Body-camera footage showing Asheville police officers forcibly arresting a 63-year-old Black janitor outside the Grove Arcade has renewed debates over racial profiling and the use of excessive force. The incident, which took place on December 9, began when officers mistakenly believed Louis Searles was involved in a stolen car report. Searles, a longtime sanitation worker at the shopping mall, was released without charges, but the encounter has left the Asheville community reeling.
The confrontation unfolded after officers received a report from a local car dealership about a vehicle allegedly driven off the lot without authorization. Following a signal from the car’s tracking system, police found the vehicle parked near the upscale shopping district. Searles, dressed in his work uniform, approached the officers to offer help, saying he had seen a woman park the car and enter a nearby business. However, officers grew suspicious when they saw keys in his hand and pursued him as he attempted to return to his job.
Video of the incident shows officers wrestling Searles to the ground and threatening to use a Taser, despite his protests that the keys belonged to his own vehicle. Searles was handcuffed and detained for several minutes before a woman emerged from the building to clarify that the car in question was a rental provided by the dealership. By then, the damage was done: a crowd had gathered, and the video of the arrest began circulating online, sparking outrage.
Asheville police defended the actions of the officers, citing “reasonable suspicion” as the basis for the arrest. An administrative review concluded that the officers acted in accordance with department policy, attributing Searles’ detention to his “lack of cooperation” and his apparent familiarity with the vehicle. Critics, however, argue that the officers failed to recognize clear evidence of Searles’ innocence, including his uniform identifying him as an employee of the building.
The release of the footage on January 15 has intensified calls for greater accountability and transparency in policing. Community members have rallied around Searles, describing him as a beloved figure who was wrongfully targeted. While Searles has not announced any legal action, civil rights advocates have pointed to the incident as a troubling example of how systemic biases can lead to unjust outcomes for Black Americans.
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