Lexington police dissolve chaplain job, reassign officer accused of punching teen
The Lexington Police Department has dissolved its chaplain position, which was held by an officer accused of punching a restrained teen in Fayette Mall more than a year ago.
The position was dissolved effective Monday. Donovan Stewart, the now-former chaplain for the department, has been reassigned to the Bureau of Patrol, Lexington police said in a statement.
Police have been criticized over Stewart and the Fayette Mall incident during Lexington protests over police brutality. There were multiple downtown demonstrations following the deaths of Breonna Taylor in Louisville and George Floyd in Minneapolis.
A federal lawsuit filed against Stewart in February alleges that he punched a teenage boy with autism who had been restrained. The lawsuit alleged that Stewart went into a “violent rage” during the altercation. Jerrisha Reneé Coomer, the boy’s mother, filed the suit against Stewart and the city of Lexington.
The altercation happened one year earlier, in February 2019. The teen was charged with assault and resisting arrest.
Part of the altercation was captured on video and widely shared on Facebook. In the video, officers can be seen restraining the teenager. The boy appears to be hit repeatedly. After the lawsuit was filed, Lexington police said they were looking for more information on the altercation.
The protests have demanded punishment for Stewart, but police previously have said the court case must be resolved before a formal internal review begins. Brenna Angel, the police spokeswoman, said the investigation into Stewart’s actions is ongoing, and the department couldn’t comment any further.
Sarah Williams, a Lexington protest organizer, said in a Facebook post that she doesn’t think Stewart should be on patrol because “he is prone to fire of rage and brutality against our children.”
The department said dissolving the chaplain position is part of developing a “holistic wellness program to provide improved services for department employees.” Police said they will partner with mental health, nutrition, and veteran affairs professionals.
“Lexington police is planning to transition from a spiritual chaplain officer position to a civilian wellness coordinator,” Angel said in a statement. “This coordinator would oversee physical, psychological, spiritual, financial and professional wellness activities across the department.”
This story was originally published July 6, 2020 at 4:34 PM.