When parents send their children to school they have expectations. They trust once their children enter the learning institution, he or she will be in a safe environment, and receive a quality education. Law enforcement’s motto is to protect and serve. Many schools across the country are implementing the presence of uniformed police officers to provide a high level of security for the school. On October 5th in Brusly, Louisiana, instead of the police being the solution, they became part of the problem for one particular 14-year old middle school student.
The officers were called to assist once the student allegedly started an argument with an administrator and tried to leave a school detention office. The school surveillance video shows the student speaking to the administrators and then he turns around to leave. He was met at the door by Officer Anthony “Kip” Dupre. The student and Dupre exchange words which aren’t heard due to the fact the video is soundless surveillance. In a blink of an eye Officer Dupre wraps his arm around the student’s neck, and wrestles the student to the floor. The view is obstructed by the counter, but it appears Dupre threw multiple punches. As Officer Dupre and the student are grappling on the floor, his gun and holster mysteriously come loose. An alert school employee picks the gun and holster up off the floor and places the dangerous firearm on a desk.
As the altercation continues, Officer Dupre stands up while securing the teen in a headlock. Dupre then picks the teen up and body slams him to the floor. As Dupre was in the process of slamming the student, his landing point appeared close to the gun. Once again the alert school employee relocates the firearm a second time prior to Dupre executing the body slam. After the officer completed the body slam, he jumped back on the student. Officer Dan Cipriano walks in and assists with handcuffing the student. The student is standing up with the handcuffs on, but for some reason, Officer Cipriano felt the need to slam the student face first into the counter before escorting him out of the office.
The incident caused both officers to be placed on paid leave. Dupre and Cipriano’s statuses changed when an anonymous source leaked the video surveillance to WAFB in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Police Chief Jonathan Lefeaux was immediately made aware of the video. “Once I seen the video, I said Oh Lord,” Lefeaux stated. The Police Chief asked for both officers’ resignations due to the fact he felt the incident would make it difficult for the two officers to continue working in the community. Both officers agreed to resign in November.
On Friday December 14, former Brusly Police Officers Anthony Dupre and Dan Cipriano were indicted. Dupre was indicted on the charge of malfeasance in office, and Cipriano was indicted on a charge of simple battery. The student’s family said those penalties are lenient. Malfeasance in office is punishable by up to five years in prison or up to $5,000 in fines or both. Simple battery carries a punishment up to six months in prison, or up to $1,000 in fines or both.
The history of misconduct involving African-American males and law enforcement is a well documented one. An incident like this only adds more fuel to the fire.
