PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — WJLA has obtained disturbing video of a Maryland police officer and his use of force. Some of the footage is hard to watch and until now, the public has never viewed the video.
Police officers have a very tough job and it’s a dangerous one. We do know that force is used in some arrests.
The exclusive video WJLA obtained is from 2020 and shows a very intoxicated suspect spitting at Prince George’s County police officer Steven Tucker Jr. while he was driving his patrol car. Tucker reacted by punching the suspect a total of eight times.
Is it the proper use of force? Decide for yourself. But, Prince George's County Police Department called Tucker's use of force justifiable.
Campaign Zero, an advocacy group that pushes to end law enforcement agency violence and hold police accountable has a different take.
It's clear that was an unwarranted use of force and punching him repeatedly in the head was not an appropriate response,” said Dray McKesson with Campaign Zero.
The suspect? Handcuffed and wearing a seatbelt. In the front seat because the department doesn't supply back seat cages in all of its patrol cars.
Listen to Officer Tucker, in his own words, explain to investigators what happened.
When he did spit, the spit it went all over my face and in my eye and I turned my head and I was still trying, still trying like keep the car right driving and I could feel that it started to wobble as soon as I got the spit in my face that’s when I reacted I did, I did use four, four reactionary hits," said Tucker.
Criminologist Eric Piza, with Northeastern University, said a key to determining the level of use of force is when the use of force is no longer needed.
“The question becomes exactly at what point was the force no longer warranted and that's a little bit difficult to tell from secondhand footage. Again, the officer responded appropriately, it seems to the force. It's a little bit difficult to tell from the video exactly at what point was the force no longer needed to subdue the suspect,” said Piza.
Prince George's County Police policy said unjustified force includes --- inappropriate force. Unnecessary force or excessive force which is intentional, malicious and results in injury or potential injury.
"I'm shocked frankly that he received no discipline for those punches and it's a reminder again that police get away with whatever they want regardless of department policy,” said McKesson.
Tucker was suspended for five hours without pay for his use of language but no discipline for the eight punches.
In an internal investigation, First Sergeant William Gleason, who the department said is one of the country’s foremost experts in use of force, states the first few punches were reasonable. The last couple needed to be justified by Tucker and "may have been more than what was needed to stop the spitting assault."
Here’s audio of Tucker explaining the additional four punches:
“Then after those. the best that I remember is that umm my main goal was to keep him away from trying to spit again. So that’s when more of the other hits of me trying to move him what is for,” said Tucker.
Tucker’s supervisor on the scene shortly after the punches reviewed the dashcam video and stated the second number of punches did not appear in compliance with police policy and the first set of strikes seemed to be effective enough in stopping the spitting assault.
We did some digging and discovered Tucker has been under review for 37 incidents of use of force over the past eight years which averages out to one use of force incident every 2.7 months.
"Every 90 days would seem to be a little high to me,” said Piza.
For months, Prince George's County Police Chief Malik Aziz, who was not Chief during the 2020 incident, has denied WJLA's request for an on-camera interview multiple times.
Brian Fisher, the Prince George's County Police Department's Media Relations Division Manager, tells 7News that talking about individual officers does not rise to the level of the Chief of Police.
"Good Morning, Scott and Kevin,
I inquired with senior staff about getting an interview with the Chief regarding the topics you articulated. Talking about individual officers does not rise to the level of the Chief of Police. The Chief manages the entire Prince George’s County Police Department. We speak exclusively on WJLA about issues of juvenile violence, carjacking, and other crimes that dominate WJLA news. We do not speak about individual officers. The Command staff that manages officers report to the Chief. I will, however, be able to arrange an interview with our Major of Training, Charles Magee, and 1st Sergeant William Gleason who is one of the country’s foremost experts in “use of force.” He is often called as an expert witness in court cases and teaches “use of force” all over the country. Let me know when you would like to come to Headquarters at 8801 Police Plaza in Upper Marlboro and I will arrange to have these experts here for you. I look forward to seeing you!
Brian
Brian Fischer
Prince George’s County Police Department
Office Of The Chief
Media Relations Division, Manager"
Aziz has on multiple occasions talked about individual officers on camera including on WJLA regarding a viral video of one of his officers kissing a woman at a park.
"I'm curious, as the Chief what was your reaction when you saw that video for the first time?” asked WJLA Anchor Alison Starling on September 20, 2023.
"I thought it did not represent our vibrant robust brand,” responded Malik Aziz, Police Chief with the Prince George’s County Police Department.
WJLA requested a copy of the department's written policy that prohibits Aziz from talking on camera about individual officers.
It doesn't exist.
WJLA has not been able to reach the suspect in the video. His charges were dropped. Officer Tucker isn’t talking to WJLA, and he completed a refresher course on the use-of-force and de-escalation training in 2021 after the incident.
He has more use-of-force incidents on his record which the I-Team is looking into.
