Rumor Dispelled: Social Media Video Shows Old Incident In Heights

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — Video of a confrontation between Cleveland Heights police and an unidentified man has been circulating on social media, with some saying it was captured during this weekend's protests. Police Chief Annette Mecklenburg said the video is actually from several months ago.

The video comes from an incident at Marc's on Coventry. Cleveland Heights police confronted a man there who looked like a suspect wanted in connection with a shots-fired call. Officers stopped the man but were unsure if the man matched the suspect's description.

"The situation became tense when officers asked the man for his identification while continuing to look at other surveillance photos to determine if the man was the suspect. The man attempted to leave before officers could complete their investigation. As officers attempted to stop the man, a struggled ensued," Mecklenburg said. She noted that this incident, and similar incidents, are thoroughly investigated in Cleveland Heights.

After a Use of Force review, officers involved in this incident were sent to receive additional training and one officer received a reprimand for not wearing a body camera. "Improper use of force is something we will not tolerate in Cleveland Heights," Mecklenburg said.

Mecklenburg said Cleveland Heights police regularly participate in cultural and diversity training. Officers receive instruction on de-escalation techniques and must adhere to the department's use of force policy.

Every Cleveland Heights police officer must annually receive use of force training. All use of force incidents are reviewed to ensure officers followed proper protocols. Officers must wear body cameras and have them on for all citizen encounters.

"We also demonstrate this commitment through the Cleveland Heights police department's community outreach programs, transparency, and communication efforts," Mecklenburg said.

Over the weekend, protests and violent unrest swept through parts of Cleveland and Columbus as demonstrations against George Floyd's death in Minneapolis took place.