The New Jersey Chapter of the
Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling for the police officers who
responded to the
fight between two teens at the Bridgewater Commons Mall be removed from the police
department while the incident is investigated.
They say, “the incident is outrageous. The disparate
treatment the two teens received by the police officers highlights the blatant
racism, that continues to clout the judgment of so many in law enforcement. We
welcome the internal affairs investigation led by the Somerset County
Prosecutor's Office and hope appropriate disciplinary action is taken against
the officers. There must be zero tolerance for such inappropriate
behavior."
An
investigation is underway into how the two police officers handled the fight
that was caught on camera.
The video,
which has gone viral, appears to show the officers treating two teenagers very
differently following a confrontation, leading some to claim racial bias in
policing.
The video
posted online appears to show two younger teens in an argument that then turns
physical. One of the teens is Black, and the other has lighter skin, and is
believed to be Latino. They are seen arguing, pointing fingers, pushing and
then punching each other.
Two police
officers rush in and break up the fight. The lighter skin teen is pulled off
the Black teen and allowed to sit on a nearby couch.
The
officers then appear to force the Black teen face down on the ground and cuff
him behind his back. One officer even appears to place her knee on the teen's
neck.
The lighter
skin teen is never put in handcuffs, even though at one point he appears to
think he might be.
Both teens
were not seriously injured.
The mayor's
office and the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office are promising a thorough investigation.