The Euclid police chief released a statement more than four days after the violent arrest of a 25-year-old man during a traffic stop on Saturday morning.
The arrest was caught on video then posted on Facebook. The video shows a violent struggle between a 25-year-old man and a Euclid officer in the middle of East 228th Street. Euclid police say the violent struggle started after a traffic stop.
Watch video of the arrest in the video player above. WARNING: Video contains vulgar language. Content may be considered disturbing to some.
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During the struggle, which lasted about three minutes, the officer punches the man face several times. The dash cam video shows the woman get down on the ground and repeatedly yell, "stop!" and "babe, listen, listen, listen!"
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Scott Meyer, the Chief of Police of the Euclid Police Department, opened his statement by apologizing for not 'publicly responding in a more timely fashion.'
In a written statement, Meyer said the following:
I can understand and appreciate the great concern and alarm of those who have seen or heard of the videos involving the arrest of Richard Hubbard III by members of the Euclid Police Department on August 12th, 2017. I want to personally assure everyone that this incident is being thoroughly investigated and reviewed to determine if the actions of the Police Officers involved were consistent with both the Mission and Policy & Procedures of the Euclid Police Department. As the Chief of Police, it is my duty to see that this investigation is done thor- oughly and fairly. I ask everyone to please be patient while this process is being conducted.
The Euclid Police Department is deeply committed to positive community engagement. We will continue to work with our community partners in building and fostering positive relation- ships. Our Officers are committed to proactively, conscientiously, and fairly addressing our very real crime control issues, particularly violent crime and gun crime. We will continue to do this in a professional and ethical manner, never losing sight of the human elements of com- passion, sensitivity, and caring for all those who live, work, and visit our city.
Please do not lose sight of the incredible work routinely being done by the members of this de- partment and by the law enforcement community throughout the country. There is too much perceived division between the police and the public when in all reality, there is so much more that unites us. We are all connected by our humanity.
