Scheffler’s arrest has Louisville police seeking mulligan
ESPN has reported that Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the city’s police department will investigate whether its officers followed proper protocols when world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested Friday outside Valhalla Golf Club, the site of last week’s PGA Championship.
Additionally, Louisville Metro Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said in a statement Tuesday that an update on the investigation would be provided on Thursday: “The internal investigation is still ongoing. Any policy violations that are revealed through the course of the investigation will be appropriately addressed according to LMPD’s disciplinary protocol.”
Soon after Scheffler’s arrest, it was reported that prosecutors in Kentucky were expected to drop the charges against him. Sounds like the city of Louisville and its police department sliced this case wildly out of bounds and are looking for a mulligan.
And no wonder. Charges dropped or not, it may turn out that Scheffler is well within his rights to sue the Louisville Metro Police Department, as well as the city of Louisville, for false arrest, emotional trauma and reputational damage.
While wiser heads may be prevailing now – quite possibly in fear of such a lawsuit – Scheffler’s mugshot, humiliation, embarrassment and shock will live on. As once said by a high-level government official after public charges against him had been proven false: “Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?”
One office to try would be the Louisville Metro PD. I say that as one who has not only long “backed the Blue,” but strongly believe the funding of our nation’s police departments should be increased across the board.
That said, as the cliché reminds us, it still only takes one bad apple to spoil the whole bunch.
Scottie Scheffler arrest ‘stinks to high heaven’
Regarding this case, I spoke with a friend of mine who is a police officer in a major city. He felt the whole incident “stinks to high heaven.”
As my police officer friend stressed in part: “I have been in law enforcement for a number of years and have had my share of drivers try to get around traffic control. But never once did I think of grabbing onto a moving vehicle weighing a few tons while screaming at the driver. That’s simply – and quite stupidly – putting yourself in danger. At the worst, Scheffler should have been given a citation and let go.”
This police officer also thought it very strange that the Louisville police officer trying to tackle Scheffler’s vehicle did not have his body camera turned on. That may have been a violation of police department rules.
Also, as reported by ESPN, Section 4.31.6 of Louisville Metro police procedures states that officers are required to “maintain their BWC (body worn camera) in a constant state of operational readiness. The BWC will be used to record all calls for service and law enforcement activities/encounters.”
When asked if the arresting officer violated this rule, the Louisville Metro PD dodged the question. Why? As more information comes out, none of it seems to withstand closer scrutiny. Hence, why the mayor and the chief of police may be speaking out now.
Arrest affected Scottie Scheffler’s chances of winning PGA Championship
Did this arrest negatively affect Scheffler’s chances to win the PGA Championship? As Scheffler is the No. 1 golfer in the world and was playing the best golf of his career, I suspect most would say “yes.”
The 2-over 73 he shot Saturday was his worst score in 266 days. Scheffler himself said he was “scared,” “confused,” and “couldn’t stop shaking” when he returned to the golf course right after being arrested, having his mug shot taken, and being jailed.
Serious question for Louisville Metro’s chief of police, as well as the mayor: Have you so successfully eliminated the serious and violent crime in your city that you are able to transition to frivolous arrests? When I checked, Louisville has some of the worst violent crime in the nation per capita. And yet, they still went out of their way to charge Scheffler with one felony and three misdemeanors. Are you kidding me?
This after, as Scheffler explained: “This morning, I was proceeding as directed by police officers.” Note to the Louisville Metro Police Department: Scheffler is the personification of a good, law-abiding citizen who has always deeply respected the police.
At the very least, your department and the city of Louisville owe him a “major” apology. Nothing to see here. Admit fault and move on.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the book: The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence.