The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating a Chicago police officer who repeatedly struck a teen with a pair of handcuffs last week at the Roosevelt Red Line station after cellphone video of the incident was made public.
About 6:50 p.m. Nov. 25, officers tried to detain a 16-year-old boy matching the description of a robbery subject as he waited for a train at the station, 1167 S. State St., according to Chicago police. When he threatened the officers, clenched his fists and started flailing his arms, the officers performed a “take down” on the boy.
The boy was arrested and later released without being charged after officers failed to get statements from the victims of the alleged robbery, police said.
A police spokeswoman said in a statement that COPA was now investigating the officer.
“This was an incident where an individual was resisting arrest,” the statement said. “A use of force investigation has been opened into the Officers’ actions by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) to establish if policies were violated and CPD will fully cooperate with COPAs investigation.”
Ephraim Eaddy, a COPA spokesman, confirmed the agency was investigating the use of force.
