Nassau County Calls For Investigation Into Alleged Police Brutality

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Community Leaders Rally Behind Freeport Man Following Alleged Police Brutality

Officials are now calling for an investigation into what many are saying is a case of police brutality, which happened at the hands of multiple Freeport Village police officers.

According to reports from News 12 Long Island, a video of the altercation looks to show the man–confirmed to be 44-year-old Akbar Rogers by the Freeport Village attorney–fighting with the group of officers near a house on Seaman Avenue. In the footage, Rogers can be heard calling out for help while several officers are seen punching him in the head, yelling for him to “stop resisting arrest.”

During the altercation, a taser can also heard being used. According to the Freeport Village attorney, Rogers ran away from police as officers were trying to apprehend him. The attorney went on to say that Rogers was wanted on an outstanding warrant for aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, along with a separate alleged case of physical harassment.

While authorities say the man led officers on a police chase on Monday, Rogers’ son, Rahquell Rogers, denies his father was involved in the chase as he doesn’t own a vehicle. He also insists the officers seen in the video should be fired.

“If my dad wasn’t a built… well-stable man… I think that they would have literally killed my dad,” Rahquell said. Rogers told News 12 that the officers dislocated his arm and had him subdued, going on to say that the officers were excessive.

Now, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran is calling for an independent investigation into the arrest of Rogers. Mayor Robert Kennedy is also requesting an investigation, whose son was one of the officers in the video, according to Freeport Village spokesperson Brian Finnegan.

The Nassau District Attorney’s Office says it is reviewing the matter, but Freeport Police Benevolent Association president Shawn Randall said in a statement that the organization stands behind the officers in the footage.

“I am confident that when the judicial process is complete and all facts are presented, it will be confirmed that our officers did their jobs in accordance with the law,” Randall said in the statement.

All of the officers involved in this incident remain on active duty.