Green Bay Police Chief Andrew Smith has ordered an internal investigation after the release of a YouTube video. The video shows officers confronting a man who was videotaping in the lobby of the police station and outside of the building.
The video is more than 12 minutes long. It shows a man originally videotaping in the lobby. A GBPD Captain and Lieutenant speak with the individual asking the reason for recording. The man responded, “Just taking pictures”. The man leaves and then begins filming outside where he is detained by another lieutenant.
The man did not identify himself after several requests from officers. The video is posted on YouTube under the name, FoxValley CommunityWatch.
TODAY'S TMJ4 sister station, NBC26, reached out to the email address provided on the YouTube channel. When asked for permission to use the video, the person responded, “Please use the video. Help me to create a discussion that may resolve the fears police have of the community and the fears that the community have of the police so we can work together better.”
According to a Facebook post on the department’s page, Chief Smith said during the incident, a use of force occurred and some of that was on camera.
Chief Smith goes on to say after getting phone calls and emails from the public, he has ordered a formal internal investigation into the conduct of the involved department personnel.
“As Chief of Police, I will ensure that the complaint is investigated thoroughly and officers are held accountable for their actions. We will not have a rush to judgment, and I will not adjudicate this matter until all the facts are in and all the individuals involved have been interviewed. In addition, all department personnel will be receiving additional training to ensure incidents of this nature do not recur,” Chief Smith writes.
