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Columbus Officer 'Relieved Of Duty' For Choking Comments During Arrest

Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs said an officer has been taken off patrol duties for "inappropriate and unprofessional comments" following the arrest of Timothy Davis.

"I am appalled by the statements made by this officer," Jacobs said in a statement posted to Columbus Police social media accounts. "They are not consistent with the training of our officers."

Columbus Police identified the officer as Joseph Bogard.

In one part of the body camera footage, Bogard asks, "What did we tase him for? Why don't we choke the f— life out of him?"

"There's no, okay, I'm going to arm bar you to the ground," Bogard later tells another officer. "No, I'm going to for real arm bar you, and when that still doesn't work, I'm going to choke the life out of you. And then while you're drooling on yourself, I'll handcuff you."

Jacobs said the comments were heard during a review of body camera footage from the Davis incident, though it does not appear like Bogard was himself involved in the arrest.

A statement from Mayor Andrew Ginther says he is "incredibly bothered by the words of the officer in question," and says he supports Jacobs' decision to remove him from duty. Columbus City Council released a statement as well, saying the comments are in "direct conflict with our community's values and the policies, training, regulations and core values of the Columbus Division of Police."

Warning: the below video contains graphic language. Courtesy of 10TV.

Bogard's badge and weapon have been taken while Internal Affairs investigates the incident, Jacobs says, "until whether we know or not those comments reflect the type of behavior that he exhibits out there on the streets towards our citizens."

Davis was arrested September 1 inside a Columbus convenience store, as several officers attempted to execute a warrant alleging he assaulted an officer last year. Video shows several officers punching and kicking Davis while yelling profanities.

In a statement posted late on Tuesday night, Chief Kim Jacobs said the arrest became the subject of a separate internal investigation after the department received a citizen complaint.

"An investigation of this nature with the number of officers involved is expected to take several weeks before the review of the evidence begins by the involved officers' superiors," Jacbos wrote.

At a Monday meeting of Columbus City Council, The People's Justice Project called for the firing of officers involved in Davis' arrest.

"I have no confidence and my community has no confidence in Chief Kim Jacobs and her police," said lead organizer Tammy Fournier Alsaada.

Warning: the below video contains graphic language and nudity. 

 

Updated: September 14 at 11:52 a.m.

Gabe Rosenberg joined WOSU in October 2016. As digital news editor, Gabe reports breaking news and edits all content for the WOSU website, as well as manages the station's social media accounts.
Adora Namigadde was a reporter for 89.7 NPR News. She joined WOSU News in February 2017. A Michigan native, she graduated from Wayne State University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in French.
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