Law enforcement is an inherently stressful job. Officers are sometimes thrust into high-pressure situations where critical decisions – sometimes the difference between life and death – must be made in an instant. They often witness the worst of humanity and exposure to violence, suffering, and abrupt loss. These unique aspects of the job create a strong bond among fellow officers who rely on each other, especially during dangerous situations. They sometimes close ranks to defend their own, a phenomenon known as the “thin blue line,” where officers protect one another at the expense of truth and justice. 

That is why it is essential for investigations into serious officer-involved incidents be conducted by an independent organization.

There is perhaps no better example of the importance of this than the investigation that is currently unfolding in Columbus.

On July 13, Columbus Police Department officer Jeremy Harris, responding to a request for assistance from a Lowndes County Sheriff’s deputy, collided with a car driven by Devion Bankhead at the intersection of 22nd Street South and College Avenue.

The initial report said there were no injuries, which appears to be the first and least intentional misinformation to come from the incident. Once at the hospital, Bankhead was discovered to have suffered a brain bleed and was sent to Jackson for further treatment.

It’s not hard to believe the injury was initially mischaracterized by mistake.

The officers’ account of the crash, however, is more difficult to dismiss.

According to Harris and another CPD officer, Scott Renfro, who was following Harris’ patrol car, the driver pulled into the path of the CPD vehicle, causing the collision. This turned out to be a false claim.

Urine tests to determine if either Bankhead or Harris were impaired were ordered. Bankhead’s test was negative. Oddly, the urine test for the officer at the hospital was canceled.

Immediately after his car was struck by the CPD officer, Bankhead was issued citations for a pair of traffic violations. The CPD also conducted a background check on Bankhead and revealed he had prior felony convictions in Alabama.

The officers’ account of the crash, the background check, urine test and citations give the appearance of an effort to scapegoat Bankhead while absolving Harris.

Thankfully, CPD turned the investigation over to Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. On Wednesday, through an open records request, The Dispatch received the LCSO investigative report, including body cam footage.

That report tells a very different account of the event, one that suggests Harris and Renfro may have attempted to cover up the true story. Whether others higher up in the chain of command were complicit in those efforts is not known. We do know that the CPD did not correct the record as evidence from the LCSO investigation emerged.

Police chief Joseph Daughtrey said Harris would not face criminal charges despite what is known from the investigation. It’s one thing to have be involved in an unintentional crash, but quite another to provide false information. People have been prosecuted for that. Harris won’t, for reasons we do not know.

Criminal charges aside, a civil suit may be forthcoming. Bankhead has retained an attorney.

The two distinctly different accounts of the incident demonstrate the importance of independent investigations of law enforcement in these kinds of incidents. No one is above the law, especially those we entrust to enforce the law.

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The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.

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