Battle Creek Police Sergeant Chad Fickle has served the community for many years. His career has been marked by both recognition and controversy. This article explores the various facets of Sgt. Fickle's public service, from being honored as a "Hometown Hero" to facing scrutiny for his actions during a neighborhood dispute.
Hometown Hero Recognition
Sgt. Chad Fickle, a 17-year-veteran of the Battle Creek Police Department, was honored as a "Hometown Hero" by Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial. He threw out the first pitch at a Battle Creek Bombers baseball game. The start of the game was delayed nearly an hour as the ground crew removed standing water from the field following an afternoon shower.
Before Fickle threw the first pitch, he was given a certificate by Travis May, volunteer leader for Modern Woodmen. "The Hometown Hero program allows us to thank those who give back to the community while encouraging others to volunteer," May said. Sgt. Fickle was also awarded with $200, which will be donated to any charity he chooses.
Fickle was selected because of his work as a patrol supervisor and former member of the Special Investigations Unit, Gang Suppression Unit and as a canine handler, including volunteer work in schools and demonstrations with his former dog, Dash and his current partner, Ace.
Police K-9 Unit
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"Chad was nominated by multiple police officers with BCPD. In addition, Chad is the neighbor to my grandma, who he takes great care of, and also he's a K9 dog handler. He does a lot for the schools with demonstrations with the K9," said Travis May, with the Hometown Heroes program.
The Batman Mask Incident
A Battle Creek police officer has been ordered to fold his cape and refrain from wearing his Batman mask while on duty. A dispute, between neighbors, recently activated the Bat Signal over the Battle Creek Police Department, on Division Street, and Sgt. Chad Fickle donned his Batman mask and responded to the call to action.
Officer Arrives In Batman Mask To Mock Caller
In a recent video, a Battle Creek police Sgt. Chad Fickle is shown wearing the Batman mask while responding to resident Justin Shotts' report of a complaint. Shotts said he's had repeated confrontations with an individual attempting to deny his legal, deeded access to his dock on Waubascon Lake since the spring of 2021.
Officers have been responding to a series of complaints between landowners in the area of Waubascon Road, in Bedford Township, since March 2021. Justin Schotts, one of the landowners, has posted as many as 65 videos showing officer and neighbor interactions. In a recent video recorded by Schotts, Sgt. Fickle, a Battle Creek Police supervisor, is shown responding to a call wearing a Batman mask.
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Shotts has documented his interactions with the individual and Battle Creek police in a series of 50-plus videos posted on his personal YouTube Channel. Shotts previously called Fickle a "wannabe Batman" in one of his YouTube videos following a court hearing where he claimed Fickle and other Battle Creek police officers testified against him during the hearing.
In the past, Schotts referred to Fickle as “Batman”. Trying to insert humor into the longstanding feud, Sgt. Fickle decided to arrive on the scene of the complaint, wearing a Batman mask.
"After you labeled me as Batman in your last rant, I decided to bring some levity into the situation since you've made a mockery of the entire justice system with this," Fickle tells Shotts after responding to the call, according to video recorded by Shotts.
Batman
Battle Creek Police Chief Jim Blocker caught wind of the Batman caper and was not amused. In a statement Tuesday, Battle Creek police confirmed they have been responding to a series of complaints between landowners in the Waubascon Road area since March of last year. Police said Fickle's use of the mask served as an attempt to "insert humor into the long-standing civil dispute between neighbors."
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Chief Blocker released a statement to the press, stating,“As much as we value creative responses in all situations, Sgt. Fickle’s well-intended action was done in poor judgment, and was disappointing,” Battle Creek Police Chief Jim Blocker said in the statement. As with all police personnel matters, this case was reviewed and addressed.
The statement went on to say that police will not give media interviews on this issue, or make additional statements about it.
Use of Force Incident
The Calhoun County Prosecuting Attorney released a use of force opinion regarding two officers and their use of deadly force in a 2021 shooting. Sgt. Chad Fickle, Detective Brandin Huggett, and others, were put in a deadly situation by Sareedi Harris and they acted in self-defense,David. E. Gilbert said in the opinion.
The officers fired a total of seven rounds at Harris after she opened fire at a worker, pointed the gun at one of them, and crashed her vehicle into a patrol vehicle and another vehicle in the parking lot. Both officers believed lives were in danger and Harris posed an immediate threat.
The officers had clear fields of fire and stopped firing when they no longer did, Gilbert said in the opinion. The use of deadly force was justified to protect the officers and the public, Gilbeert wrote in the opinion. "They acted in lawful self-defense of themselves and others after being put in a deadly situation solely by the actions of Ms. Harris," Gilbert said in the opinion.
The two officers were called to Summit PointeFirst Step ona court-ordered mental health pick-up for Harris. When they tried to take her into custody she refused by locking her car doors and rolling up her car window, according to the opinion. Sgt. Fickle attempted to get her out of the vehicle by breaking its window with a baton.
Two children were in the car at the time of the incident. A worker was able to get one child out of the vehicle. Harris fired a handgun at the worker, and then turned the gun on Fickle and others outside the vehicle. Police fired back until she drove off. Harris was found and arrested.
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