A local police officer is facing public scrutiny after a video surfaced showing him instructing a physically disabled man to “stay on his feet” during a routine identification check—despite the man clearly using a wheelchair.
The incident occurred Monday afternoon near a downtown transit stop, where 36-year-old Marcus Bell, who has been paralyzed from the waist down since a 2012 car accident, was approached by Officer Daniel Crowley. According to witnesses and video footage shared on social media, Crowley asked Bell to “stand up” and then told him to “stay on his feet,” even after Bell calmly explained that he was paralyzed.
“I’m in a wheelchair, sir,” Bell can be heard saying in the video. “I can’t stand.”
The officer, who appeared momentarily confused, responded, “I need you to comply, sir. Stay on your feet and don’t make this more difficult.”
Onlookers quickly stepped in, with one bystander pointing out that Bell was visibly disabled. The situation de-escalated shortly after, but the video has since gone viral, sparking backlash and demands for accountability.
The Springfield Police Department released a brief statement Tuesday morning acknowledging the incident. “We are aware of the video circulating on social media involving one of our officers and a disabled citizen,” the statement reads. “The matter is under internal review, and we are committed to ensuring that all interactions between law enforcement and the public are respectful and informed.”
Bell said in a later interview, “It’s humiliating, honestly. I try to live independently, and then something like this happens that makes me feel invisible again. It’s not just ignorance—it’s a lack of basic training.”
Advocacy groups have called for immediate retraining of officers on how to properly interact with individuals with disabilities. “This is a textbook example of what happens when law enforcement fails to understand the people they serve,” said Karen Liu, spokesperson for the Equal Access Coalition.
No formal apology has yet been issued to Bell, who said he’s considering filing a complaint with the city’s Office of Civil Rights.
