D.C. Police Chief Defends Violent Arrest Caught on Video

D.C. police are investigating the use of force to take a suspect into custody in Northeast Monday evening, and the encounter was caught on video.

An officer responding to a report of a “man down” in the 5100 block of Cloud Place NE about 5:15 p.m. found Herbert L. Jones, who also goes by Eric Jones, behaving erratically in the street. He talked to himself, did push ups in the street and took off his shoes before attacking officers, the officer said.

D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said Tuesday night that the video may be disturbing, but it does not mean officers did anything wrong. 

"Police work is not pretty and when you see situations where officers have to use force, it is not a pleasant video to look at, but it is the reality that police officers do sometimes have to use force," she said. 

Lanier said officers will begin carrying stun guns as an additional option for subduing arrestees.

The first officer waited for backup until Jones punched a parked car, according to charging documents. The officer ordered Jones to get away from the car and get on the ground.

The officer said the man ripped the antenna off the vehicle and attacked him with it. A second officer arrived, and each used his baton to try to subdue him.

After they wrestled Jones to the ground, they struggled to keep him restrained. The video appears to show the officers punching him on the ground.

A third officer said Jones bit his knee while several officers were holding him down. That officer then struck the suspect with his knee, stepped away and reached toward his knee.

The officers involved reported the use of force to their supervisors before D.C. police reviewed multiple videos of the arrest, according to the department. Police said they released a four-minute clip of arrest in order to be transparent about the investigation.

Those three officers received treatment for their injuries at the Police Fire Clinic.

Several other officers also went to the scene.

Jones, 43, was charged with assaulting a police officer and destruction of property. He received treatment at Washington Hospital Center. Police said he smelled like PCP when he was interviewed after the arrest, according to charging documents.

Police said the use of force was reported immediately. An investigation is underway. 

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