A video that shows a police officer punching a 16-year-old boy in the back several times while the teen was on the ground in Whitby is getting a lot of attention on social media.

But Durham police say the officers involved were following protocol.

They were trying to arrest the teen on May 15 at around 3:30 p.m. while he was walking with his friends in the Taunton and Thickson roads area.

Police say they had earlier received a call about a distraught male possibly armed with a knife and say when the officers arrived they found a teen with existing cuts to his hand.

The boy was eventually taken into custody and according to investigators was not injured.

The Durham police statement also says a copy of the video and the officer’s use of force report will be forwarded to the training branch and the professional standards unit for review.

Watch the full video below.