Mississippi State Conference NAACP Calls for a Full Investigation of the Meridian Police Department after Police Officer Unnecessarily Tasered Detained African American Man

Jackson, Mississippi (August 1, 2018) – The Mississippi State Conference NAACP (MS NAACP) is calling for a full investigation of a recent incident involving an African American man who was handcuffed and subsequently tasered by a Meridian Police Department (MPD) officer.

MPD dashcam video footage of the arrest on Saturday, July 14 shows Officer Daniel Starks striking an unarmed African American man while he was handcuffed and detained. Moments later, Starks unholsters his taser, shoves the weapon into his back, and electrocutes him for several seconds. The video also depicts Officer Starks placing his hands around the man’s neck and aiming the taser at him a second time.

While the MS NAACP commends the swift action of the Meridian Police Department in the firing of Officer Starks, we recognize the vicious and egregious pattern of police violence in communities of color across our state and country, and we are particularly concerned about the brutal treatment of Black males by law enforcement. MPD and the FBI should launch an investigation into the actions of all officers involved in this unfortunate incidence.

“Our communities cannot afford to stand idly by and watch as police use excessive and brutal force in any situation,” said Tabitha Jones, MS NAACP Meridian Branch president. “We want to ensure no one else has to suffer this type of deplorable treatment and that officers and police departments across our state are held accountable for their actions.”

The NAACP has advocated for smarter, results-based criminal justice policies and developed resources to help communities begin conversations about police accountability and reform, including the 2016 Pathways to Police Reform Community Mobilization Toolkit.

“We want every police department in our state to proactively work to protect people from unnecessarily violent treatment by law enforcement officers,” said Charles R. Hampton, MS NAACP president. “We cannot tolerate discriminatory and abusive policing, and it will take community leaders, advocates and activists, citizens, and law enforcement agencies working together to disrupt this cycle.”

About the Mississippi State Conference NAACP

Formed in 1945, the Mississippi State Conference NAACP (MS NAACP) has been on the frontlines of all major civil rights battles in the state and across the South. With a revolving membership of more than 11,000 and at least one member in 74 of Mississippi’s 82 counties, the MS NAACP advocates for economic, educational, political and social justice for all people to ensure a society that is free from racial discrimination and division.