Contact: Chief Tim Bellamy
Phone: (336) 373-2450 

Officers in Amateur Video of Arrest Acted Appropriately, Police Say

GREENSBORO, NC – (August 13, 2008) – Greensboro Police officers shown in an amateur video of a June 19 arrest in the Smith Homes community followed the Department’s use of force policy, using only the amount of force necessary to make the arrest, said Police Chief Tim Bellamy.

The video, which recently appeared on various websites, shows only a small portion of the incident during which officers arrested Charles A. Montgomery. Montgomery was subsequently charged with a number of criminal violations.

Officers who were patrolling Smith Homes responded to a 911 call of shots fired at approximately 4:11 pm. A few moments later, they observed three individuals nearby and began questioning them. When asked for identification, Montgomery allegedly attempted to flee. A struggle ensued between Montgomery and one of the officers, during which Montgomery allegedly produced a handgun. The other officer left the two remaining suspects to assist. During the struggle, the officer who was struggling with Montgomery sprayed him with pepper spray, which seemed to have no effect on the suspect. The assisting officer used pepper spray a second time, inadvertently exposing the first officer to the spray, causing him to temporarily lose vision.

Bellamy said the video picks up at approximately this point in the incident.

The video shows officers continuing to struggle with Montgomery, as a crowd gathers and another man even starts to move toward the officers. Montgomery does not comply with officers’ commands to drop to the ground, and officers employ techniques, such as strategically placed kicks, to immobilize the major muscle groups in the suspect’s legs. Another officer who assists near the end of the video uses his knee to accomplish the same goal when the suspect continues to struggle as officers are handcuffing him.

“This was a deadly force situation,” Bellamy said, “and our officers are trained to use any reasonable maneuver to bring such a situation under control and prevent the loss of life.”

Montgomery, who was uninjured, was placed under arrest within minutes and was transported to the Guilford County Jail. The officers’ supervisor was notified of the incident, and an administrative investigation concluded that the officers acted appropriately, following the Department’s use of force policy.

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