A Jefferson County Sheriff's Office reserve deputy caught on video yanking a teenage girl to the ground by her hair during an arrest at St. Joe's Picnic for the Kids last year will face no punishment. An internal investigation has exonerated him of using excessive force during the encounter, which drew criticism after bystander footage of the arrest spread online.
The reserve deputy, identified as Reserve Sergeant Derrick White, was placed on hold from work details pending the internal investigation shortly after the August 2025 arrest, according to WDRB. Now, more than a year later, the Louisville Courier Journal reports that White was exonerated of excessive force and faces no discipline over the incident.
The reserve deputy, identified as Reserve Sergeant Derrick White, was at the festival when the arrest occurred.
What the Video Showed
Following the arrest, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office charged the teenage girl with criminal trespass, resisting arrest, failing to follow commands, and disorderly conduct, WDRB reported at the time. The confrontation happened at the festival gate.
Under KRS 520.090, resisting arrest is a Class A misdemeanor, according to legal guidance cited in the dossier.
Department Concedes Hair-Pulling Isn't Standard Training
Even as the department defended its overall training standards, a Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spokesperson acknowledged a striking gap. Lt. Col. Carl Yates said that while deputies receive extensive training in making arrests, they receive no training that instructs or authorizes them to pull an arrestee's hair, according to the station's report.
The Louisville Urban League filed a formal complaint requesting a full investigation into the reserve deputy's use of physical force, according to the same account.
A Historic Fundraiser
The picnic remains the primary fundraiser for the St. Joseph Children's Home.
The encounter between the teenager and the reserve deputy unfolded at the grounds.
More than a year after the video first circulated, the internal investigation's conclusion leaves the central tension of the case unresolved for many in the community: an admission that no training authorizes pulling an arrestee's hair, paired with a finding that no punishment is warranted for the deputy who did it.
