BURNS HARBOR | A steel mill security officer has asked the FBI and Porter County police to look further into a June 3 altercation between him and a Burns Harbor police officer.
In addition, The Times has obtained a video showing the run-in between the Burns Harbor police officer and the security officer during a traffic stop on ArcelorMittal property in Burns Harbor.
The video was captured by a mill security camera.
The mill security officer, Capt. Darren Smith, said in an interview shortly after the incident that witness statements and video support his assertion that Burns Harbor Officer Karimi yelled at him, forced him up against a car with his hands behind his back and threatened him with arrest.
Smith, who is black, is taking legal action against Karimi, who is of Middle Eastern descent.
Smith's attorney, Trent McCain, of Merrillville, said he has written a letter to the FBI in Merrillville asking the agency to launch a civil rights investigation into Karimi and Burns Harbor. The attorney also said he is asking Porter County police to seek battery charges against Karimi.
Smith said he followed procedure and approached Karimi for information because Karimi's traffic stop spilled onto mill property.
Smith said Karimi did not ask him to wait for the information but rather jumped out of his squad car, threatened to arrest Smith and slammed him against the car. Smith reported suffering shoulder pain from having his arms forced behind his back.
Burns Harbor Police Chief Jerry Price was not available to comment about the video. But in an earlier interview, Price said the mill security officer was interfering with a traffic stop that began on U.S. 12 and ended on the driveway leading to the mill's east gate.
Karimi stopped a vehicle shortly before 11 p.m. June 3, Price said. Karimi reported that the security officer approached in an aggressive manner and requested information about the traffic stop, Price said.
Price said his police officers can't allow anyone to interfere with traffic stops, which often spill onto driveways, parking lots and other private property. Karimi did threaten to arrest the security officer, but the security officer agreed to walk away, and no arrest was made, Price said.
