HARTFORD, Conn — Hartford Police are reviewing their use of force following a viral video incident during a traffic stop on Blue Hills Ave Monday afternoon. Some are scrutinizing the actions of officers, while others say the woman in the video was out of control.
Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody spoke on camera about the incident Tuesday. He is doubling down his defense of the de-escalation tactics of his officers.
"I think they did everything they could to not escalate it," he said. Bishop John Selders of Moral Monday CT said in response, "I’ll have some words to say to the chief."
Selders says it’s incumbent on the working professionals to find a way to deescalate. He suggested the woman should have been sent on her way home.
"I think you can talk it through and say ok, looks good. We’ll follow up with you. It could have been as simple as that."
Instead, the woman tried to leave the scene. Her car was listed as stolen from New Britain and the occupants were listed as potentially armed and dangerous.
"It could have qualified for a felony stop," said Chief Thody. "You see other departments who bid the car in a draw their firearms. We haven’t seen that go traditionally very well."
The woman showed that she was the owner of the vehicle and said there was no way her car was stolen. Officers tried to show the woman that the car was indeed listed in the stolen database.
"See your car right here ma’am. See it’s on red," said an officer in the video. "There’s no possible way! You just did that in the system!" she screamed.
Officers took the woman to the ground after she got into the car and the car started to move.
"Ma’am, get out of the car. What are you doing?" officers yelled.
The woman continued screaming, "I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe!"
Chief Thody said, "That was mixed in with a lot of yelling and screaming that would normally indicate that she can breathe."
But Bishop Selders responded, "Once again, police are involved in an incident of what I would call police brutality and overreach."
A second video obtained by FOX61 through a bystander shows a different angle of the restraint. Hartford police say an officer's knee was hovering over the woman’s head but was never put on her.
"Generally, when you are taking someone to the ground, and you are crouched down there’s going to be knees on the ground or in the area. If somebody has their knee on someone in a way that restricts their breathing or could cause more injury in the neck or head then the expectation is that the officer realize that and fix the situation right away," remarked Chief Thody.
Pastor John Lewis of New Haven is the Outreach Director for the Connecticut Center for Non-Violence.
He said, "It may sound unfair, but law enforcement has to realize the social media criticism that’s out there and not saying that it’s fair but it’s real and they’ve got to be more careful."
The car was seized for fingerprints. The woman was charged with interfering and reckless endangerment but was not hurt. A man who was in the car with her fled the scene and is wanted in connection to a shooting and for outstanding warrants. He also allegedly took the woman’s child. The child was in the backseat during the time of the altercation. Hartford Police are reviewing the use of force incident, as they always do.
Watch the full body camera below. (Editor's note: The video contains graphic language. Viewer discretion is advised.):