Caught On Camera: 2 LAPD Officers Investigated For Use Of Force During Arrest
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Two Los Angeles Police Department officers are under investigation after allegedly slamming a handcuffed woman to the ground during an arrest in Pacoima.
The incident, which was caught on tape, occurred around 11:15 a.m. on Aug. 21.
Michelle Jordan, 34, said she was pulled over by the Foothill Division officers for driving while talking on her cellphone.
Security video from a Del Taco restaurant at Foothill Boulevard and Saluda Avenue shows the two officers talking to Jordan for a few minutes.
"She doesn't appear to be a threat. The cops dealt with her as though she was clearly a threat," said Sy Nazif, Jordan's attorney.
During the stop, Jordan got out of her car and during a confrontation with officers, was wrestled to the ground handcuffed. A short time later, she was taken to the ground a second time following another altercation.
"At some point, she was pulled out of her vehicle, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed," said attorney Arthur Corona. "She was then brought back to the police cruiser and hip tossed rather violently."
Nazif said the officers' interaction with each other was almost as disturbing as the violence.
"You'll see that once she's in the squad car, the two officers 'fist bump' as if to say, 'job well done today,'" he said.
Jordan was arrested for interfering with and resisting arrest. She was released on her own recognizance.
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck issued this statement after seeing the video:
"My initial review of the officers' statements and the recorded video cause me to have serious concerns about this use-of-force. We will investigate this thoroughly and hold our officers accountable for their actions," he said.
Both officers have been reassigned to non-field duties pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation.
One officer is a 22-year veteran and the other is on probation after just 10 months on the job.
Attorneys for Jordan said they plan on filing a legal action by the end of this week.
