LOUISVILLE (WHAS11) – Two Louisville Metro Department of Corrections Probationary Officers were terminated on Monday after being found in violation of the department’s Use of Force Policy.
Corrections Officers David Schwartz, 47, and Devan Edwards, 21, both hired on Sept. 8, 2017, were found to have used excessive and unnecessary force on a Metro inmate who they say failed to follow their directions in an incident on April 15.
After viewing body camera video of the incident, Corrections Director Mark Bolton made the decision to immediately terminate the two officers, who did not have contractual rights because they were under probationary employment.
“We conduct background checks, psychological tests, polygraphs, and we train our corrections officers for nine weeks to the best corrections training standards in the country, followed by a field training period with seasoned corrections officers lasting three additional weeks,” Bolton said. "What I saw in that video is disturbing and is not reflective of what we expect from our staff.”
The 19-year-old inmate was cleared by the department’s medical staff, suffered no apparent serious injuries and continues to be monitored by the jail’s health care team.
Bolton said the incident has been turned over for review by Louisville Metro Police, as well as an internal investigation by the department’s Professional Standards Unit.