There has been increased national media interest in the Carroll Police Department over the last two weeks following the release of body cam and dash cam footage of a March 2021 traffic stop that ended with an out-of-state suspect taking a local officer for a ride on the hood of his car. Twenty-nine-year-old Dennis James Guider Jr. of Chicago Heights, Ill. was sentenced earlier this month to up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to serious injury by vehicle, a class D felony, stemming from the March 5, 2021 incident. Carroll Police Chief Brad Burke says he and the department were somewhat surprised by the interest in the case as it happened more than two years ago. He explains the context of the traffic stop.
Fortunately, Officer Patrick McCarty made a near-full recovery and has been back on patrol for more than a year now. The video prompted criticism of the department from many commenters online. Burke says it is easy for people to judge when they are just watching a video; it is much more challenging in reality.
He says the incident reinforced the need for frequent training for law enforcement, even in relatively low-crime areas.
Burke says the national climate at the time likely played a significant role in how the traffic stop played out, as it was only a few months after substantial rioting over police use of force in cities throughout the country after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn.
Burke adds it is a reminder that any police interaction is a potentially life-or-death situation for officers. The full interview with Burke from Monday morning on KCIM is included below.
