Body camera footage released by the Alpharetta Police Department shows the moment a detention officer with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office grabbed a detainee by the neck, resulting in her falling unconscious.
Monique Clark, 31, faces felony counts of aggravated assault and violation of oath by a public officer and a misdemeanor count of reckless conduct. Clark was fired soon after the June 5 incident.
Sheriff Pat Labat said Clark “willfully and intentionally (used) excessive and unnecessary force” during the custody transfer of a detainee in Alpharetta.
“The indefensible acts of this one officer do not reflect the mission of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office,” Labat said in a statement. “Being a detention officer is a difficult job but even under challenging circumstances there is absolutely no excuse for the behavior that led to this arrest.”
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
The incident took place when a woman, arrested by Alpharetta police, was being booked at the Fulton Count North Annex Jail in Alpharetta. According to an Alpharetta police report, the detainee was not cooperating and cursing at the officers.
As she was standing in front of a scan machine, which takes a mugshot and scans for weapons, Clark placed a right hand on the back of her neck and grabbed the front with the other hand before applying pressure, the video shows.
“Hey, I choke hold. I advise you to cooperate. Hold your face before you lose your breath. The choice is yours,” Clark can be heard saying while holding the detainee by her neck.
After Clark let go, the detainee fell down and was unconscious for a couple of seconds before standing with the help of an Alpharetta police officer, the footage shows. It also shows the detainee being attended at the nurse’s station before being taken to the hospital.
The incident was captured by Alpharetta officers’ body-worn cameras. Alpharetta Police Chief John Robinson said an internal affairs investigation determined the two Alpharetta officers at the scene did not violate any department policy.
“I think our officers reacted quite well, honestly. They ensured, number one, that we, our department, our agency, those officers knew that she needed immediate care,” Robinson said. “I believe they stepped in and acted appropriately and did a good job.”
Credit: Michael Blackshire
Credit: Michael Blackshire
The two Alpharetta officers were asked why they didn’t intervene, a case report said. One said said they thought Clark was holding the detainee’s face up for the machine. The other said it happened so fast, he didn’t have time to react. Both told internal affairs investigators they believed Clark had committed aggravated assault. According to the report, Clark told investigators the detainee’s head was being held up for the scan.
Robinson said one of the Alpharetta officers immediately called for an ambulance after the detainee fell and later contacted internal affairs. He did not have more information about the detainee’s condition.
Robinson said he reached out to Labat, who had investigators on the scene later that night, shortly after the incident. He said the criminal investigation is under the sheriff’s office jurisdiction so did not comment on it.
“I think it simply sends a message that this is a potentially serious incident that has to be adjudicated in a proper manner, Robinson said. “There is a process, there is innocent until found guilty but, also, there was an obvious concern regarding what was seen on video, therefore, our department and the sheriff’s department acted swiftly to ensure that the proper process was initiated quickly.”
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