Chokehold inquiry costs officer’s job

CAMDEN — A Camden police officer accused of using a chokehold on a high school student Monday is no longer on the force, according to a news release Thursday from the Police Department.

Officer Jake Perry was placed on leave Monday after Police Chief Boyd Woody reviewed a video that showed Perry appearing to choke a Camden Fairview High School student, lifting him off the ground, while attempting to detain the student.

Perry was a school resource officer assigned to the school, according to the release. Woody said previously that Perry had been with the Police Department for two or three years.

“After the findings of the investigation, it was determined that Jake Perry did violate department policy and he is no longer employed with the Camden Police Department,” the news release said.

The incident also has prompted a review of the department’s training, policies and assignments, according to the release.

Camden Fairview Superintendent Fred Lilly said Perry was responding to an altercation between two students, but said there was never any physical violence between them.

Lilly told the Camden News that he reviewed footage from the school’s security cameras. He said the students were not fighting but “were trying to get to that point,” and that Perry was standing about 10 feet away before getting involved. Students pulled one student away while Perry pulled away the other, and things “escalated from there,” the superintendent said.

Woody told the newspaper he was not aware of any charges filed by the student’s family.

“I hate that this incident occurred,” Woody told the newspaper. “I hope that we can bring this community back, and unite this community back together and start the healing process.”