NEED TO KNOW
Devon Hogan Flanagan, a special assistant attorney general in Rhode Island, was detained by police last week after a trespassing incident at a Newport restaurant
Flanagan argued with officers who responded to the call, instructing them to turn their body cameras off
She repeatedly told the officers, "I'm an AG," and warned, "You're going to regret this"
A Rhode Island assistant attorney general was captured on police body cameras telling officers they would "regret" detaining her during a trespassing dispute last week.
Devon Hogan Flanagan, who, according to her LinkedIn profile, has worked as a special assistant attorney general in the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office for the last seven years, was confronted by officers at the Clarke Cooke House on Bannister’s Wharf in Newport, R.I., last Thursday, Aug. 14.
After responding to a call about an "unwanted party" at the restaurant, Newport Police officers encountered Flanagan and her friend, who was identified as Veronica Hannan.
According to body camera footage obtained by NBC10 WJAR, Flanagan immediately requested the officers turn their cameras off.
“I want you to turn your bodycam off. Protocol is that you turn it off. It’s a citizen request that you turn it off,” she said.
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The Clarke Cooke House in Newport, Rhode IslandPolice were heard asking an employee of the restaurant if he wanted the women trespassed from the property. When the man answered in the affirmative, an officer told Flanagan and Hannan, “You’re trespassed, and we got to leave now, unless you want to be in handcuffs.”
Flanagan replied, “We’re not trespassing. You haven’t notified us that we’re trespassing.”
The officer then warned the women that if they didn't leave, they would be arrested. Flanagan replied, “You’re not going to arrest us,” asserting her status as an assistant AG.
She continued to argue, repeating, “I’m an AG. I’m an AG,” to which the officer responded, “Good for you. I don’t give a f---. Let’s go.”
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Ultimately, police put Flanagan into the back of a cruiser, as she continued to threaten them.
“Buddy, you’re going to regret this. You’re going to regret it. I’m an AG," she said as the officer shut the door.
NBC10 contacted Flanagan's phone number, receiving a "no comment" response. On Monday, Aug. 18, the attorney general's office told the outlet they were in the process of reviewing the incident and had no updates to share.
A manager at Clarke Cooke House had no comment to NBC10 about what led to Flanagan and Hannan initially being trespassed from the restaurant.
According to Rhode Island state law, there is no policy that states a police officer needs to turn their body cameras off when requested. Law enforcement and security expert Todd McGhee told NBC10 that officers are instructed to record their interactions with citizens and detainees for transparency reasons.
"I would venture to say that any violation of this policy by a police officer, they would face disciplinary actions. The law is very clearly written," McGhee said. "The fact that someone holds a certain title or office doesn't change the circumstances."
A lawyer for Hannan, John Grasso, told NBC10 that his client is "overwhelmed and embarrassed" by the arrest going public.
“Watching the video recording has been difficult to say the least,” Grasso wrote to the network in response for comment.
PEOPLE reached out to Flanagan, the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office, and Hannan's lawyer for comment.
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