Fired officer who halted excessive force arrest wins pension

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo, New York, police officer who was fired for trying to stop another officer from using a chokehold on a handcuffed suspect has won a yearslong legal fight to overturn her dismissal and collect her pension. She is pushing for the nationwide adoption of “Cariol’s Law,” which would require police officers to step in if they witness another officer using excessive force and retroactively protect them from retaliation. In his decision, Ward said support for Horne has grown recently “in the wake of a renewed national and local awareness of the problem of excessive force, and with police officers who intervene now being seen as heroes.” Horne was a 19-year veteran and a year away from collecting her pension when she faced departmental charges after pulling fellow Officer Gregory Kwiatkowski’s arm from around the neck of domestic violence suspect Neal Mack in November 2006. Ward’s decision noted that the original hearing officer “lacked significant information about the conduct of Officer Kwiatkowski and his use of physical force in effecting arrests.” He reinstated Horne as an officer from 2008-2010 and granted back pay and benefits. “The city has always supported any additional judicial review available to Officer Horne and respects the court’s decision,” a statement from spokesperson Michael DeGeorge said.