Yesterday, a citizen brought forward a video that showed one of our officers using force after a
dangerous high-speed pursuit of a suspect driving a stolen vehicle. We want to assure the
public that we immediately started an investigation into this incident. The officer's actions are
being examined for overall conduct, decision-making, and policy violations.
Uses of force are sometimes difficult to watch and understand. The force is often judged
without context or background on how they came to be. In this situation, officers attempted a
traffic stop on a vehicle without license plates. Upon activating the lights, the vehicle fled at
dangerous speeds and disregarded the safety of any children, pedestrians, or drivers around.
The suspect lost control of his car and crashed into a telephone pole. During the arrest, the
officer punched and kneed the suspect. As soon as the suspect was placed into handcuffs, the
force stopped. It was discovered that the suspect did flee because he was driving a stolen
vehicle and was arrested on multiple felony charges.
Chief Goodman made the following statement regarding this incident, "Our agency strives for a
Standard of Excellence and this situation appears to fall short. We will take the necessary steps
to correct any officers' actions that are inconsistent with protecting our community, providing
quality service, and fostering trust. I have made it clear to our community that I will stand by my
officers when we get it right. On the contrary, if we make mistakes, I will own it and take swift
action to correct the situation."
The officer involved has been placed on a modified assignment while the investigation is
ongoing.