‘It never should have happened’ Five Points bar owner says of police using racial slur
Marty Dreesen, the owner of Bar None in Columbia’s Five Points, said he’s had a good relationship with the Columbia Police Department during the 26 years he’s been in business.
But an encounter at his business Saturday night with one Columbia officer “never should have happened,” he said. “It was totally unexpected.”
The encounter led to a verbal confrontation between the officer and several Bar None patrons just after 11 p.m. It started with several officers entering the Harden Street business to check on compliance of a statewide order banning the sale of alcohol after 11 p.m. The order is intended to slow or stop the spread of coronavirus.
One officer, Sgt. Chad Walker, was suspended the next day after he used a racial slur during the heated confrontation in front of Bar None. Video of the incident shows Walker, a white officer and a 14-year veteran of the police force, using the N-word at least twice, while claiming the offensive term was originally directed at him.
Body camera footage of the incident released by police shows Walker entering the bar, issuing orders and telling a Black customer, “sir if you drink that you will go to jail.”
That customer was singled out by Walker, according to Lauren Chumley, who was another patron at Bar None when the incident occurred.
Another witness to the incident, Stan Petit, reported that as the Black customer exited the bar, he said something in general that was not directed at the officers. Another person outside the bar yelled “f------ pigs” at the police officers, prompting Walker to run out, according to Petit.
Walker is seen on video yelling at multiple people outside the bar, including pointing at the Black man he claimed directed the racial slur at him.
Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook said repeating the vulgar insult was as bad as Walker’s failure to deescalate the situation, calling both “inexcusable.”
“My employees said it seemed odd, the way it escalated,” said Dreesen, who was not at Bar None when the incident happened. The business only reopened on Wednesday after spending the better part of the past five-plus months closed because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Bartenders gave the last call alert at 10:30 p.m., and 15 minutes later were asking people to leave as the lights were turned on and the music was cut off, Dreesen said.
It was 11:02 p.m. when Walker entered the bar without wearing a mask, Petit said.
Walker’s body camera footage shows there were eight people inside the bar when police arrived, including employees.
The small crowd was dissipating when Walker stormed outside, Chumley said.
“It’s hard to calm the situation down when the largest person there was also the loudest,” Chumley said. “The gentleman kept yelling.”
That’s when Chumley inserted herself into the situation. The Columbia resident and University of South Carolina graduate played the role of peacemaker, and is seen on video calmly telling Walker multiple times, “Sir, everything is done here,” as the crowd dispersed.
“It was mostly reflexive,” Chumley said. “I thought a 5-foot-5 tiny girl was the least likely to get hit, so I tried to step in the middle,” Chumley recalled, saying another police officer was also interceding to separate Walker from the crowd.
Chumley, who is pursuing a post graduate degree in arts administration at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, said she stuck around until the police left, “In case I needed to pop up again.”
Holbrook suspended Walker without pay pending the outcome of a disciplinary review board process, according to police.
After learning Walker had been suspended, Chumley commended Holbrook for his decisive action.
“The only person I feared was the large man with a badge,” she said. “But the idea of him only suspended and back out on the street is terrifying. ... Police officers shouldn’t be hot headed.”
Petit said he didn’t have much faith in the police taking a stand with a harsh punishment for Walker.
“Walker is gonna be back to work soon, madder than ever, and I’m not looking forward to it,” Petit said.
Dreesen said he’s had nothing but a good relationship with the Columbia Police Department. He felt businesses in Five Points are unfairly picked on by USC, which he said has the area — popular with college students and young adults — “in its cross hairs.”
In addition to the coronavirus safety protocols he has in place for Bar None — temperature checks for all potential customers, mask requirements, and only filling the building to half capacity — he’s going to be certain there is a stricter adherence to the governor’s executive order.
“I’m going to make sure there’s no alcohol on the table at 11 p.m.,” Dreesen said after receiving a warning from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division after Saturday night, but no penalty. “I try not to cause any waves and it will be business as usual.”
While Chumley found some value in having a dialogue between customers and police, she said there would not have been a happy or peaceful conclusion if Saturday’s conversation continued in such a heated and emotional manner.
“I do hope it’s less ‘us vs. them,’ and more ‘how do we get through this together.’ ” Chumley said.
This story was originally published August 31, 2020 at 4:28 PM with the headline "‘It never should have happened’ Five Points bar owner says of police using racial slur."
