Police Release Body Cam Video Of Salisbury Arrest, Officer Seen Putting Hands On Man's Throat
SALISBURY, Md. (WJZ) -- The Salisbury Police Department has released the body-worn camera video from an arrest in which an officer put his hand on an 18-year-old man's throat during a scuffle on Tuesday.
Chief Barbara Duncan said during the incident, the officer put his hand on the man's throat but "at no time was my officer attempting to execute a neck restraint, a chokehold or restrict airflow."
In a Facebook Live video, Duncan said officers were in the area near Church Street Tuesday evening after getting a call about a group of kids destroying property, littering and trespassing.
The officers did not find any damaged property but did find litter, she said.
In the moments leading up to the altercation, Duncan said officers found a sweatshirt on a nearby fencepost. As they went to search it, the group approached.
The officers gave the sweatshirt to its owner and told the group to leave. Some of the people did not, which led the man in the video to be arrested for disorderly conduct.
"Upon review of the body-worn camera footage, we can see that the officer begins to take the young man into custody and one of this individual's friends tries to pull (him) away from the officer in an attempt to prevent an arrest," Duncan said.
(The full video can be seen here; viewer discretion is advised)
The video shows the officer leading the man to the squad car. When he turns, a scuffle breaks out, during which the officer put his hand on the man's throat.
The officer was also holding a notebook in his hand at the time.
Duncan said physical intervention is used only when necessary and the officer's actions did not break department protocol.
Police did not say whether the man suffered any injuries.
