Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police chief Willie Lovett has ordered an officer back to work after being on administrative leave since March 20. Cpl. Aaron McKie is being investigated for his arrest of a man and a woman during this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
McKie used his baton to force the man to the ground and was placing handcuffs on him when the woman intervened. He then used his baton on the woman and pepper sprayed her before also forcing her to the ground and arresting her. Shortly after a video of the arrests, shot by a bystander, circulated on several national websites.
Internal Affairs began investigating the arrests the same day they were made, but the results have been delayed to avoid influencing the court case. The man and the woman are still awaiting trial, but McKie returned to his precinct this week on a limited basis pending the results of the Internal Affairs investigation.
