The Meridian Police Department has responded to a video that was posted online Wednesday morning that shows officers using aggressive use-of-force tactics against a man who it appears could not defend himself.
In the 25-second video, an officer flips the man to the ground. The officer kneels over the man lying on the ground and punches him three times. Another officer does not stop him. The first officer punches the man at least three more times before the video, taken from a nearby car, ends.
The man, 31-year-old Boise resident Colt Seward, was arrested on charges of resisting and obstructing, drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, among other things. His mugshot shows a black eye and bloody lacerations on his face and head.
“The Meridian Police Department takes every use of force very seriously and conducts reviews on each,” Meridian Police said in a release. “While the video on social media only captures part of the use of force, we are asking for the public’s patience, while we conduct our internal review of this incident.”
Meridian Police said they had received a call from citizens on Tuesday about a motorist, Seward, passed out in traffic near Ten Mile and Ustick roads. The release said that after Seward was handcuffed, he slipped the handcuffs to the front of his body when an officer was arresting him.
The first officer then called a backup officer. Seward allegedly attempted to pull away from the officer when his right hand was released and “threw an elbow striking the officer,” Meridian PD’s release says.
The two officers involved have not been placed on administrative leave, according to City of Meridian Communications Manager Stephany Galbreaith. One officer has six years of service, including two years at Meridian PD, and the other has eight years of service, with five at Meridian.
Meridian’s ‘use of force’ policy says that there is no policy that can reasonably predict every possible situation an officer can find. Instead, officers have to use “well-reasoned discretion.”
Meridian’s policy also contains factors used to determine the reasonableness of force, such as the risk and potential consequences of escape, availability of other options, proximity of weapons, the effects of suspected drug or alcohol use and the individual’s mental state or capacity.
However, the idea of reasonableness is a contentious topic, according to Cody Jorgensen, Boise State University associate professor of criminal justice. Jorgensen previously told the Idaho Press that there are aspects of policing that can prime officers to excessively use force.
Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea previously told the Idaho Press that the best way to avoid strained community relations is to build a “servant culture” and make sure that public interactions are viewed as fair and just.
He also said the most common use of force is “hands-on, grabbing a hold of someone and ending up rolling around in a wrestling match with them on the ground.”
“Whenever you have anyone who doesn’t understand a subject, things can be misinterpreted and mischaracterized,” Basterrechea said at the time. “Use of Force is always messy and never looks like it does in the movies, so people with no experience will make very ill-informed opinions.”
Carolyn Komatsoulis covers Boise, Meridian and Ada County. Contact her at 208-465-8107 or ckomatsoulis@idahopress.com and follow her on Twitter @CKomatsoulis.
Carolyn Komatsoulis covers Boise, Meridian and Ada County for the Idaho Press. She previously worked at a newspaper in rural Nebraska. She's from the D.C. area and went to school in Boston, where she graduated with a degree in journalism. In her free time, she loves watching football, spending time with Kyoko and Pickles, exploring and going on road trips with her best friends. She welcomes news tips in English or Spanish.
