Little Rock, Ark. – A police officer who appeared to choke a skateboarder and put two others in a headlock in a video posted online used appropriate force when making his arrests, an internal police investigation found.
The Hot Springs Police Department Internal Affairs Board found the use of force was within the department’s policy on nondeadly force and recommended “no changes to this policy.” The decision was released Monday.
Officer Joey Williams confronted a situation that “would have overwhelmed any single officer” when he stopped those breaking an ordinance by skateboarding on a downtown sidewalk June 21, the report said.
However, Williams was faulted for leaving a handcuffed suspect unattended while chasing another youth.
Williams has been on administrative leave since the video hit YouTube on June 25. Police said he would return to active duty Thursday.
Video from a business’ security cameras shows 10 skateboarders rolling down the city sidewalk at a good clip, followed by Williams, who sprints past the last skater.
A video taken by skateboarders and later posted on YouTube shows Williams on top of one of the skaters, apparently choking him. The video also showed Williams putting another two skateboarders in a headlock, and the officer can later be heard threatening to use pepper spray on a skateboarder lying on the ground.
Police said they arrested Matthew Jon McCormack, 21, and Skylar Nalls, 19, both of Hot Springs, and four juveniles.
