Roanoke police chief refutes accusation of profane exchange

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A Roanoke citizen has threatened to seek a charge of simple harassment against Roanoke Police Chief Jonathan Caldwell after an incident that took place on and near the citizen’s property earlier this year.

Alton “Ace” Joiner addressed the issue at Monday’s meeting of the Roanoke City Council.
“I pulled up on my property, and as I pulled down on my field I was approached by the chief,” Joiner said at the meeting. “I quote, ‘What the f— are you doing down here. Get the f— off from down here. This is an investigation.’ And I said, ‘Excuse me sir, this is my property. I’m asking what are you doing out here?’ Quote again, ‘Get the f— off from down here. This is an investigation.’ And I said, ‘Don’t talk to me that way.’ And he said it again.”
Caldwell was present at the meeting and immediately refuted Joiner’s recollection of the incident.

“He’s lying. There’s a bodycam that can prove it,” Caldwell said. “Some of y’all have seen it, and y’all can verify it. The camera don’t lie.”

Joiner went on to say, “I would like to press charges for a simple harassment charge against the chief of police because I felt my life was threatened.”

The incident in question stems from a daytime arrest for public intoxication that took place April 28. A woman was behaving erratically near her home in the trailer park on Chestnut Street, which prompted neighbors to call the police.

When police arrived they were able to place her in handcuffs, at which point she fled across the street onto Joiner’s property. Officers were able to chase her down and subdue her and began walking her back toward a patrol car before she was unable to stand and laid down in the grass near the edge of Joiner’s property. That is when Joiner came upon the commotion, and the encounter between him and Caldwell began.

The Leader was able to view a copy of officer Triston Oleson’s bodycam footage from the incident.

In the footage Joiner’s vehicle is seen venturing off road, crossing the field from Chestnut Street to where the officers are gathered around the person who was arrested. Caldwell approached the vehicle while it was still in motion, waving his arms and telling Joiner, who was driving, to stop and leave.

The chief can be heard saying, “I don’t give a damn whose property this is. You need to leave,” as Joiner brings his vehicle to a stop.

Caldwell then approaches Joiner and the two have what appears to be a heated exchange. At the outset of that exchange Joiner can be heard saying “Don’t cuss me,” amid the back and forth. There’s about 5-10 seconds of inaudible conversation between the two before Oleson gets close enough to the vehicle that his camera picks up the audio of the conversation. Joiner continues to shout at Caldwell, who attempts to explain the situation.

Oleson interjected and was able diffuse the situation and convince Joiner to leave the property, ending the encounter. The entire incident from the time Caldwell engaged Joiner’s approaching car to the time Joiner left, lasted less than two minutes.

At no point in the video can Caldwell be heard saying any profanity other than what he said initially as Joiner approached. There is nothing in the bodycam footage that can confirm Joiner’s account of the exchange in regards to the language that he claims Caldwell used.

Caldwell did not use the F-word in any of the audible portions of the exchange.
No charges had been filed against Caldwell as of Tuesday afternoon.