GARY | When men burst into Darren Johnson's home in June and began shouting questions, Johnson thought the men might be criminals or just angry neighbors.

He never thought it would be the police. (View the video.)

"It was like anybody off the streets, not no cops. They just ran into the house," Johnson said. He said he was hit in the arm with a piece of wood during the questioning and then jailed for three days before being released without charge.

Johnson was one of four people at the home on June 1 whose alleged mistreatment at the hands of police led to felony charges Wednesday against Gary Police Chief Thomas Houston, Deputy Chief Thomas Branson and Sgt. Thomas Decanter.

Two of the alleged victims named in the charges filed against the officers said Thursday they were glad the charges were brought and hope the officers will be treated like any suspected criminals.

"What they done to us, they should get what they deserve," said Sheila Baker, whose home on 21st Avenue is where Houston and Branson are accused of bursting in.

Baker and Johnson said the police seemed convinced someone at Baker's house would know who had broken into Houston's home and burglarized it.

Johnson's longtime girlfriend, Maria Manley, described lurid threats and violence committed by Houston and Branson after the residents of the home insisted they were not involved in the burglary at Houston's home.

"They're supposed to be protecting people. Instead they're using their street mentality on people," Manley said. "They should go to jail like anyone else."

One of the four people arrested has retained a lawyer, who is investigating whether to file a civil lawsuit against the department.

Gary police spokesman, Cmdr. Sam Roberts, said officers around the department were saddened Thursday to learn of the indictments, but they will continue performing their jobs of protecting the public.

"We're disappointed, but we have a job to do," Roberts said. "We certainly don't condone any abuse of power."

Mayor Rudy Clay stood behind his earlier comments that Houston and Branson are two of the best cops in the country, and he will not take any action against them until he has a chance to study the indictment in detail.

"We are still in assessment mode," Clay said.

Sgt. Jarrett Bridgeman, an internal affairs investigator, said his department was not made aware of the June 1 incident until the federal indictments were handed down this week.

"No one ever complained," Bridgeman said. "We didn't even know who was involved in the incident until the rumors started floating."

Times staff writers William Dolan and Christine Kraly contributed to this report.