Former county officer indicted after police say he used excessive force against teen girl
A former New Castle County police corporal has been indicted after police say he used excessive force during the arrest of a 16-year-old girl at the department's prisoner processing area earlier this year.
Michael Carnevale, who police said retired from the department prior to the end of this investigation and before any disciplinary action could be taken, was indicted Monday on misdemeanor charges of offensive touching, official misconduct and falsifying business records.
The investigation into Carnevale's actions began on Aug. 31 after a fellow officer witnessed the excessive use of force and reported it to a commander, county police said.
According to a separate Delaware Department of Justice release obtained by Delaware Online/The News Journal, the incident occurred the day prior on Aug. 30 when the girl became disorderly and resistant.
"The evidence revealed that Carnevale repeatedly pulled and attempted to lift the victim by her hair, and dragged her in a prone position nearly 50 feet along the ground by the chain of the handcuffs fastened behind her back," the Justice Department's statement said.
Carnevale, who had been with the department since 2005, completed a single-page crime report detailing a video arraignment, but did not mention any resistance by the victim or any police use of force, the Justice Department said. Carnevale also did not complete a use of force report.
Carnevale was suspended pending the outcome of the internal investigation and retired from the Police Department on Oct. 3.
The three-month span between when the incident occurred and when Carnevale was indicted is a reason some in the state are calling for a revision of Delaware's Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights, also known as LEOBOR. Some lawmakers have proposed revising the law so that police disciplinary records would be public and enable the creation of community oversight boards with the power to hear and decide police disciplinary matters.
"Although we are pleased to know that the officer was investigated and indicted, there remains a troubling lack of transparency surrounding police misconduct," said Susan Burke, ACLU Delaware's lead legal director. "We need to revise LEOBOR and ensure that the public is informed in real-time when police officers break the law."
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Lt. James Leonard, a county police spokesman, said the department was consistent with the practice involving any criminal investigation, in which police review the accusation until they are able to determine if criminal charges are necessary. This includes making no public announcements until charges are filed.
"We have to ensure that when we are conducting these investigations that we are doing them in a manner that's consistent with the way we conduct all criminal investigations, regardless of the employment status," Leonard said. "We are committed to transparency but also we recognize that all criminal cases need to be dealt with in a consistent manner."
The department's press release Wednesday also had a statement by county police Col. Joseph S. Bloch.
"I am troubled by the interaction that occurred between former Corporal Carnevale and the 16-year-old victim in this matter," he said in a written statement. "While this is a sad day for the New Castle County Police, I can assure you the actions by Carnevale do not, in any way, represent the actions or beliefs of the many honorable officers of this division. I am committed to making certain our officers hold themselves to the highest standard of conduct, treating each member of the public with the respect they deserve, ensuring their safety not only in our communities but also within our own walls."
Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Former Delaware officer accused of using excessive force on teen
