Iowa City Police release bodycam footage of Friday night arrest
Hunter
06/07/22
Iowa City Police have released bodycam footage of an arrest that has caused concern because of cellphone footage circulating on social media reportedly showing an officer striking a handcuffed woman in a squad car.
In a release from the department Monday, further details are provided on the arrest of 22-year-old Daria Brown. Camera footage shows officers encountering Brown hitting the windows of Pints on Clinton Street after she was denied entry due to her level of intoxication. While speaking with Brown, officers learned Brown had assaulted a bar employee. The bar declined to pursue charges.
Due to the level of intoxication and assaultive behavior, Brown was placed under arrest for public intoxication. Additional officers arrived on the scene. Brown reportedly was known from previous encounters to be combative, and was belligerent and resistant during the encounter. Efforts to verbally de-escalate Brown were unsuccessful.
Brown resisted multiple attempts to be placed in a squad car, kicking it several times, and was assaultive toward officers. An officer attempted to use chemical spray to gain compliance, but the device failed to discharge. While being forced into the squad car, Brown grabbed an officer’s Taser while handcuffed and ignored the officer’s commands to let go, putting herself and the officers at risk of harm. Due to Brown’s sustained assaultive behavior toward police and other subjects, an escalation of force was required to gain compliance. Camera footage shows Brown being struck multiple times in the upper back area by an officer until she let go of the Taser.
Brown continued to be assaultive toward Johnson County Jail deputies during the booking process, allegedly biting one in the leg.
Brown did not require any medical treatment at the time of her booking. The incident remains under review in accordance with the department’s use of force policy.
A link to the video can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhhWzAYVT4o
The Iowa City Police say no other footage will be released.