Officers fired for tasering 76-year-old man!
GLENROCK, Wyoming - September 23, 2009 - Two police officers that chased and used a stun gun on a 76-year-old man driving a tractor in a Wyoming town parade have been fired.
Bud Grose, who was shocked five times by Officer Michael Kavenius, welcomed the decision announced by the Glenrock Police Department on Tuesday.
"Hopefully this will kind of help bring the community together and be an answer to a lot of questions and problems," he said.
Kavenius shot Grose with a stun gun near the end of Glenrock's annual Deer Creek Days parade on August 1.
Sergeant Paul Brown was also relieved of duty.
Police say Grose, who was driving an antique tractor in the parade, disobeyed Kavenius's traffic command. That led to a short pursuit and the use of the stun gun, which outraged some in the town of 2400.
"After considering all aspects of the unfortunate event which occurred after the parade during Deer Creek Days this year, the decision has appropriately been made that the two Glenrock police officers involved are relieved from duty," the department said in its release.
The department said the decision came after a consultant's internal investigation and a probe by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The Converse County Attorney's Office decided against filing any charges.
John Robinson, a lawyer representing Brown and Kavenius, said the officers would appeal.
The Division of Criminal Investigation report said Grose disobeyed Kavenius's traffic command and steered around him to head towards the town park rather than the end of the parade.
Kavenius told state investigators he was struck by Grose's tractor, but Grose denied hitting the officer.
The report said Kavenius then chased Grose on foot until Brown joined the pursuit in a police SUV and caught up to the tractor.
The police pulled in front of the tractor, which came to a stop as it bumped the SUV. Kavenius then shot Grose with the stun gun.
Grose, a retired truck driver, said he was unlikely to participate in future parades. "I think I probably have retired from parades," he said.
Bud Grose, who was shocked five times by Officer Michael Kavenius, welcomed the decision announced by the Glenrock Police Department on Tuesday.
"Hopefully this will kind of help bring the community together and be an answer to a lot of questions and problems," he said.
Kavenius shot Grose with a stun gun near the end of Glenrock's annual Deer Creek Days parade on August 1.
Sergeant Paul Brown was also relieved of duty.
Police say Grose, who was driving an antique tractor in the parade, disobeyed Kavenius's traffic command. That led to a short pursuit and the use of the stun gun, which outraged some in the town of 2400.
"After considering all aspects of the unfortunate event which occurred after the parade during Deer Creek Days this year, the decision has appropriately been made that the two Glenrock police officers involved are relieved from duty," the department said in its release.
The department said the decision came after a consultant's internal investigation and a probe by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The Converse County Attorney's Office decided against filing any charges.
John Robinson, a lawyer representing Brown and Kavenius, said the officers would appeal.
The Division of Criminal Investigation report said Grose disobeyed Kavenius's traffic command and steered around him to head towards the town park rather than the end of the parade.
Kavenius told state investigators he was struck by Grose's tractor, but Grose denied hitting the officer.
The report said Kavenius then chased Grose on foot until Brown joined the pursuit in a police SUV and caught up to the tractor.
The police pulled in front of the tractor, which came to a stop as it bumped the SUV. Kavenius then shot Grose with the stun gun.
Grose, a retired truck driver, said he was unlikely to participate in future parades. "I think I probably have retired from parades," he said.
