Firefighter waved at police and was handcuffed and threatened

By Mark Wilson


This cellphone picture, taken from the social networking website Facebook, shows George Madison Jr., left, handcuffed and on the ground next to an Evansville Police Department officer. Citing an internal affairs investigation, the police department has declined to identify the officer.

EVANSVILLE — Evansville firefighter George Madison Jr. has filed a formal complaint about an Evansville Police Department officer who he said stopped him during a bicycle ride Tuesday afternoon, threatened him with a stun gun and handcuffed him.

Madison 38, who also is youth pastor at Memorial Baptist Church, said the incident occurred about 3:30 p.m. on South Weinbach Avenue after he waved at officers in a patrol car as he was riding his bike.

The father of four said he feared for his safety during the stop by two officers on South Weinbach Avenue.

Madison declined to identify the police officers, saying that he wanted to respect the police department’s internal investigative procedures.

However, a report generated by Evansville/Vanderburgh Central Dispatch about the traffic stop, known informally as a "run card," identifies the officers as Officer Clifton and Officer Clegg. The two city police officers with those last names are Darin Clifton and Jason Clegg.

“I remember looking down the barrel of a Taser, because (the officer) was gritting his teeth and saying, ‘Don’t make me pull this trigger,’” Madison said Wednesday afternoon.

Evansville Police Chief Bolin on Wednesday said Madison called him on Tuesday and related what had happened. Bolin said he told Madison the department would “look into it.”

The chief said Madison had met with the police department’s internal affairs division to file a formal complaint. Officers would investigate the complaint and make a recommendation to him, Bolin said.

Bolin said Wednesday he had not spoken with the officers involved and because of the internal investigation declined to provide the officers' identities.

“I need to stay impartial until I hear both sides,” Bolin said.

A statement released by the police department earlier Wednesday said the “investigation began this morning. In order to preserve the integrity of the investigation and to ensure fairness for all of the involved parties, the EPD will not comment on the incident at this time.”

During the incident a passer-by took a cellphone picture which was shared on Madison’s Facebook page. Madison said the stop also was witnessed by a second officer who was in the car and by a member of his church who stopped when she saw him in handcuffs.

He said it happened as he was riding north on Weinbach approaching the four-way stop at Riverside Drive and the police officers were southbound.

Madison admitted that he was not going to stop at the intersection but said the officer startled him by making a sudden left turn in front of him.

“He did it real fast,” he said. “I thought it was one of the guys (police) I knew.”

At that point, Madison said he raised his hands to wave.

Madison said he has met many police officers through his job and his participation boxing in the annual Guns-N-Hoses charity fundraiser. But he said he did not know the officers who stopped him.

“The officer jumped out and says, ‘What are you doing throwing your hands up at us?’” Madison said. “He is talking to me as he is coming toward me. I tried to explain, but I couldn’t get a word in edgewise.”

He said the officer’s angry attitude made him feel angry and alone.

“It was like everything had disappeared, and I was there alone and I got scared,” he said.

Madison said he knew Bolin from their community involvements and began to call him on his cellphone hoping to diffuse the situation.

However, the officer told him to put the phone down. Madison said that when he hesitated, the officer grabbed his arm holding the phone, causing Madison to flinch.

Before he knew it, Madison said, the officer had his stun device out.

“It was literally maybe inches from my face,” he said. “I immediately threw my hands in the air. What he asked me to do I was more than willing to do. I said ‘Please don’t hurt me.’ The next thing I know I’m laying down the ground and they cuffed me.”

Madison said the officer asked him his name, date of birth and place of employment.

“Once they found out I was a fireman their attitude changed,” he said.

At that point the officers allowed him to come to his knees. He said the officer began trying to engage him in conversation, but Madison said he became wary of the conversation’s turn.

“At first I was talking to them. Then I said ‘I don’t have anything else to say to you,”’ he said. “Finally, they asked me if I had calmed down, and I kept telling them I was never out of sorts.”

Madison said the officer explained to him that for all he knew Madison could have been trying to call others to the scene. Madison said he tried to explain his perspective as a young, black male.

“It is experiences like these that people hold onto,” Madison said. “I refuse to allow a bad experience that I have with one person or officer to change my perception. I just refuse to allow this experience to make me feel any different.”

But Madison said he also believes he can’t ignore what happened, and that the officers should be held accountable.

“I don’t want this man to lose his job or weeks of pay, but I have to look at it from the standpoint of I have a family to think about. I shouldn’t feel bad for standing up for my own rights,” he said. “The fact that I am a firefighter or preacher doesn’t make a difference. All anybody wants is to be treated like a human being.”