Columbia Police Interim Chief Jones issues statement on March 17 arrest video

(COLUMBIA, MO) - Columbia Police Department Interim Chief Geoff Jones issued the following statement regarding a video shared on social media of an arrest on Sunday, March 17 in downtown Columbia at approximately 2 a.m.

"We always strive to be as transparent as possible. We do not normally issue preliminary statements involving ongoing investigations, however, I felt it appropriate in this situation due to a large amount of community interest regarding the incident and subsequent arrest in which force was applied to a suspect in downtown Columbia on March 17. The short video clip of the incident distributed via social media does not show the entire interaction with the suspect, innocent bystanders and other officers. As a result, this video clip lacks context.

Each and every use of force is reviewed to make sure policy and tactics are followed to best protect the safety of everyone involved. In incidents where force is applied, CPD officers strive to ensure the safety of any involved hostages, innocent un-involved people, police officers and suspects. During the review, we will examine various forms of information, including body-worn-camera footage, reports, witness statements and any externally captured videos brought to our attention.

The Columbia Police Department is honored to protect and serve our community. It is my intent to respect the integrity of this investigation by allowing the process to conclude before I come to and/or release any formal findings. More information will be publicly released once the process is complete. I ask that the community and the media wait for more information before coming to any conclusions."

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to please contact the Columbia Police Department at 573.874.7652.