Use of Force Under Review After Towson Arrest: Police

The Baltimore County Police Department is reviewing an officer’s use of force in the arrest of a disorderly 19-year-old outside The Greene Turtle in Towson over the weekend, authorities report. Police Chief Jim Johnson reportedly said he was concerned about the officer’s use of a closed fist to punch the teen in the face several times.

Zachary Carson Blumenstein, 19, of the 8400 block Ellingson Drive in Chevy Chase, is charged with disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, failure to obey a lawful order, trespassing, and resisting and interfering with arrest on Saturday, Dec. 19, court records show.

A bystander posted a cell phone video on YouTube showing three officers trying to take Blumenstein into custody, including one who repeatedly punched the teen as he resisted arrest at approximately 2 a.m., according to police.

The arrest occurred approximately 40 minutes after an officer initially made contact with Blumenstein, police said.

At 1:20 a.m. an officer approached Blumenstein regarding a verbal disturbance in front of The Greene Turtle in the 400 block of York Road, where five civilian men were trying to restrain him, police reported.

When the officer ordered Blumenstein to leave the business, he continued yelling profanities and the five individuals moved Blumenstein, according to the report.

Officers next approached Blumenstein at 2 a.m. upon seeing him push a man into the 400 block of York Road, police reported.

When Blumenstein resisted arrest, the officer ordered him to stop resisting; and when Blumenstein still refused to stop resisting, another officer arrived and pepper spray was used, police said.

The Baltimore County Police Department is reviewing the arrest and use of force and issued the following statement:

“BCoPD takes the use of force seriously and will review this incident for compliance with use of force training, Chief Jim Johnson said. Use of force training requires officers to use the least amount of force needed to bring a situation under control and to escalate the use of force based on circumstances. Johnson said that while it appears that the officer did escalate the use of force as required by BCoPD policy, he is concerned about the officer’s use of a closed fist to strike the suspect several times. Johnson said he will look closely at the entire incident to evaluate this specific use of force. He said his initial reaction is that other techniques for achieving restraint and compliance could have been more effective at that moment in the altercation.”

In February 2014, a Baltimore County auxiliary officer’s conduct was also reviewed after he screamed at a videographer in the same part of York Road in Towson that he lost his constitutional right to free speech; later, police said the officer lost his arrest powers.

• Video Captures Baltimore County Police Threatening Videographer
• Baltimore County Officer Loses Arrest Powers After Threatening Student: Police

Still shot from YouTube video/Fight Street MMA.