What started as a traffic stop over a license plate violation, a part-time police officer decided to go all "Dirty Harry" with a family at gunpoint, and it was all caught on video.

Officer Eric Hart works as part-time transport officer for the Washington Township P.D. in Toledo Ohio. He pulled mom of two Cassandra Meyers over for a license plate issue. Her father-in-law, Aaron Tatkowski, happened along in his pick-up truck with his girlfriend and Meyers two young children. When he voiced his opinion of how he did not appreciate the way the officer was treating his daughter-in-law. Tatkowski was ordered to return to his truck and he did, but was later pulled from his truck, hand-cuffed and thrown to the ground. Then Meyers was cuffed and according to witnesses, thrown to the roadway as well as her brother, Tatkowski's 14-year-old son.

Out of concern for his two infant granddaughters and girlfriend in the truck, you can hear Tatkowski yelling for neighbors to record the incident, and to call 911. One witness does call 911, and the officer is seen in the video taking the man's cell phone, and throws it.

Hart’s official report and the response from Washington Township Police says,

Because the ‘suspects’ in this case were disobeying direct orders, the use of force and unholstering of weapons (at one point a taser also made an appearance) was justified."

Although, since the video has gone viral, the Chiefs of Police in Toledo Ohio have placed officer Hart who has worked for the Police Department for two years, on administrative leave. Also since the video has been shared, Officer Hart has been placed on administrative leave at his other job as a resource officer for the Toledo Public School District where he has been employed for 20 months.

Tatkowski was charged with misconduct at an emergency, obstructing official business, and resisting arrest. He was arraigned Monday in Toledo Municipal Court, pleaded not guilty, and was released from the Lucas County jail on his own recognizance. His daughter-in-law was arrested and booked into the Lucas County jail Sunday night for obstructing official business, tampering with evidence, fictitious plates, and a tax payment warrant.

Bystanders recorded the incident... (warning: video contains foul language.)

What do you think? Is this police brutality, a case of corruption of power, or was the police officer justified in his actions and behavior?

More on the story...

Washington Township Police Department
Chief of Police - Christopher Kaiser
 419-726-0478

 

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