'Very disturbing': Use of force expert concerned about Lakeland police hitting teen

LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — A disturbing video of an arrest has become the focus of an internal investigation at the Lakeland Police Department.

Two Lakeland police officers are shown hitting a 16-year-old boy multiple times before using a Taser on him.

“They were literally punching my friend in the face,” Darryiell Bowman said. “Throwing hard punches in his face. »

Bowman captured video of the encounter which went viral on social media.

The violence happened on Memorial Day at the Caroline Apartments on Griffin Road.

According to an arrest report, officers were called to a pool at the Caroline Apartments along Griffin Road on Memorial Day after someone called to report that there were people there who did not live in the complex. The report states that the manager asked police to break into anyone not living on site.

Police said the 16-year-old did not provide them with an apartment number, did not identify himself and was verbally entered into the property. He left the pool to collect his belongings, according to the report.

The report states the teen was asked to leave the property again and put his hand in the officer's face, but this was not caught on camera. He allegedly “tense his body” when a police officer grabbed his arm and tried to walk away.

The police report acknowledges that the officers used “several closed fist blows” against the teenager. The officer who wrote the report said he was punched once in the face.

“A simple punch to the head worries me,” said Roger Clark, a former lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. “This particular punch is very troubling, because I don’t see any reason why he would need to be punched at that time.”

Clark served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for 27 years. He is now a consultant specializing in use of force and police tactics.

“Both officers are not going anywhere but their heads,” Clark said. “It’s very disturbing to me that this is their target. I don't know what's going on. You know, do they want to knock him unconscious?

The teen was taken to the hospital for a medical evaluation before being transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center.

“Chief [Sammy] Taylor was informed of the incident and spoke with Dr. [Clayton] Cowart and has already requested an administrative review by our Office of Professional Standards,” the department told News Channel 8 in a statement.

He faces charges of trespassing, failure to leave property, battery on a law enforcement officer and violently resisting an officer.