One officer leaves department, two others disciplined

July 17, 2008 10:35 pm

— By Greg Grisolano
ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com
One Joplin police officer has left the department and two others were disciplined after an internal investigation determined police used excessive force in dealing with an inmate at the city’s jail, Joplin police said Thursday.
Homer Knisley, a five-year veteran of the police force and a patrolman, left the department on Wednesday, Cpl. Chuck Niess said. Niess characterized Knisley’s departure as a resignation.
“The internal investigation involved five officers — two of which were exonerated, two of which were disciplined for failure to report,” he said. “And one had excessive force usage and he has since resigned.”
Niess said Knisley is being represented by Wes Barnum, a Joplin attorney. Barnum could not be reached for comment Thursday.
The investigation was conducted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and internally by the Joplin Police Department.
Knisley was involved in the arrest of a suspect accused of assaulting a police officer during an incident April 20 at Fifth Street and Joplin Avenue, Niess said. The suspect remained combative while being booked in at the jail, at which point Knisley used “physical force” on the individual. Niess said no weapons were involved in the incident.
Niess said he could not release the identity of the victim, who is also a suspect in a criminal matter.
Niess declined to release the names of the other two officers who were disciplined, calling the matter an “internal personnel issue.” He also declined to specify the nature of the disciplinary measures, whether the officers received suspensions or some other form of reprimand.
The investigation determined that no wrongdoing took place in the initial arrest.
Niess said the department was pleased with the outcome of the investigation.
“This came to our attention on our own,” he said. “Things worked like they were supposed to.”