An internal investigation by the Covington Police Department into its actions while clashing with protesters on the Roebling Bridge ended with one officer suspended without pay for 30 days. The suspension comes after concerns about policing from the LGTBQ+ community rise nationally.

During the July 17 protest,15 people were arrested, including multiple LGBTQ+ individuals, and two journalists. The demonstration was sparked by the detention of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital clergyman Iman Ayman Soliman by Immigration Customs Enforcement officers. Soliman was detained by ICE after his asylum status was revoked. He was released from jail in September after the Department of Homeland Security dropped his case.

Officer Suspended After Roebling Bridge Protest Draws Scrutiny

Officer Zachary Stayton was placed on a 30-day unpaid suspension, according to a press release from the department on Tuesday. The department is requiring Stayton to complete remedial training before returning for duty while mandating de-escalation techniques for all officers.

“Officers across the Department will begin receiving additional training focused on de-escalation and responding to unlawful public demonstrations involving large crowds,” Covington police said in the release. “We remain committed to transparency, accountability and professionalism,” Chief Justin Wietholter said. “Our department’s training should, and will, reflect as such.” 

Covington Police Officer Zachary Stayton.

Prior to his suspension Stayton was taken off patrol and performed administrative duties since the protest. Bodycam video from Covington police showed Stayton firing at Hill with a pepper ball gun. After Hill went to the ground Stayton repeatedly punched him in the head. Hill was taken from the scene on a stretcher. 

Stayton, who was hired by the department in 2021, was sued in federal district civil court for excessive force in 2023. The suit was dismissed in February 2024 after the city settled with the complainant for $27,500. 

Prior Misconduct Cases Deepen Concerns About Covington Police

Queer Kentucky asked the Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in an email if Hill was still facing charges following his arrest during the protest, but the office didn’t respond. According to the Kentucky Courts website, he has a case pending. 

Actions by the Covington police department were noted earlier this year following the lawsuit and subsequent media coverage of the arrest of Damien Conner, who is Black and identifies as LGBTQ+. 

Officer Doug Ullrich — one of Covington police’s LGBTQ+ liaison officers — cut Conner’s seatbelt and forced him from his vehicle after pulling him over in Sept. 2024. Charges against Conner were later dropped. Covington police and Ullrich were among the defendants Conner named in a federal lawsuit filed in March 2025. 

Covington Police Officer Doug Ullrich

Ullrich has been sued seven times in federal court since 2021. A story published by Queer Kentucky in May reported Ullrich had a history of violating department policy. The report reflected the supervisor’s concerns for his behavior. 

Concerns from the Northern Kentucky LGBTQ+ community have grown over the past year after the department’s detaining of Conner and the treatment of Hill. 

In an op-ed published by LinkNKY on Oct. 25, Covington resident Tom Hull said citizens have lost trust in officers as they’ve become more separated from the public they serve. 

“Now, we see squad cars parked, like hunting animals, concerned only with issuing their next ticket,” Hull said. “We see an obsession with acquiring military grade equipment that will inevitably be used on us, the public. We see departments made of officers who are not even close to being members of the community.”

In a letter to the editor published by the Cincinnati Enquirer, Ft. Wright resident Elise Sebastian said the department’s response to the protest during a press conference was more concerning than its actions on the bridge. 

“Today, I am more afraid of the Covington police than ever; less for their power, and more for their lack of sound judgment and professional integrity,” Sebastian said. 

A report from the American Civil Liberties Union in 2024 said LGBTQ+ communities across the country are more susceptible to police violence than non-LGBTQ+.

National Data Shows LGBTQ+ People Face Higher Rates of Police Violence

In 2024, a study by the ACLU on relations between LGTBQ+ communities and the nation’s police reported 26.8 percent of transgender people experienced physical force by police, the number higher if they were black. Transgender (44.9 percent) and nonbinary people (33.1) also received verbal abuse at a much higher rate than CIS-gendered men (14.6 percent).

The effect leads to LGBTQ+ community members avoiding contact with police, even in times of need. Only 71 percent of the LGBTQ+ people surveyed said they were willing to call the police in case of an emergency compared to 86 percent of non-LGBTQ+ people.