A shocking video shows a Minnesota police officer dragging a man by the wrists 90ft down a hallway and making him hit his head on a steel door while making an arrest.
The incident was captured by another officer’s bodycam during a trespassing call in May of last year in Duluth.
Officer Adam Huot was put on unpaid leave for using what an arbitrator deemed ‘excessive force’ during the arrest, but the city fought back saying that the nine-year veteran should be reinstated.
The Duluth Police Department released the video to the public on Friday.
Officer Adam Huot was caught on bodycam video using excessive force while arresting a man for trespassing last May in Duluth, Minnesota
The shocking video released Friday shows Huot dragging the man by the handcuffs 90ft
Huot and another officer were called to a downtown skywalk on reports of two drunk men who appeared to be trespassing.
The officers asked the men to leave, which they did.
However, about 25 minutes later the officers received another call to the same place complaining of two drunk men.
The officers said they were going to write the men up for trespassing, at which point one of the men began to yell and ‘demanded to be arrested’.
In the bodycam video he can be heard saying: ‘I ain’t gonna make it easy for you guys,’ as he’s handcuffed laying down.
Huot then grabs the man by the cuffs and starts to drag him down the hallway.
At one point in the video, an officer can be heard saying: ‘Pick him up and help him.’
After the incident Huot was placed on routine paid leave pending an investigation.
Arbitration determined that Huot’s use of force was unreasonable and violated police department policies.
However, it ultimately ruled that he should be reinstated.
The city is now planning to appeal that decision, saying that it believes Huot should be terminated.
Arbitration determined that Huot’s use of force was unreasonable, but ultimately ruled that he should be reinstated. The city is appealing the decision, saying Huot should be terminated
‘The passive resistance offered by this citizen did not justify this use of force,’ Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken said in a press conference Friday.
‘It is the Duluth Police Department’s expectation that officers will make tactically sound, reasonable use of force decisions which demonstrate our value of every life.’
Duluth Mayor Emily Larson said she supported the decision to fire Huot.
‘The City of Duluth and its Police Department prides itself on serving our community selflessly, with respect and dignity toward all members of our community,’ she said in the statement.
‘As Chief Tusken has said numerous times, the power and authority our officers have do not come from a gun or a badge, or even from the City of Duluth; it comes from a foundation of strong community relationships.’