Rochester suspends officers on scene for pepper-spraying of girl
ROCHESTER, N. Y. —Officers involved in a Friday incident that resulted in a 9- year-old girl being pepper- sprayed in her face by police have been suspended, Rochester Director of Communications Justin Roj announced Monday afternoon.
The suspensions are effective immediately and will continue, at a minimum, until the completion of an internal review. The officers are suspended with full pay as per state civil service law.
City officials did not immediately release names of the officers suspended, nor the total number of officers suspended.
A total of nine officers attended the scene.
Police released two bodycam videos Sunday that showed officers res training ad istraught 9-year-old girl who was handcuffed and pepper sprayed when she disobeyed commands.
In the videos, the girl repeatedly and frantically screams for her father as officers try to restrain her after responding to a call over “family trouble” Friday afternoon.
The release said the decision to suspend the officers was made after Mayor Lovely Warren met with the interim RPD acting chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan.
“What happened Friday was simply horrible, and has rightly outraged, all of our community,” said Mayor Warren.
“Unfortunately, state law and union contract prevents me from taking more immediate and serious action ,” the mayor said. “I will lead the charge that these laws be changed as part of our response to the Governor's Executive Order 203. And, we will be asking our state legislators to join me, and make numerous changes in Civil Service Law that would allow cities to more quickly issue discipline in cases like this one.”