Battle over DC stop and frisk video becomes heated

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - The battle over body camera video of a controversial stop and frisk in Southeast is still brewing.

On Tuesday, community members met with police command staff to demand the video be released and to get an explanation about the stopping of three young boys.

Police stopped the boys outside of Frager's Hardware after receiving a call saying that the boys were following an elderly man with a knife.

Police didn't find any knives on the boys, and no charges were filed.

At Tuesday night's ANC meeting over the incident, people became heated.

A neighbor's video shows the incident as it happened before Christmas.

Neighbors in the Hill East Community wanted to know why the boys were detained for nearly an hour without their parent, and if the police followed proper protocol in the stop and frisk.

They also wanted to see the body camera video, which police won't release.
First-District Commander Morgan Kane told neighbors that she found some issues with the manner in which the officers handled the interaction, but used it as a training opportunity.

She said no policies were violated - so none of the officers were disciplined.

Meanwhile, other police agencies have released video to the public in controversial incidents.

Fairfax County police released video of U.S. Park Police officers shooting and killing Bijan Gaishar, even while an FBI investigation was ongoing.

And in Montgomery County, police released body camera video of an officer shooting a man in Silver Spring after it was ruled justified.

D.C. police maintain that they can't release body cam video of the children's stop and frisk because it shows minors.

They'd previously offered to redact the video for $5,000.

Kane said after the meeting that D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham would decide if the video would be released.