Ozark Police Chief Tony Spivey Saturday Press Conference Concerning Officer Involved Shooting

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
thehoustonnewspaper@yahoo.com
334-790-1729
Date: Jun 16 2012 1:33 PM

OZARK: This morning Ozark Police Chief Tony Spivey who was joined by Patrol Commander Captain Timothy Hicks held an 11 AM press conference concerning the Ozark Police Officer Involved shooting incident which occurred on Friday afternoon.

Chief Spivey’s Statement

On Friday afternoon June 15, 2012 at approximately 4:57 PM, Ozark Police responded to Brandi Lane regarding a possible domestic violence call. Upon arrival of the initial responding officer, he encountered a white male who was located in the middle of the street armed with a machete. The suspect was given verbal commands by the officer to disarm which was met with noncompliance by the suspect. The suspect began moving in an aggressive manner towards the officer who was continually giving commands for the suspect to stop and disarm. Again the suspect failed to comply with the officer’s commands. As the suspect continued towards the officer, the officer fired two rounds from his service weapon striking the suspect twice in the chest area. The officer began immediate life-saving measures awaiting medical personnel. The suspect was transported to Dale Medical Center by Ozark Ambulance Service where he later died as a result of his injuries. No one else was injured during the call.

The suspect is identified as Joseph Dewey Overstreet, age 42 of Ozark Alabama.

Prior to the arrival of law enforcement the suspect had made threats directed towards his family, had damaged property at the residence with the machete to include the outside of the mobile home and poured gasoline inside of a shed located on the property. Threats were also made of burning down the residence.

I contacted the Alabama Bureau of Investigation to respond to the scene to assume the investigation which is standard practice in any officer involved shooting. The officer has been placed on Administrative Leave pending the completion of the ABI Investigation.

The investigation is currently ongoing, but after a review of the officer’s in-car video footage and witness statements it appears that the officer did act within all operating policies and procedures of this agency.

Chief Spivey then took questions from the media

Following Chief Spivey’s comments he took questions from the media. The officer was not injured in the altercation. The officer was emotionally upset because this officer and no officer ever wants to use deadly physical force.

Dale County Coroner Woody Hilboldt responded to Dale Medical Center and pronounced the suspect dead. The body is sent to the medical examiner of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy . With the autopsy comes a drug and alcohol testing.

District Attorney Kirke Adams has been briefed of the shooting death.

The 21 feet rule

Not in the press conference but in speaking with law enforcement training officers, there is a 21 foot rule. You never let a person with am edged weapon get within 21 feet of you. Because when they reach 21 feet, the time it takes for the officer to draw his weapon and react the suspect can have injured the officer.

With a machete that rule is shorter because of the size and length of that type weapon.

In this call, the incident occurred rapidly.

Standard practice in the Ozark – Dale County Communications Center is two officers are dispatched to domestic calls. The first officer arrived on the scene and the situation occurred rapidly and the shots were fired before the second officer could arrive on the scene.

The suspect was within feet of the officer when he fired the shots.

Thanks To Chief Spivey and Captain Hicks

Thanks to Chief Spivey and Captain Hicks for taking their Saturday to conduct the press conference.