In another disturbing police incident during the coronavirus pandemic, an off-duty officer body-slammed a woman at a Birmingham Walmart earlier this week. The incident was instigated after an altercation with a store employee who requested that the woman wear a face mask.
Video of the incident was shared thousands of times on Facebook. The video shows a woman not complying with an officer who tries to handcuff her. He then picks her up and slams her to the ground.
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After being handcuffed, it then appears she spit at another woman.
In a video statement, Birmingham police spokesman Rod Mauldin said, “The reason for the officer’s contact was disorderly conduct and not just the mere violation of a face-covering ordinance.”
We’re aware of a video showing an interaction with an individual at the Roebuck Walmart. Sgt. Mauldin addresses the facts to resolve rumors/misinformation. The off-duty officer got involved after witnessing disorderly conduct. She wasn’t charged with any face covering violation. pic.twitter.com/YHqy53BVQx
— Bhampolice (@BhamPolice) May 7, 2020
According to Mauldin, the unidentified woman resisted when the officer tried to handcuff her. “The officer used a take-down method to gain control due to the other threat factors in the store,” he said, “The subject was not injured during the arrest and she refused medical evaluation.”
Mauldin says that for the “sake of public trust and transparency,” that an investigation has been launched by the Birmingham Internal Affairs Division. He says that such a protocol is consistent for all use of force incidents that occur within the department.
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“We understand we are operating in trying times. The Birmingham Police Department has maintained a consistent community-oriented educational approach to the surrounding circumstances of COVID-19. As a department, we have been successful in our efforts to gain compliance and cooperation from the vast majority of citizens in Birmingham.”
Mauldin continues by saying that no arrests or citations have been made related to the shelter in place ordinance or the face-covering ordinance in Birmingham.