Harvey auxiliary officer directs profanity toward HWH staff at City Hall

Warning: This report includes language that may be offensive to some readers.

A Harvey reserve cop used expletives toward an HWH reporter at an already chaotic City Council meeting last Monday.

Harvey Auxiliary Officer Turpin, responsible for wanding the public as they enter council chambers, swore at HWH founder Amethyst J. Davis while she recorded audience members exiting the premises.

Moments before, Mayor Chris Clark ordered police to clear the council chambers. Eventually, officers cleared attendees of City Hall altogether. 

Officers—specifically, uniformed members of service—threatened those still present with citations and arrest. 

As Davis continued to film, Turpin blurted the vulgarity toward her. 

“This b—h” Turpin can be heard saying on video. Turpin made the comment within earshot of three uniformed officers and in the presence of Harvey Police Chief Cameron Biddings, as seen in the video:

This is the second time Turpin has engaged with Davis as she performed journalistic duties at City Hall.

On June 13, Harvey Police Chief Cameron Biddings directed Turpin to “leave them in there,” preventing the audience from exiting council chambers as a former mayoral ally was arrested.

Many in attendance, Davis included, filmed the incident. Turpin physically blocked the chamber doors as members of the audience filmed the arrest, attempting to follow officers outside.

“Are you blocking me from recording this arrest?” Davis asked. Turpin then stepped aside. She was the only person allowed to vacate council chambers.

Recording police officers is a constitutionally protected act; Local law enforcement cannot prevent members of the public from filming the police, so far as the action does not interfere with police duties.

Harvey Police Department began hiring reserve officers with limited enforcement powers in 2020.

The next scheduled regular City Council meeting is Monday, July 22.