Providence Police, attorney general investigating after video captures officer smashing handcuffed man’s face into pavement

The Law enforcement Section introduced a police report created by Jennette late Tuesday night, right after an open up-records request from the Globe. Gencarella, who was witnessed on movie assaulting the handcuffed gentleman, went out on wounded-on-obligation leave Wednesday, a department spokeswoman confirmed. Jennette remained on responsibility, she claimed.

The incident started at around 9:30 p.m. Sunday as the officers were being clearing traffic from the place. A Providence male, later identified as 21-calendar year-outdated Armando Rivas, had left his Jeep Cherokee parked unattended in the journey lane, in accordance to the law enforcement report. So, Jennette determined to have the Jeep towed.

Rivas returned, swore at the lieutenant, and got into his vehicle, according to law enforcement. But Jennette instructed him he was less than arrest and took keep of Rivas’ left arm, in accordance to law enforcement.

The law enforcement reported that Rivas “flailed wildly, making an attempt to break totally free,” and Gencarella came managing to the scene and tried to restrain Rivas, who they said flailed, kicked, and punched at them.

Gencarella struck Rivas in the head, which surprised him plenty of for Jennette to handcuff Rivas right hand. Then, equally Rivas and Gencarella fell onto the floor, in accordance to the police.

A 51-second video received by GoLocalProv and shared on YouTube shows the supervisors battling with the person following to parked vehicles and driving the Jeep. Gencarella pulls the guy down on top rated of him, and as the person tries to get up, Jennette grabs his arms and brings him down on to his abdomen. Gencarella bends the man’s legs up, as Jennette handcuffs him.

Jeannette then picks up his law enforcement radio and seems to make a connect with, whilst holding his remaining hand on the man’s again. The person continues to be lying confront-down on the pavement as Gencarella reaches up and grabs the guy by the back again of the head, and then smashes his deal with down onto the floor.

There are audible screams on the grainy mobile-cell phone video.

In the report, Jennette wrote that Gencarella used a “palm heel strike” to the back of Rivas’ head. “This, blended with LT Jennette forcibly taking away Rivas’ left hand from his waistband was have to have to location [Rivas] into handcuffs,” Jennette wrote.

Even so, from the video clip, it seems that Rivas was previously handcuffed when Gencarella grabbed his head and smacked it down.

In the law enforcement report, the lieutenant mentioned that Rivas kept attempting to attain toward his waistline, wherever Gencarella later on discovered an “M Tech” 1.5 inch serrated knife clipped within the waistband. Rivas was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstructing an officer, and two counts of simple assault. His Jeep, which experienced a smashed passenger window and was unregistered, was towed away. Law enforcement said it matched the description of a automobile at a disturbance in the West Conclude.

A spokeswoman for the police section said Tuesday the Office of Expert Duty was investigating. The town explained Wednesday there was no physique digicam footage.

The lawyer general’s business office claimed that it had also joined the investigation. Spokesman Brian Hodge said the law enforcement division notified the workplace about the arrest and instances on Tuesday.

Two several years ago, Lawyer Basic Peter F. Neronha expanded the office’s potential to review the use of power by police in Rhode Island to involve fewer-than-fatal utilizes of force that consequence in critical bodily harm, and allegations of too much pressure.

Legislation enforcement agencies also report the use of fatal drive and in-custody fatalities to the attorney general’s office environment.

The Providence Law enforcement Office, like quite a few other folks, has a plan requiring officers to intervene when they observe one more officer employing too much power. The division also has education on how officers can use drive officers are properly trained to steer clear of the head and coronary heart, usually considered “red zones” for the reason that of the possibility of really serious damage or dying.

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Amanda Milkovits can be attained at [email protected]. Abide by her on Twitter @AmandaMilkovits.