In May 2023, Officer Jeffrey Bender was involved in an incident at Wolcott High School where he allegedly used excessive force and a racial slur against a 15-year-old Black student, Shaniya Cook. Bender reportedly told Cook, ‘I ain’t your n-a’ and instructed her to ‘shut up’ while she was handcuffed. The police department suspended Bender for one day for failing to activate his body camera and ordered him to attend sensitivity training for the alleged use of the slur. Cook filed a lawsuit in July 2024 alleging emotional distress and seeking damages.
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