An Orlando police officer was suspended for 16 hours after kicking a 13-year-old boy in the chest during an arrest.
The Orlando Sentinel reports a June 2018 internal affairs (IA) investigation into K-9 officer Neal Chase found that the officer violated the department's policies related to obedience and resistance. He was suspended for 16 hours for the misconduct.
The incident was recorded on camera, and IA investigators reviewed two videos that reportedly showed Chase kick the minor in his chest, despite the boy being on his knees with his hands in a submissive position.
The information has newly surfaced following a public records request. The footage was not released, however, since the victim is a minor.
Orlando Weekly reports the altercation occurred on May 31, 2018, when Chase, his K-9, officer Michelle Edwards and others responded to a dispatch regarding several vehicular break-ins around the neighborhood.
Chase spotted the boy with a friend running on the sidewalk as the police car pulled up to the scene.
The report states that Chase called out to the boys, instructing them to stop running or to risk getting bit by his police dog.
The 13-year-old reportedly attempted to continue running, going a further 20 feet or so while reportedly getting rid of items such as an iPhone, watch, window punch and flashlight from his person.
The investigation reports once Chase exited his vehicle and ordered the boy to stop, he obliged and fell to his knees with his hands raised.
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Chase, unsatisfied, called out for the juvenile to get "all the way down onto the ground!" Chase told investigators that he wanted the boy to lay flat on his stomach. The boy reportedly did not move any further.
Chase then kicked the child in his chest with his left foot. The young teen fell and landed on his back. Officer Edwards then rolled the boy over onto his chest and handcuffed him.
Following the kick, the boy complained of chest pains and was treated and cleared by an ambulance at the scene of the arrest.
IA determined that the kick was one of "hard control," when the guidelines show that "soft control" should have been administered in this case; soft control includes techniques such as wrist locks, arm bars and pressure points — all of which would provide “minimal potential of injury to the subject" in an instance of resistance.
Chase reported to investigators that it was a matter of "extenuating circumstances," stating that the boy remained on his knees “in an attempt to potentially look for another escape route as he had already fled…from officers for multiple blocks.”
It is also reported that Chase was unaware another officer was nearby when he kicked the boy.
“I believed to be in a one on one situation as far as me versus him,” he said.
Chase's supervisor, Sgt. Ryan McConnell, reported the incident, stating that he didn't approve of the officer's “intensified control techniques” during the arrest.
The other juvenile on the scene reportedly confessed that he and his friend had committed the illegal acts. Both were arrested on charges related to burglary, criminal mischief and grand theft.
Officer Chase disputed the suspension from internal affairs, citing grievances that his discipline was excessive. He argued that his excessive response is “taught and standard practice by SWAT members during dynamic entries."
His grievance was rejected by Chief Orlando Rolon who added that the video "clearly shows" the boy was in compliance and "in a position internationally recognized as that of surrender” when he was unnecessarily harmed.
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