The Caledonia Police Department in Wisconsin was under fire this weekend after a video went viral of a cop throwing a plastic bag in the backseat of a car they'd just pulled over Fox 32 reports. But follow-up video shows that cop's partner appearing to have retrieved the bag from a search conducted on one of the passengers. 

In the cellphone video released Saturday, police are seen pulling over two Black men. An officer is then seen throwing a plastic bag into the backseat of the vehicle during the Wednesday stop.

In a statement, Caledonia Police Chief Christopher Botsch says the officers threw the bag in the car because it came from one of the men and was already empty.

"While we would discourage officers from discarding items into a citizen’s vehicle, the video is clear that the officer is NOT planting evidence or doing anything illegal,” Botsch said in a statement on Facebook. “Additionally, the empty corner tear is not itself illegal.”

The chief also shared the officers' body camera footage. 


Botsch also said in the statement that "corner tear" bags are frequently used to hold illegal drugs but when officers realized that was not the case, they "discarded" the empty bag in the vehicle.

Botsch added that the department "would discourage officers from discarding items into a citizen’s vehicle."

The chief said all video evidence in the matter would be viewed thoroughly and properly. 

“The complete review will take some time, but I have reviewed portions of the body-worn camera video,” Botsch wrote. “Please keep in mind that the cellphone video that is circulating depicts only a small portion of the entire encounter; whereas, all available video may provide more context.”

“The Caledonia Police Department believes strongly in transparency; therefore, all body-worn camera video will be made available within the coming days," he continued.

Officials say they will be releasing all body-worn camera footage after more than six hours of video between the body-worn cameras worn by four different officers, as well as the squad camera is reviewed, according to reporting from WBAY.

Caledonia police have not responded to requests for more information, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Botsch said that the only citation issued was a speeding ticket to the driver.

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