The City of Erie on Monday released the results of its investigation into the June 28 encounter between Erie Police officers and Keven Sparks, outlining its findings, disciplinary actions, and policy changes stemming from the incident.
During a public press conference, Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah and Deputy Chief Chris Janus reviewed the investigation and presented body-worn camera footage and police vehicle dash camera video related to the encounter.
According to the city’s findings, investigators determined that the evidence did not establish that an officer intentionally struck Sparks with a police cruiser.
Investigators also found no evidence that officers continued using force after Sparks had been brought under control and handcuffed. The review concluded that the force used to take Sparks into custody was within Erie Police Department policy.
While the investigation cleared officers on those specific allegations, city officials said separate violations of department policy were identified.
Those violations resulted in the immediate demotion of one officer. The investigation also prompted changes to the department’s body-worn camera procedures.
Under the revised policy, the department has disabled the “sleep mode” feature on body cameras and now requires cameras to remain operational during officers’ shifts in accordance with updated guidelines. City leaders said the move is intended to improve accountability and ensure critical interactions are fully documented.
Mayor Daria Devlin said the city is focused on transparency throughout the review process and beyond.
“Transparency means showing our work,” Devlin said. “Our responsibility is to explain what evidence was reviewed, what standards were applied, what concerns were substantiated, what concerns were not, and what actions resulted.”
Mayor Devlin acknowledged that public trust cannot be restored through a single news conference and emphasized the city’s commitment to ongoing accountability.
“Our job is not to demand trust because we held a press conference. Our job is to continue earning it through what we do next.”
The mayor said the city will continue efforts to improve police-community relations by creating a plain-language guide explaining the department’s use-of-force policy, expanding public access to information about police training and policy reviews, and increasing communication and education efforts following major police incidents.
Officials said the review process remains part of a broader effort to evaluate policies, training, supervisory practices, and department systems.
“This investigation has already resulted in an immediate policy change, and we will continue reviewing the policies, training, supervisory practices, and systems implicated by this incident to determine what else we should learn and improve,” Mayor Devlin said. “Today is not the end of that work. It is one step in it.”