Louisville Metro Police Detective Bryan Gillis should have had his body camera turned on when he arrested pro golfer Scottie Scheffler last week, and he has been disciplined for this oversight, Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said in a news conference Thursday.
Gillis received counseling and completed a Failure to Activate form, as per an investigative report released Thursday.
According to LMPD policy, officers are required to activate their body cams in recording mode before arriving on the scene and exiting their vehicle when responding to any call for service.
“We understand the seriousness of the failure to capture this interaction, which is why our officer has received corrective action for this policy violation,” Chief Gwinn-Villaroel stated.
Mayor Craig Greenberg added that the city is not aware of any video capturing the initial interaction between Scheffler and the police.
Other videos from a pole cam and dash cam, posted by LMPD on Thursday, show a portion of the incident.
In the footage, Gillis is seen running after Scheffler’s SUV and appearing to swing at the driver’s window. He then reaches into the window, opens the door, and arrests Scheffler.
LMPD claimed Thursday that Gillis was dragged by the vehicle before he appears on video chasing it. This part of the incident is obscured from the pole camera’s view by several shuttle buses.
The video does not show any other officers rushing towards the vehicle after Gillis was allegedly dragged.
In his investigative report, Gillis stated that Scheffler “demanded to be let in and proceeded forward against my directions. I was dragged/knocked down by (Scheffler). I then proceeded to arrest (him).”
Several people in the videos, including a loaded bus, could potentially be witnesses to the entire incident.
“I will let the video speak for itself,” Mayor Greenberg said during a news conference earlier this week in the Paristown Pointe neighborhood. “It shows the arrest of Mr. Scheffler, and I will let others come to their own conclusions.”
There is also video of Scheffler being taken away in handcuffs.
Greenberg mentioned that other videos show portions of the incident, but they will not be released until the criminal case concludes, per the request of Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell.
Attorney Steve Romines, who represents Scheffler, said, “Our position remains the same as it was last Friday. I am not negotiating as we have no interest in settling. I am preparing to litigate as needed, and the case will be dismissed or we will go to trial because Scottie did absolutely nothing wrong.”
Greenberg noted that the day began with a “tragic death” just after 5 a.m., leading to a “series of tragic, unfortunate events” that took place in dark, rainy, intense conditions.
Neither Greenberg nor the chief answered questions after the short news conference, and Greenberg would not discuss the criminal case.
“We are looking to move forward,” he said. “But we have to respect the legal process. And that’s what we are going to do. We are going to let that play out.”
Greenberg has said he hasn’t had any conversations about the case with O’Connell, whose office is prosecuting.
In a statement Thursday, a spokesman for the Jefferson County Attorney’s office said, “The office has continued to receive evidence and has yet to conduct final interviews with investigators regarding the charges filed by LMPD against Mr. Scheffler. As we have stated previously, no decisions have been made and our review continues.”
John Mills of Crestwood was crossing Shelbyville Road around 5 a.m. on May 17 to work at Valhalla as a security guard when a shuttle bus struck and killed him, authorities said. He was 69.
Scheffler, the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer and the reigning Masters champion, was arrested and charged with felony assault of a police officer outside the eastern Jefferson County golf course.
He was booked into jail downtown around 7:30 a.m. after allegedly refusing to stop near the scene of a fatal collision.
Romines, Scheffler’s attorney, has said the golfer was told by one officer to go into the club grounds, but Gillis wasn’t aware of that order.
Police accuse Scheffler of failing to follow Gillis’ instructions, accelerating forward, and dragging the detective to the ground.
Gillis was taken to the hospital with pain, swelling, and abrasions to his left knee and wrist.
His uniform pants, estimated to have cost $80, “were damaged beyond repair,” according to the arrest report.
Several witnesses said Gillis tried to grab onto Scheffler’s vehicle as it slowly moved forward.
“Scottie didn’t know what was going on,” Romines said. The arrest report states that Gillis was “in full LMPD uniform and a hi-visibility yellow reflective rain jacket” when he stopped Scheffler and tried to give instructions.
Scheffler was initially set to be arraigned on the charges Tuesday.
However, during an impromptu hearing in Jefferson Circuit Court on Monday, O’Connell objected to a two-week delay in the arraignment, now set for June 3.
O’Connell told Judge Anne Delahanty that a delay would amount to special treatment for Scheffler.
A clearly exasperated Romines argued that court proceedings are routinely delayed.
Delahanty ruled that a delay was acceptable given the initial arraignment date was scheduled before Romines could check his schedule.
The judge also ruled that Scheffler would have to be present for the arraignment, which is generally required in a felony case.
Speaking Tuesday morning, Greenberg called Romines’ request a “routine motion” but declined to say whether he agreed or disagreed with O’Connell’s actions.
Gillis has several commendations and disciplinary violations in his personnel file, including for wrecking his vehicle, missing court, and an improper chase.
Additionally, he was suspended for five days in 2013 for doing “donuts” in his police vehicle while on duty with an intoxicated civilian in a “Code 3” fashion.
