The Internal Affairs investigators documented the scene.
They photographed the disturbed compartments, the scattered handbag contents, and the damage to the leather trim.
They identified potential witnesses and requested preservation of available recordings.
They also arranged to secure the relevant police equipment and communications according to the applicable legal and administrative procedures.
The three officers were separated so their accounts could be obtained without an immediate opportunity to coordinate their explanations.
The CEO provided a preliminary statement.
She described the initial stop.
The request for registration.
The sergeant's repeated references to stolen property.
The search she hadn't consented to.
The damage.
And the physical shove.
She was careful not to exaggerate.
She didn't claim the officer had punched her.
He hadn't.
She didn't claim all three men had physically assaulted her.
Only the sergeant had used force against her.
But the other officers had participated in the search.
And the veteran had continued directing the younger officer after the absence of a clear legal basis became apparent.
Those distinctions mattered.
The lead investigator listened.
Then asked, “Did the sergeant mention any specific item?”
The CEO nodded.
“Not initially.”
She looked toward the car.
“But he repeatedly demanded evidence.”
“What exact words?”
She repeated them.
Then added, “He searched my handbag as though he expected a particular object.”
The investigator nodded.
“Did he describe it?”
“No.”
She paused.
“But the search pattern suggests someone told him where to look.”
The investigator considered the observation.
Then asked, “Do you know who might have supplied that information?”
The CEO looked toward the police cruiser.
She thought about the municipal audit.
The suspicious inquiries concerning her travel schedule.
The towing contractor.
And the documents she'd already supplied to authorized investigators.
Then she shook her head.
“I have concerns. I don't have proof.”
The investigator nodded approvingly.
“That's important.”
The CEO removed her sunglasses.
Her eyes were tired.
For the first time since the stop began, her composure softened.
She looked toward the damaged car.
“I've been trying to get answers for people who've had their property taken from them.”
The investigator waited.
The CEO continued.
“And now three officers have torn apart mine.”
Her voice tightened.
“I can afford to repair it.”
She looked toward the handbag.
“But what happens to someone who can't?”
The investigator remained quiet.
Then answered.
“That's one reason we're examining the broader pattern.”
The CEO nodded.
For a moment, she looked toward the crowd gathered farther down the sidewalk.