Chattanooga police respond to arrest video posted to social media (REPO)

[TowNews]

 

The department released the video in response to a Facebook post from the girl's mother that's been shared more than 4,000 times since her daughter's arrest nearly 48 hours ago.

 

Chattanooga police say body camera footage proves an officer was following the rules when arresting a teenage girl.

 

"Get out of the car. We're not playing. Get out of the car now,” a Chattanooga police officer said on video.

That’s part of the conversation recorded by a 14-year-old girl.

"You're squeezing my shirt right here,” the teen said.

 

In the video, a Chattanooga police officer pulls the teen out of the driver’s seat of her mother’s car.

Minutes after she screams, her mother, Avery Gray, questions why her daughter is in handcuffs.

"Why is she being arrested? She's only 14 years old,” Gray said.

 

Officers arrested the teen for resisting arrest. A department spokesperson said additional charges are pending.

Gray said her daughter was sitting in the car while she was at the Hamilton County jail visiting her husband.

 

A tow truck pulled up to repossess her car and some officers were nearby.

"He's repo'ing it, I guess, but there's someone's in it. I don't know how good it was going to go,” the officer said.

 

Police body camera footage shows what happened before the teen hit record. The officer wearing the camera was filing warrants when he saw another officer and a repo employee talking with the 14-year-old.   

 

"If you step out and it's not running, we'll let you get out whatever you need to get out, but just turn it off for us, alright?,” the officer said.

The officer told the girl to shut off the car several times. Instead, she continued to reach in the back seat, ignoring the commands.

"Shut the car off. It don't matter. You don't get to break the law. Shut the car off now,” the officer said.

 

The officer handcuffed her, gave the keys to the repo employee and found her mother.

 

Channel 3 spoke with the teen’s mother several times over the phone on Wednesday after she shared the video on Facebook. She agreed to talk, but changed her mind.

 

As for the officer, Chattanooga police said he followed protocol. Police said they’re not releasing the officer’s name because he and his family have received several threats.

 

RESOURCE LINK With Video

[rreschran]

... I personally don't see any issue with the officer's actions and I appreciate the message he was sending to the motoring public. I once impounded a vehicle with a screaming female driver still in the car to avoid angry crowd that was forming. What was fun about the whole thing was the tow truck operator had a smile on his face the entire time.    R.

[goodmichael]

If there is a breach of the peace in most states, the adjuster is in violation of the law. A policer officer can not be utilized to further facilitate a recovery.

[someotherplace]

11 hours ago, goodmichael said:

If there is a breach of the peace in most states, the adjuster is in violation of the law. A policer officer can not be utilized to further facilitate a recovery.

Exactly what I was thinking.  Strange how location can change "how it's done" dramatically..

 

Richard