Logo for the Wausau Police Department. Image courtesy: Wausau PD/Facebook
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) — Wausau Police Chief Matthew Barnes is defending his officers’ actions after a social media video showing the arrest of several teenage girls sparked online criticism.
The chief said the video circulating online shows only a few minutes of what was actually a 90-minute incident involving 11 teenagers, who he said were intoxicated. Barnes said some of the teens were disrespectful, argumentative, vulgar, physically resisted arrest and assaulted an officer.
“The Wausau Police officers acted appropriately, within policy, and according to their training,” Barnes said.
Barnes said officers made numerous attempts to de-escalate the situation and gave the group multiple opportunities to cooperate and avoid additional consequences. He said officers seek voluntary compliance whenever they can and don’t want to use force.
The chief said he reviewed the officers’ body camera footage in its entirety and supports their actions. He said the department has no intention of publicly shaming the teenagers or sharing video of their behavior.
“Our officers are increasingly asked to handle volatile situations with uncooperative citizens, and they do so with integrity, professionalism, and a desire to serve the Wausau community,” Barnes said.
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