Ë®¹ûÅÉAV

The video, which has been posted on Facebook and widely shared, shows the arrest of Chelci C. Love, 39, of Auburn.

The video begins with Love being restrained at the arms by two city police officers outside West Middle School Apartments, and not appearing to struggle. A third officer then strikes her in the head about five times as onlookers yell, "Stop hitting her!" At that point Love begins to struggle visibly, and is wrestled to the ground.

She is charged with the misdemeanors of endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest, and the violation of second-degree harassment.

At Thursday's meeting of Auburn City Council, several members of the community expressed outrage and concern about the video during the public comment period.

Melody Smith Johnson, owner of downtown coworking space Melody's, and the Rev. Paris Price, of the Harriet Tubman Memorial AME Zion Church, were the first to approach the podium. 

Smith Johnson read a statement from the Auburn/Cayuga Branch of the NAACP, whose executive committee includes her and Price. She noted that Wednesday's arrest took place in front of Love's child.

"Our hearts are heavy as we contemplate the psychological trauma they and those who witnessed this violence experienced," she said.

The video highlights the need to have police officers who can assess when mental health intervention is necessary at a scene, Smith Johnson said, "especially when there are no weapons present." 

She said the local NAACP branch calls for a "thorough, transparent (and) unbiased" investigation into the incident, and for the officers' body camera footage to be released. 

"It is essential that the community's trust in law enforcement be maintained and restored, and that justice is served in a manner that reflects fairness and respect for all individuals, regardless of race," Smith Johnson continued. "As we await the full details of the incident, we, the NAACP, urge the community to remain vigilant and united in our pursuit of justice." 

The Auburn Human Rights Commission released a statement with similar sentiments to Ë®¹ûÅÉAV, written by the Rev. Robert Wilson and Auburn City Councilor Rhoda Overstreet-Wilson:

"The HRC recognizes that the video recordings, of the arrest of a citizen, captured what decades of systemic racism people of color have experienced in this community by those sworn to protect and serve us. We acknowledge that much progress has been made in the past decade to strengthen relationships and build trust. However, the work is far from done. The community unrest that has taken over social media platforms is a demand for appropriate accountability to be given to those who were called to help, but rendered trauma as their contribution. The HRC will be working in coordination with the other social justice entities to ensure all rights have been honored and respected."

After Thursday's City Council meeting, Auburn Police Chief James Slayton told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV the department received a call at 10:22 a.m. Wednesday to assist Cayuga County Child Protective Services "regarding the removal of a child." He said the daytime mobile crisis team, staffed by the Cayuga County Community Mental Health Center, was at the scene.

Slayton said the department conducts welfare check calls, including Child Protective Services calls, on a daily basis. 

"We just have to take in account everyone's safety on an incident like that, including the child's," he said. "We used several de-escalation techniques." 

While the Facebook video of the arrest is a little more than a minute, Slayton said the body camera footage from the scene is about 80 minutes long.

Asked by Ë®¹ûÅÉAV about the appropriateness of the officer striking Love several times, he declined comment. 

"I'm not going to go off a minute (long) video," he said. "I've got to look at the reports, review all the body cam."

Slayton said several department administrators investigate use-of-force incidents as well. They will review the Facebook video, he continued, along with the paperwork and body camera footage. Because the investigation has just begun, he noted, no disciplinary action has currently been taken against any of the three officers in the video.

Asked about the speakers at Thursday's meeting, Slayton said, "Everybody has a right to be heard."

"Everybody has an opportunity to speak on what they believe they saw, what happened," he said. "That's what the public open forum is for."

Other speakers that evening were Janice Murray, who recorded the video, and Cherry Love-Duncan, a former Auburn mayoral candidate and a relative of Love.

"Justice, here in Auburn, it's a one-sided thing," Love-Duncan said.

"They have bad cops, they (have) good cops, they have prejudiced cops. You are not out there on the streets, among my people, to see what happens to them." 

After the last speaker during the public comment period, Auburn City Manager Jeff Dygert addressed the incident.

"It is our policy to fully investigate all matters that come before us, and we intend to do that. That will take some time, and I ask for everyone's patience and cooperation as we do that, so that we can look at all of the information that is there, and make a decision as far as next steps," he said. "We appreciate your concern and we respect your comments on this topic and we do take it very seriously." 

After the meeting, Love's cousin and godsister Candice Burton told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV she spoke with Love after her release Wednesday. She was distraught and nervous, Burton said. 

"(She's) frightened to even be outside, be in the public view," she continued. "She shouldn't have to walk around like that."