Video of tasing and arrest of Milwaukee Bucks player Sterling Brown to be released soon, sources say

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett expressed concerns Monday about the actions of Milwaukee police in the arrest and tasing of Bucks rookie Sterling Brown.

His comments came as the Police Department braces for a backlash when it releases the video of Brown's arrest.

Brown did not appear combative or threatening when officers questioned him about a parking violation in January, according to two sources who have watched the video. The sources asked that their names not be used because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about it.

Barrett did not go into detail about the video, which could be made public as soon as Wednesday, but he repeatedly said he had concerns about the actions of police personnel seen on the video. He said Police Chief Alfonso Morales had a similar reaction.

"I'm going to let the release of that speak for itself, but yes, I definitely have concerns after watching that video," Barrett said at a news conference.

Police officials have been preparing community leaders for the release of the body-camera footage by showing it to selected local officials, including a closed session of a Common Council committee. Bucks officials have reportedly watched the video as well. A Bucks spokesman declined to discuss the matter Monday.

"This could be bad," said one source who watched the video. "The player doesn't appear to be provocative at all."

Brown's arrest did not result in criminal charges against the NBA guard and prompted an internal investigation on the police response, including the role of supervisors.

As of Monday, the internal affairs investigation was still listed as open and the Police Department has not said if any of the officers involved are facing discipline. A department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to requests for more information.

Assistant Police Chief Michael Brunson Sr. referred to the Brown video in a speech at a Milwaukee church Sunday during the city's Ceasefire Sabbath.

"There's going to be a video that's going to come out soon, in the next couple of weeks, involving the department, and I'm going to honest with you, we're going to need your support during the challenges," he said, according to video posted on WITI-TV.

The incident with Brown began about 2 a.m. Jan. 26 when officers doing a business check at the Walgreens near West National Avenue and South 26th Street saw a vehicle parked across two handicap spaces, according to Milwaukee police.

In its initial statement, Milwaukee police said officers spoke with a 22-year-old man about the situation and "an electronic control device was deployed" during the encounter.

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Brown had been arrested on a possible misdemeanor charge of resisting or obstructing an officer, but after an internal review that included viewing body camera footage, police officials decided not to refer him to prosecutors.

He was cited for a parking violation, a police spokesman said at the time.

Brown played in a game later that day and had bruises and marks on his face. He told reporters then it was a "personal issue" and declined to discuss it further.

The Bucks signed Brown, a 6-foot-6 guard out of Southern Methodist University, last summer in a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers after that team had drafted Brown with the 46th overall pick.

Use of Tasers

Although the Milwaukee Police Department's use of firearms has dramatically declined in recent years, there has been a rise in the use of Tasers.

After Tasers usage declined for several years, it dramatically increased in 2016 from 65 incidents to 169 — a 160% increase in one year.

It then declined to 128 incidents in 2017, according to the department's annual use-of-force report.

In 2017, police officers fired their service guns at people five times — hitting three people and killing two of them. In the other two instances, officers missed. Milwaukee police also fired their guns at dogs four times.

When the force report was presented to the city's Fire and Police Commission, the board's chairman noted the rising use of Tasers.

"We saw there was an over-reliance on Tasers, so people stopped using their firearm but started using Tasers," Chairman Steven DeVougas said last week.

"Hopefully, we keep de-escalating force and only using force as a last resort to maintain control and protect the safety of citizens and the officers themselves," DeVougas said.

Once heralded as “nonlethal,” Tasers are now marketed as “less-lethal” — meaning they are less likely to result in death than guns.

The devices have been used by thousands of law enforcement agencies since the early 2000s. The Milwaukee Police Department first began using Tasers in 2004.

Tasers are designed to produce a low-level shock that temporarily immobilizes someone, making it easier to apply handcuffs.

When an officer pulls the trigger, two wires with probes on the ends are released and become embedded in the person’s body. Each trigger pull results in a 5-second burst of electricity and holding down the trigger results in a continuous flow of electricity.

A training guide disseminated by Wisconsin's Law Enforcement Standards Board states that electronic control devices should be used primarily if someone is actively resisting.

Viral, violent arrest

A Taser also played a role in another recent high-profile use of force by Milwaukee police.

In early May, the violent arrest of a man who Milwaukee police say was suffering a mental health episode sent the man and four officers to the hospital — and has prompted an internal affairs investigation.

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A portion of body camera video released by Milwaukee police showed officers encountering 25-year-old Demetrious Lowe, who then ignored officers' orders and punched officers multiple times. Police later said he appeared to be in the middle of a mental health episode.

Witness video circulated widely on social media showing a swarm of officers punching and kicking Lowe once he was on the ground. At one point, police appeared to use a Taser on him.

Lowe was charged with three felony battery counts. One officer involved in the arrest was suspended and three others were placed on administrative duty during the ongoing internal investigation.

The police union has said in that case, a district supervisor had made the decision to lock down the Tasers as a punishment for officers not returning Taser holsters. In the body camera video, first responding officers can be heard asking dispatchers to send someone with the device.

The Milwaukee Police Department has not responded to questions about the availability of Tasers and the union's assertions in that case.

James Nelson of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.