Video involving police officer gets department’s attention

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — A chaotic video posted on social media involving a Fort Wayne police officer is getting attention from the community and the police department. The cell phone video captured a disagreement between a police officer and customers at IHOP early Sunday morning. One of those customers was eventually arrested.

The person who posted it is presumably trying to make the officer look bad. However, Chief Garry Hamilton of the Fort Wayne Police Department said he did the opposite.

Officer Stephen Ealing was working security at the IHOP on Coldwater Road. The video captures him telling the woman to leave the restaurant. According to police reports, she had a blood alcohol level of 0.17.

Once the group makes it outside, the officer tries to arrest her and her group continues to yell at him.

After hearing about the video, Chief Hamilton watched it Monday.

“I’m glad he posted it. It goes to show that the officer did his job, didn’t lose composure and the poor person who did get arrested, he didn’t help her case whatsoever,” said Chief Hamilton, “The Fort Wayne police officer should be commended. Large crowd, people disorderly, yelling and screaming at the officer, he had another individual trying to incite a riot to get other people to get involved in the officer attempting to do his job.”

You can later hear the sound of a taser in the video. Chief Hamilton said the officer used the sound to push the crowd back.

“That could have went really turn bad when you have two or three people coming after you so officers are trained, you gotta be aware of your surroundings,” said Chief Hamilton.

After calling for back up, Officer Ealing arrested the woman for public intoxication, disorderly conduct, resisting law enforcement, and physical and criminal mischief.

“All three should have been arrested for disorderly conduct but the one person the officer did arrest, I think he sent a message,” said Chief Hamilton.

Chief Hamilton acknowledges officers’ actions nationwide have been questionable.

“I believe people are very sensitive at what’s going on across the country and I don’t blame them,” said Chief Hamilton.

However, he said that the public can’t rush to judgment because this incident shows that his officer is well-trained.

“The officer acted accordingly, he did his job and he did it well,” said Chief Hamilton.

As of Monday afternoon, the woman was still in police custody.