Incidents

Newport News Police officers tased, punched, and dragged Lawrence Fenner out of his car in a violent attack, for which he stated in late 2022 that he soon plans to sue. Three officers were involved.

Officers Albin Pearson and Dwight Pitterson shot and killed Henry "Hank" Berry III in December 2019. Pearson was convicted of manslaughter.

While Detective Robert B. Stewart had a civilian riding along in his car, he and Officer Branden A. Kidder both shot at Jerome Uzzle, whom they had been attempting to arrest earlier that day. Uzzle died later of his injuries, with the fatal bullets deemed to have come from Kidder's gun.

A lawsuit was filed against Newport News Police officers Neidengard and Hayward claiming they had engaged in unlawful arrest after conducting a pretextual traffic stop.

Loratio L. Dantzler filed a civil rights complaint against the City of Newport News, Jamie Acree, and Brandon Bartley alleging that he was unlawfully shot.

Jamie Acree and Brandon Bartley shot 33-year-old Loratio Lorenzo Dantzler, who they said physically resembled a wanted person.

Officer Geller, Officer Michael Sinclair, and Detective Gibson shot and killed Kawanza Jamal Beaty.

A lawsuit was filed claiming Newport News Police officers Wilson & Graham surrounded Thomas T. Simmons, Jr.'s vehicle at a traffic stop, banged on his windows, and unlawfully arrested him.

A federal lawsuit (Moody v. City of Newport News) sparked by the December 2012 shooting of Corey Moody found that the Newport News Police Department had failed to appropriately investigate incidents of excessive force and failed to train its officer appropriately.

Ryan Norris, Randy Gibson, Russel Tinsley, Richard W. Myers, Danielle Hollandsworth, James D. Fox, and the City of Newport News were named in the lawsuit. All officers were dismissed from the case as defendants except for Hollandsworth and Gibson, whom the court ruled had qualified immunity.

Newport News police officers swarmed Corey Moody's car, tried to pull him out through the window, and shot him a number of times, paralyzing him permanently.

Newport News police officers Justin E. Briggs, Darryl J. Johnson, and Sergeant J. F. Gayle were named in a Feb. 2, 2011 lawsuit pertaining to the arrest of Peggy A. Hales made on September 27, 2009. The lawsuit alleged unreasonable arrest and the use of unnecessary force regarding handcuffs tight enough to cause injury.