"Policing can be a difficult job, even under the best of circumstances. When an individual chooses to resist arrest, it can be even more difficult, unappealing and sometimes ugly. The Atlanta Police Department is committed to policing in a fair and equitable manner. When incidents such as these are brought to our attention, we have an obligation to review whether the use of force was reasonable by taking numerous factors into consideration. In this case, I believe the manner in which the incident unfolded was avoidable, as the officer was not alone and had appropriate backup, allowing him to take a different approach to the arrest. That being said, having served as a street-level cop, I know from experience that mistakes are made when split second decisions are made. The officer has accepted responsibility for his actions, and will receive a 20-day suspension. Further, the department will examine the practices of the unit as a whole, and ensure that adequate supervision is in place. Additional training will be required of all officers assigned to the zones who work in a plain clothes capacity to ensure that we are operating in a defensible space."