Springfield Police bodycam footage shows arrest involving use of force by officer on 19-year-old
By: -----
Springfield, IL - The Springfield Police Department said a traffic stop on a vehicle registered to a person with several felony warrants last week escalated into an officer using force to make an arrest.
Around 4:30 p.m. on March 27, Springfield Police officer J. Walter conducted a traffic stop, the department said in a news release shared with WCIA. The driver, identified by police as 19-year-old Promyss Davis of Springfield, exited the vehicle and began to walk away from Walter.
The police department said Walter caught up with Davis and told her she was being detained. After which, she reportedly gave him a false name. Davis fled when Walter attempted to secure her hands, and a struggle ensued.
“At one point the suspect shouted for help from a passing car and attempted to enlist multiple people to assist her in defeating the arrest. During the struggle, the suspect’s elbow pressed against Officer Walter’s bodycam, causing it to deactivate,” the department said in a news release.
The police department said another officer arrived shortly after, and the end of the struggle can be seen on that officer’s bodycam.
“Officer Walter followed his training and established policy in effecting this arrest. Officer Walter used the lowest level of force necessary to effect the arrest,” the police department said.
Davis was brought to Memorial Medical Center for a medical evaluation and then later booked into the Sangamon County Jail.
The Springfield Police Department said they, along with use of force trainers and experts, evaluated the use of force incident.
“While videos of police interactions with criminal suspects can sometimes be jarring to watch, the Springfield Police Department supports Officer Walter and all men and women of the Springfield Police Department who put their safety at risk every shift to make our community a safe place to live,” the police department said.
Walter had previously interacted with Davis on other calls for service, the department added in its news release. Davis is currently awaiting trial on several cases, including aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated battery to a peace officer and resisting a peace officer.