegedly followed them to their car, warning them to remain off the road. When Allen-Smith stepped onto the road, the family claims the officer charged at them, leading to the confrontation.
“If the police department believes anything I’ve said is inaccurate, they should release the entire tape,” stated Sean Daredia, the family’s attorney, during the press conference. Dominique Alexander from the Next Generation Action Network added, “The public deserves to see this video. An officer like this should not be employed.”
The backstory reveals that the Royse City Police responded to a disturbance call on August 4 at the Creekside neighborhood pool. Following the incident, both Wheeler and Allen-Smith were arrested, but the charges against them were dropped the next morning.
As the investigation continues, the Royse City Police Department has not provided any updates following their meeting with the family. The arresting officer remains on administrative leave during this process.
