Nationwide — Brandin Neil, the police chief of Riverview, Missouri, is facing questions about past excessive force allegations, his appointment to the top position, and the firing of a detective who says he investigated the chief. The controversy includes multiple legal disputes and recorded conversations that have raised concerns about how he returned to the department.
Neil has faced several allegations of excessive force during his law enforcement career. In August 2019, while working for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, he argued with Bryan Boyle at a gas station before attempting to use a Taser and repeatedly hitting Boyle in the head with handcuffs. Neil was charged with third-degree assault but found not guilty in a judge-only trial in 2021. Boyle later filed a federal lawsuit accusing Neil of violating his constitutional rights, but his attorney dropped the case in April 2024 after Boyle was fatally shot. Neil also faced allegations of tackling Abbey Busch and her boyfriend inside a bar in 2019. He was never criminally charged and said an investigation found the allegations to be unfounded, according to Fox Carolina.
In 2025, former Riverview Alderwoman Regina Davis was arrested during a town hall meeting where she planned to question then-Mayor Michael Cornell Jr. about a sexual misconduct lawsuit involving a city employee. Davis was charged with assault after allegedly biting Neil during the arrest, but the charges were later dropped. She has since sued Neil and the city, claiming he used excessive force. Neil declined to comment on the pending case. Another video circulated online this year appeared to show him punching a man who was lying on the ground outside a St. Louis nightclub. Neil said the full 25-minute video would show officers trying to de-escalate the situation before facing assaults and resistance during arrests.
The controversy has also led to a dispute with former Riverview Detective Corporal Maurico Wilson, who says he was fired for investigating Neil. Wilson said he conducted Neil’s background check and later investigated possible police impersonation involving an incident that allegedly occurred while Neil was not employed by a police department. According to Wilson, a police notice flagging Neil for questioning was issued on May 4, 2026, one day before Neil became chief. Wilson and his supervisor were fired the following month. Neil confirmed their terminations but declined to discuss the personnel decisions. Wilson’s termination paperwork cited alleged policy violations and possible criminal conduct, which he disputes.
Recorded jail calls involving Cornell, who was awaiting trial on alleged sex crimes, and former Alderwoman Judy Jones have raised further questions about Neil’s appointment. Cornell described the chief’s position as an appointment rather than an open job. Neil acknowledged speaking with Cornell before returning to the department but said they had no contact after he resumed his position. The calls also referenced a possible investigation by Missouri’s Peace Officer Standards and Training program related to Neil’s previous employment with the Moline Acres Police Department. State officials have not confirmed whether any action was taken against his law enforcement license.
Neil says his priorities include bringing Riverview’s police department into compliance with state requirements and improving relationships with neighboring agencies. However, the department and City Hall were furloughed on September 10 because of financial problems. State records show Neil was one of only two commissioned officers remaining. The furlough is expected to last until December, and Neil said he would continue working for the city as a civilian employee while helping county police respond to calls in Riverview.