After Wrongfully Detaining a Black Movie/TV Producer, BHPD to Change Protocols

EDITOR’S NOTE: See the video of the media statement released by Police Chief David Snowden and Charles Belk here. Originally posted at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 6, 2014. Edited with new details.

Responding to the six-hour detention of a television and film producer following an August bank robbery, the chief of the Beverly Hills Police Department said today the agency will implement protocols to ensure a quick review of evidence that could potentially exonerate people who have been arrested.

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Meanwhile, the man who was detained and later released -- Charles Belk -- said he will work with the department to produce a training video for police and will start a nonprofit group advocating for people who are wrongfully detained or arrested.

Belk was taken into custody Aug. 22 following a robbery at a Citibank branch in the 8400 block of Wilshire Boulevard. Police said he was detained because he matched the description of a man suspected of being an accomplice in the heist and an eyewitness identified him as the second suspect in the bank robbery

After he was released, Belk wrote on his Facebook page that he was wrongfully detained for six hours and was denied the right to immediately make a phone call. He also said officers failed to quickly review security video from the bank that clearly showed he was not involved in the heist.

He said he was released around midnight after officers finally watched the security video.

Snowden later apologized to Belk and said an internal investigation would be conducted.

Snowden and Belk today released a five-minute video, on which the chief said the investigation “identified areas that could and should have been handled differently.”

“In the future, officers will do their best to conduct a prompt analysis of any evidence that could exonerate a suspect, such as alibis and review of any videos,” Snowden said. “In addition, any person in custody will be allowed to make their phone calls in a timely manner.”

Snowden also said Belk’s arrest record had been expunged.

Belk called the experience a “blessing in disguise” that he hopes will lead to positive changes.

“I will work with the city and the Beverly Hills Police Department to produce a training video based on the lessons learned from my experience,” he said. “The video will be made available free of charge to any interested law enforcement agency. I also will make several personal appearances at the request of the city, including speaking to Beverly Hills Police Department personnel during roll call of all shifts to describe the perspectives of an innocent man who has been detained ...”

He also said he will work for legislative changes to make it easier for people who are wrongfully arrested to have their records expunged more quickly.

“I’ve launched a new nonprofit -- Fitting the Description -- which will help build awareness of and assistance to those who are wrongfully detained or arrested,” he said. “So truly a blessing in disguise. I look forward to all the good that will continue to come from this.”

--City News Service