Video Of Ridgewood Police Arresting Teen Sparks Outcry

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Video circulating on social media Sunday shows police arresting a teenager with a bicycle, and it's sparked an outcry from activists and at least one local official.

Some are saying the police used excessive force to drag the teen away from his bike, before taking him to the ground and handcuffing him.

On Wednesday, Police Chief Jacqueline Luthcke said both officers seen on video have been placed on administrative duty.

"We keep saying: 'not in our town...' 'not our police...' but living while black or brown is dangerous everywhere in America," said Glen Rock council member Arati Kreibich, in a tweet.

In the video, the 15-year-old from Sloatsburg, New York, can be seen speaking to a Ridgewood officer when a second uniformed officer comes from behind and grabs him by the neck and shoulder area before taking him to the ground.

The teenager can be heard on video asking that officers get off him, and signaling that it's causing discomfort to his stomach and arm.

On Monday, Ridgewood police released a statement on the arrest, saying the department reviews every use of force incident, and that the investigation is ongoing.

The department said the arrest came after police responded to a large group of bicyclists "obstructing traffic and causing safety hazards to passing motorists and to themselves."

"Patrol units stopped the group to speak with the group about bicycle safety and about the groups conduct. One bicyclist disregarded the safety of others and began to pass the Officer as the Officer was speaking with the group," read the news release.

According to the department, at this time the bicyclist was informed he would be issued a summons, and "began to pull his bicycle away from the Officer" in an attempt to flee, and resist arrest.

Ridgewood for Black Liberation, a local activist group, began circulating the video on Sunday evening, and put out a statement condemning what they saw.

"Ridgewood police used excessive and unacceptable use of force against a latinx minor today in RW. Officer grabbed his neck, pushed him to the ground," the group wrote.

"We are working with lawyers right now to ensure that this kind of disgusting display of force does not go unaddressed."

On Monday, founding member Emily Rizzo told Patch that the group will seek an investigation into the police department, and are calling for the officers to be fired.

The teenager was issued four summonses for motor vehicle violations, according to police. He was taken into police headquarters, but later released to his parents.

Ridgewood for Black Liberation co-founder Thria Barnabe was arrested during a July 4 protest when officers say she refused to move out of the street.

Video of the incident was spread widely on social media, and an online petition has been started by the group in an effort to get the charges dropped.

Bernabe's attorney, Gregory M. Jachts, penned a letter to Attorney General Gurbir Grewal in which he requested that the AG's Office open an investigation into unconstitutional policing by Ridgewood police.

"It is our contention that the arrest was unlawful and is an incident of unconstitutional policing," he wrote. "The face that this unlawful arrest was ordered by the police chief exemplifies the institutional authorization of unconstitutional policing."

A July 23 hearing was postponed, until late August or early September, the group said.

Rizzo said the arrest Sunday and the arrest on July 4 share similar traits of what she says is the police's approach to enforcing the law.

"They arrest first and talk later, that's what happened yesterday," said Rizzo.

Have a news tip or press release you’d like to submit? Need to request a correction? Email montana.samuels@patch.com

Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading, or by visiting the Google Play store.