SERGEANT MITCHELL: "Understood, Chief. I'll make sure the independent review continues."
DANIEL BROOKS: "Thank you. Please document this conversation, too. I don't want there to be any uncertainty about when my identity was disclosed."
SERGEANT MITCHELL: "I will."
Daniel ended the call.
Mitchell remained seated for a moment, considering what the revelation meant. The confrontation had been serious before she learned his identity. Now she understood why he had been so deliberate about preserving the evidence and avoiding any request for special treatment.
The man Hayes had accused of possessing illegal drugs was the department's chief executive. The two officers who had pointed their weapons at him had believed they were confronting a dangerous civilian. The officer who had allegedly planted the bag had attempted to construct an accusation against the very person responsible for overseeing his conduct.
But Mitchell also understood something else.
Daniel's position could make the investigation more sensitive, not less. Every decision would be examined for signs of favoritism, retaliation, or interference. If the department wanted to establish credibility, the inquiry would need to be conducted independently and documented carefully.
She immediately contacted the professional standards commander and informed her that Daniel Brooks had disclosed his identity. She emphasized that the case should remain under independent review and that the chief had specifically requested that the evidence determine the outcome.
The commander agreed.
Within hours, an investigator named Helen Mercer was assigned to lead the inquiry.
Mercer had spent more than a decade investigating misconduct complaints, including cases involving improper searches, inaccurate reports, and allegations that officers had used their positions to intimidate civilians. She was experienced enough to know that a dramatic accusation could be either completely true, partly true, or entirely false. Her responsibility was not to confirm the story that sounded most convincing. It was to establish what the available evidence could support.
When she received the case file, she began by reviewing the basic timeline.
At approximately three o'clock in the afternoon, Officer Hayes had approached Daniel at Riverside Park. A short time later, he had reported discovering suspected narcotics in Daniel's jacket. The encounter had escalated into a physical struggle, and two responding officers had arrived to find Hayes on the ground.
The witnesses had provided partial accounts, and a civilian recording might contain additional information.
Mercer requested the original video from Ethan Price and arranged to obtain the body-camera footage from all officers involved. She also asked for the dispatch recording and the radio traffic associated with the incident.
Then she arranged interviews with Hayes, Carter, Turner, Mitchell, Margaret Ellis, and Ethan Price.
The first interview was with Officer Hayes.
He arrived at the professional standards office in uniform, carrying a folder containing his written statement. He appeared composed, though his jaw tightened when Mercer explained that the interview was part of an independent investigation into the events at the park.
INVESTIGATOR MERCER: "Officer Hayes, I want you to describe the encounter from the moment you first saw Mr. Brooks."
OFFICER HAYES: "I was on routine patrol when I noticed a man sitting alone beneath a tree. Something about his behavior seemed suspicious, so I approached him."
INVESTIGATOR MERCER: "What behavior?"
OFFICER HAYES: "He was distracted by his phone and wasn't paying attention to his surroundings."
INVESTIGATOR MERCER: "Was there a complaint against him? Did you receive information about a crime in that area?"
OFFICER HAYES: "Not that I recall."
INVESTIGATOR MERCER: "Did you observe him exchange anything with another person?"
OFFICER HAYES: "No."
INVESTIGATOR MERCER: "Did you see him conceal an object?"
OFFICER HAYES: "No."
Mercer made a note before continuing.
INVESTIGATOR MERCER: "Explain how you discovered the bag."
OFFICER HAYES: "I questioned him about what he was carrying. He became evasive, so I checked his jacket and found the bag."
INVESTIGATOR MERCER: "Did you ask for consent to search him?"
OFFICER HAYES: "I was conducting an investigative stop."
INVESTIGATOR MERCER: "That doesn't answer my question. Did you ask for consent?"
OFFICER HAYES: "No."
INVESTIGATOR MERCER: "What specific facts supported the stop and search?"
Hayes shifted in his chair.
OFFICER HAYES: "I believed there was a reason to investigate."
INVESTIGATOR MERCER: "What was that reason?"
OFFICER HAYES: "The situation developed quickly. I can't recall every detail."
Mercer did not argue with him. She recorded the answer and moved to the physical confrontation.
Hayes repeated that Daniel had resisted arrest and attacked him. He claimed that he had attempted to secure Daniel's arms when the civilian suddenly turned and forced him onto the grass.
Mercer asked whether Hayes had used force before Daniel restrained him.
Hayes said he had only tried to control the situation.