The video I posted on Sunday (showing the 24-year-old Matt Hefferon being shoved by officer Dan Calahan, leading to his arrest officer by officer Kyle Bendzsa), has sparked an internal affairs investigation. At the press conference earlier this week Fort Collins Police Chief John Hutto stated that officers had been called to old town Fort Collins at 1:45 a.m. by a pedi-cab taxi operator, who had accused Matt Hefferon and his friends, Joshua Cullip, and Jarvis Gullatt of damaging his bike.
Matt Hefferon said he and two friends (Joshua Cullip, and Jarvis Gullet) were drinking at the Wall Street bar on Linden Street and decided to take a pedi-cab from Old Town Square to their car. He said they all jumped on the two-seat trike and it flipped, breaking a rear reflector. Hefferon said the officers told him he could either pay for the damage on the spot, or receive a ticket.
Hefferon said he was trying to explain that he wasn't able pay right away because his ATM card wasn't working. Hefferon also said that when Calahan shoved him, in the video, Calahan can be heard telling Hefferon to step back.
"I was in no position to be any threat," Hefferon said. "I wasn't in his face to begin with. As I'm sitting there explaining it to him, not even close to him, he tells me to get back. I step back and fold my arms and stare at him. That's when he punches me in the chest and tells me to get back. They keep telling me I'm resisting arrest."
He added: "I just don't feel like that's the right thing for an officer to do."
Joshua Cullip who had video taped part of the incident after he was given back his ID from the officers, told 7News: “What happened is we asked the guy for a ride, as we were loading up on his bike, it ended up tipping back because we had too much weight on it, and breaking the brackets on his reflector.”
Heffron is facing charges of criminal mischief and obstructing a peace officer. Cullip was charged with interference and Gullatt was charged with obstructing a peace officer.
While Police Chief John Hutto said he can’t yet talk publicly about the March 25 incident caught on video, he said he is comfortable with what he called a “pretty remarkably low” level of force being used by his officers. Hutto has launched an internal investigation of the video showing officer Dan Calahan shoving Matt Hefferan, who then was cited for criminal mischief and obstructing in connection with the incident.
“I think our officers are very restrained and use force appropriately,” Hutto said.
Hutto said the video “raises questions” about the interaction between Calahan and Hefferan. But he said the vast majority of interactions between police and the public are peaceful. He said those interactions rarely get attention.
Hutto said the video “raises questions” about the interaction between Calahan and Hefferan. But he said the vast majority of interactions between police and the public are peaceful. He said those interactions rarely get attention.
The growth of high-quality video recorders is starting to change the way police investigate crimes and complaints.
Several Fort Collins police officers wear mobile recorders to document their interactions with the public in Old Town Fort Collins, and police Chief John Hutto said he is a big fan of having video of police officers interacting with the public because it often helps clear up "he-said, she-said" complaints.
Hutto said it didn't appear the officers recorded in the Saturday incident were wearing video recorders, and called on the public to submit additional video of the incident. "I always welcome video," Hutto said. "I think it helps. It never tells the whole story."
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