By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

CHEROKEE, Kan. — Last week’s meeting of the Cherokee City Council was a subdued event compared to a previous meeting that led to an arrest and charges of battery on a law officer.

At a Sept. 9 meeting, some witnesses allege that police Chief Doug Terry “manhandled” resident Vickie Crowe while trying to arrest her.

Terry denies the allegations, and he has supporters, including other city officials who say his action was appropriate and that Crowe was disruptive.

According to the official minutes of the meeting: “A resident disrupted the meeting and was asked to sit down. The disruption continued and Doug was asked to escort the resident out of the building.”

Misdemeanor charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, obstruction of official duty and disorderly conduct have been filed against Crowe.

One faction

Bob Jones, Debbie Bennett, Paula Clugston and Crowe are members of a group calling itself Citizens for a Better Cherokee. Crowe and Bennett recounted their version of events before last week’s meeting and Jones and Clugston spoke during a break in the meeting.

According to Crowe, she was speaking at the Sept. 9 meeting to ask Terry to be more respectful when approaching residents’ houses. She said that when Terry approached her adult daughter’s house, he banged loudly on her door.

“She might have went a little overboard,” Jones acknowledged of Crowe’s comments at the meeting, but Bennett said she didn’t think Crowe was disorderly in any way. They also said no one told Crowe to sit down or stop talking.

As Crowe was speaking, the mayor, Dale Thompson, banged his gavel. He said “Doug!” and Terry approached Crowe preparing to put handcuffs on her.

“He immediately went to arrest her,” Jones said. “He already had his handcuffs out.”

Bennett alleged that what happened next was Terry assaulting Crowe; Jones used the term “manhandling.”

“He ended up wrestling her all the way to the door,” Jones said.