The Green Bay police department held a news conference to address an arrest video that was recorded on camera, and seen on Facebook more than 100,000 times by Thursday evening.
The video was taken by a neighbor as 30-year veteran officer David VanErem tried to take suspect , 23-year-old Jesus Ramos-Sanchez into custody.
Witnesses are shown saying that Sanchez had a broken collar bone and was in pain as VanErem put him into handcuffs. The video also shows the two arguing.
The police department says the incident started shortly before 5:00 PM as the officer tried to pull over the individual along the 900 block of Lime Kiln Rd., in Green Bay, for going 46 miles per hour in a residential neighborhood with a speed limit of 25.
In a news conference, Green Bay Police chief Andrew Smith said the officer acted appropriately in making the arrest despite the crowd that had gathered at the scene. Smith says he understands the frustration within the Hispanic community and offered to meet with them to discuss the arrest.
Chief Smith also says the cell phone video starts after VanErem tried to pull Sanchez over, who allegedly instead drover further, into his driveway, which police add is "not a safe zone."
Within the first 30 seconds of the amateur video, VanErem already has Sanchez in handcuffs, against his car.
Just a minute and a half in, VanErem is seen pushing Sanchez's father back after he puts his hand on his son.
Tonight, some who have viewed the video are asking why it had to get so physical.
"He was handcuffing him hard, and then the man started hollering, and squirming around," says Julianne Reynolds, who viewed the video in earlier Thursday morning, "which you would do, too, if you were in pain."
Three minutes in, and Sanchez collapses to the ground, hollering, as VanErem struggles to keep him still.
"You can hear him in pain," says Reynolds, "and nobody would do anything for him."
But Green Bay Police Chief Andrew Smith is adamant after reviewing the reports, and officer cameras, that "I saw nothing in this video that would lead me to believe that there was any excessive force whatsoever."
Smith insists that, during what should have been a routine speeding violation, Sanchez started resisting, which made VanErem's actions appropriate as an angry crowd grew. Smith says VanErem was unable to pat Sanchez down for weapons, which made him anxious as the suspect continued to resist and allegedly fall to his knees.
"Again, this could've been over in 10 minutes. This could've been over with a simple citation," says Smith, "but the individual chose to escalate it, and that's why he ended up in jail for resisting."
Others disagree.
"I saw no resistance at all," says Reynolds.
Sanchez was taken into custody was charged with speeding, resisting arrest and released from jail on a $300 bond.
Watch the Facebook Live news conference from the Green Bay Police Department
