The Owensboro Police Department is reviewing an incident involving two officers and a sergeant who responded to a 911 hang-up call in January 2024, according to a release from OPD.
According to the release, OPD became aware on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, of a video circulating online and across social media platforms related to the response at a residence.
The video, posted by civil rights attorney John Bryan, recaps the incident using body camera footage and commentary. Bryan regularly posts about similar encounters and has amassed more than 1 million followers across multiple social media platforms. The video has generated significant attention, with more than 435,000 views on YouTube alone. The video can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/H96Ee12R3dM?si=bggJSmlfmrbBMIX1.
According to OPD, officers responded to the 911 hang-up call and spoke with the homeowner. OPD stated officers detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the residence.
Here is the original body cam video posted on YouTube, what it appears was posted by the caller.
OPD said officers did not enter the home. However, according to the release, the officers were wrong in their assertions that they could enter the home without a warrant and conduct a search, noting that doing so would have been a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
“The Owensboro Police Department works diligently to ensure our officers maintain a high-level of competency to serve our community,” OPD said in the release. “We strive for perfection; however, we are human and at times we fall short.”
According to OPD, all officers will continue to receive refresher training on search and seizure laws, as well as legal updates regarding court decisions that affect police operations.
OPD said the department will conduct an internal investigation into the incident to determine how best to move forward and to help ensure similar situations do not occur in the future.
“Our department will work daily to be the best public servants we can be because our community deserves nothing less,” OPD said.
