Fort Collins’ police chief on Sunday said a publicly available cellphone video lacks “the context” but he refused to release police body-camera video from the scene.
The arrest of Michaella Surat by Fort Collins police on Thursday is under investigation, Chief John Hutto said in a prepared statement.
“I have a duty to preserve and protect the processes that our society has put in place to ensure that the questions surrounding this incident are answered in a fair and impartial manner,” Hutto’s statement said.
“I have no control over the video that is already in the public domain, but I do have control over the release of the video evidence from our body-worn cameras. This is an open investigation and to release evidence, absent a truly compelling reason, would not be proper. I am committed to preserving a process that ensures a fair and impartial outcome. I am equally committed to preserving the rights of both Ms. Surat and the involved officers.”
A video spreading on social media shows a Fort Collins police officer throwing a woman onto a sidewalk. This happened after police detained her boyfriend and the officer tried to control the woman. Surat was arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault and obstructing a police officer and was released on bail.
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