The town of Northfield has reached a $150,000 settlement with a woman who alleged they used excessive force against her during a welfare check.
Debra Kew sued the town two years after two officers came into her residence for the check. According to her lawsuit, Kew was forced to the ground by officers Michael Gero and Brian Hoar, who handcuffed her and left her on the floor for 45 minutes, despite knowing about her physical and emotional handicaps, which according to the original lawsuit included post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
The Northfield Police Department and the two officers were also parties to the settlement, though the payment came through the municipality, according to Kew’s lawyer, Ron Shems.
In the lawsuit Kew said she sustained injuries on her wrist and arm, requiring hospitalization and surgery that left permanent scarring. It alleges that the officers committed assault and battery, and that they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and Kew’s constitutional right against excessive force.
“They shouldn’t have treated me that way. No one should be treated that way. I just wanted my dignity,” Kew said in a press release announcing the settlement. “All I wanted was an apology. Instead, we were in court for almost five years.”
Shems, said in the press release that the settlement amount will “provide some compensation for what she suffered.”
In an interview, Northfield Town Manager Jeff Schulz told VTDigger that the settlement was covered by insurance.
“Both parties just really wanted to resolve the matter to avoid, you know, continued expenses and protracted litigation,” Schulz said. “It was a desire to conclude the matter and allow all parties to move forward.”
Schulz said the allegations remain disputed and that the settlement was not an admission of any liability. Both police officers continue to work in the field, though one has moved on to a different police department, he said.
