Walker PD looks into bike-riding parade

WALKER, Mich. (WOOD) - An investigation into how a Walker police officer handled a bike-riding prank by Kenowa Hills High School seniors on Tuesday is underway, Chief Catherine Garcia-Lindstrom told 24 Hour News 8.

A police cruiser escorted about 60 students and the Walker mayor to the school on Tuesday. But Principal Katie Pennington was incensed the school did not know about it and suspended the students for some end-of-year activities.

Angry parents and students flooded a Kenowa Hills school board meeting Tuesday night with harsh words for the high school principal.

But now an officer involved will be investigated by the department. It is not the officer who was the parade escort.

School officials said the bike parade on roads leading to the school put the students in danger. One Walker police cruiser was assigned to the parade.

Garcia-Lindstrom said it appears one of her officers knew about the event, but failed to follow procedure by letting superiors know about it. She doesn't have a problem with the idea of the parade, but having advanced knowledge would let the department come up with a better plan.

"We have department protocol which was supposed to happen," the chief told 24 Hour News 8. "We would never have assigned one police officer to such an event."

She added that though "it was a great idea, no question," she would have suggested the bikers take a different route.

"We're lucky and fortunate someone didn't get hurt."