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The event, which took place around 4 p.m., Monday, March 11, in the area of Church Street and Hammersley Avenue, ended with the arrest of two juveniles and has resulted in claims from a mother that a City of Poughkeepsie officer used excessive force.
The 17-second video shows a City of Poughkeepsie police officer throwing 15-year-old Jamela Barnett to the ground. Her mother is questioning the use of force by the officer.
At the end of the incident Barnett and her 12-year-old sister, Julissa Dawkins, were arrested and charged with obstructing governmental administration. Dawkins also faces being charged with resisting arrest.
Since the incident took place, the department said it has also obtained from a member of the community a new video taken approximately 15 to 20 minutes prior to the Monday, March 11, incident.
"It is believed that this incident is the precursor to the police response at Hammersley Avenue and Church Street," the department said in a release. "The Police Department is attempting to identify the victim and aggressors in this incident."
The department said there are multiple witnesses to this incident as it was during school dismissal and two blocks from the high school.
"This violent, tumultuous act occurred at the intersection of South White Street and Fox Terrace," they said. "At this time the Police Department has not had any victim of this violent assault come forward to report the incident."
Mayor Rob Rolison said the two juveniles were arrested for interfering with the police effort to break-up the fight that targeted 17-year-old Jahnya Webb.
The new video shared in a news release shows a young man throwing a teen in an orange shirt on the ground, and then numerous people hitting and attacking her. On the video, you can also hear someone shouting “hit her” and “as you should.”
“The review of the incident is progressing in a timely but deliberate manner, and I am receiving frequent updates from Police Chief (Thomas) Pape and our City Administrator," the mayor said. "Additional video, as well as written witness statements and facts uncovered from a number of eye-witnesses, have advanced our understanding of the situation. At this time, we are waiting for more information in this developing investigation, so that we may make a fair and reasonable judgment as to what actually occurred.”
The police department said they appreciate the public’s patience during the investigation of the incident and are asking the community’s continued assistance in providing any information available to the City of Poughkeepsie Police Detective Division at 845-451-4142.
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