LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – A metro Atlanta police officer who was seen on video punching an unarmed Black motorist during a traffic stop said he was wrongfully terminated and deserves his job back.
Police sergeant Michael Bongiovani, who was fired from the Gwinnett County Police Department in north suburban Atlanta, communicated that he is “nothing more than a political pawn” and even went so far as to denounce his boss, the Gwinnett County police chief, as being out of touch with street policing.
“Officers have a difficult task and they have become political pawns,” attorney Mike Puglise said, according to 11 Alive. “Dispensable pawns if you must.”
Puglise said more than a week ago his client used a legal and proper police technique to make the Black, unarmed driver, Demetrius Hollins, obey police commands.
The problem for Bongiovani is that there are two cell phone videos during the stop that appear damning, sparking two officers’ termination and launching a criminal investigation.
The first video shows former officer Robert McDonald kicking Hollins in the head while he’s handcuffed and on the ground. In the second one, the former sergeant appears to strike an already submitting Hollins after he’s given up.
“When you look again in slow motion, that’s not what happened,” Puglise told the station.
Puglise claims Collins refused to turn around to be handcuffed.
“He used a police-taught technique and tactic on how to de-escalate a situation,” Puglise said. “He was trying to get the man to turn around so he could be patted down.”
Puglise said verbal commands were given first and when Collins allegedly refused to obey, he was struck with force.
“And those commands were given and they weren’t followed,” the attorney reiterated.
Puglise claims Hollins can be seen resisting if the video is slowed down.
“Look at it again,” Puglise said. “Look at the suspect’s left arm. You’ll see Bongiovanni holding the suspect’s left arm around the wrist area and it’s pulling away.”
But Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayers called the actions of Bongiovanni and McDonald disturbing and embarrassing. He fired the two immediately and opened a criminal investigation.
“I’m not going to tolerate it from anybody,” he said. “I’m mad; upset.”
Puglise said the chief is out-of-touch with what happens on the streets.
“He’s a good man,” he said. “He’s a manager now – not the road officer anymore.”
