Cop used excessive force, woman says; Lake Ozark police chief says arrest was according to procedure

Trysta Eakin and Joyce L. Miller
trysta.eakin@lakemediaonline.com;
joyce.miller@lakesunonline.com

A woman's electronic allegations have ignited a controversy in lake Ozark over excessive use of force by a police officer, a charge the police chief vehemently denies.

What started out as a typical drive home from work, turned out to be anything but that for Stacey Shertz. Shertz said was leaving her job at Gentleman’s Quarters in Lake Ozark shortly after 2 a.m. on Aug. 30, driving east on Highway 54, preparing for her hour and half drive home to Tebbetts, Mo.

She said she was talking on her cell phone when blue lights appeared in her rearview mirror, and when she pulled over, she was approached by Lake Ozark Police Officer Jeff Skinner. The events that followed led to a flyer being sent to various members of the media and public about what occurred.

Lake Ozark Police Chief Mark Maples said he first learned of the allegations against a city police officer after being sent a copy of a flyer sent by e-mail under a large mass mailing. The flyer was brought to the chief’s attention by a member of the media.

“I have reviewed the booking video of this arrest and will make it available ‘To The Court of Public Opinion’ as described on the flyer via the media here at the lake as it shows this woman actively resisting the officer for more than 30 minutes during the booking process and at no time did the officer use excessive force,” Maples said.

The flyer said Skinner pulled her over “for reasons not clear and (took her) to the precinct. While detained in the booking area and being searched, she was aggressively taken to the floor.”

Maples said a female dispatcher was present during the booking process as the female had requested this as well.  “The great thing about the booking video camera, it clearly tells the truth unlike the flyer being posted,” he said. “I would certainly hope that you get all the facts correct before you would recklessly post something like this. I am confident that once all the facts are presented it will demonstrate that the officer responded in the appropriate manner.”

Shertz said she knows that people might have certain stereotypes of what an exotic dancer might be doing or saying to be treated in that manner, and while she doesn’t fit those, she said she believed that no one deserves to be treated that way. “They have a duty to treat everyone in the same accord as a citizen, not by the pre-conceived notions of that type of person,” she said.
 
"We have a press release scheduled and I will be talking about this in-depth with the media.  I have also spoken to the city attorney about a civil counter claim by the officer for slander," Maples said. "As part of our counter claim we will ask the court for a public apology by the alleged victim who sent out the e-mail claiming she did nothing wrong and was beat up by the LOPD.  This is false and I will pursue this matter as far as I can."

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Read the two complete stories including Stacey Shertz’s timeline of events in the Weekend Lake Sun, available at news stands and boxes Friday morning through the weekend.