August 28, 2014

Statement from Saint Paul Police Chief Tom Smith regarding video of

January 31, 2014 arrest

I would like to thank the community for the discussion regarding the video that was has recently been circulated from a January 31, 2014 arrest.





As is often the case, the video does not show the totality of the circumstances.





Our officers were called by private security guards on a man who was trespassing in a private area. The guards reported that the man had on repeated occasions refused to leave a private "employees only" area in the First National Bank Building.





With no information on who the man was, what he might be doing or why he refused to leave the area, responding Saint Paul police officers tried to talk to him, asking him who he was. He refused to tell them or cooperate.





Our officers are called upon and required to respond to calls for assistance and to investigate the calls. At one point, the officers believed he might either run or fight with them. It was then that officers took steps to take him into custody. He pulled away and resisted officers' lawful orders. They then used the force necessary to safely take him into custody.





The man was charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct and obstruction of the legal process. Those charges were dismissed in July.

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