An El Paso police officer acted within department policies and did not use excessive force when he punched a woman in the face, Police Chief Peter Pacillas said.
Pacillas held a news conference at 10:30 a.m., at the El Paso Police Department headquarters, 911 N. Raynor St., to discuss the arrest.
“They (officers) overheard an argument inside the house (and) feared that that was going to escalate into another domestic incident,” Pacillas said. “The officers went ahead and executed the warrants. The officers acted within the law and policy of the El Paso Police Department. That’s what I expect my officers to do.”
The arrest warrant was for Kelcee Renee Hufford, 28, who was wanted on suspicion of assault causing bodily injury involving family violence. Hufford is the woman seen being punched by the officer.
When he first saw the video, Pacillas said his officers “acted appropriately.”
“That my officers are effecting an arrest in a use-of-force incident and I support my officers,” he said. “They have the responsibility and they have been given the authority by the state of Texas and police policy to effect arrest. If somebody resists the arrest, then the officers have to counter that resistance with force.”
Pacillas did not name the officer involved. The officer is identified only as A. Tavera in the criminal complaint and is heard identifying himself in the video.
Officers’ body camera videos will not be immediately released because the criminal case against Hufford remains pending, Pacillas said.
Hufford is facing one count each of assault causing bodily injury involving family violence and resisting arrest, search or transport.
Pacillas: ‘I support the actions of what the officers had to do’
The department’s Internal Affairs investigated the incident. The investigation was presented to the department’s Discipline Review Board, which found that Tavera followed police policy, Pacillas said.
The Discipline Review Board is made up of six El Paso community members and six El Paso Police Department members.
Pacillas said he has not addressed the incident with any of his officers. He added the department is “continuously training our officers throughout the year” on when use of force is allowed.
“I haven’t spoken to my officers on that,” Pacillas said. “My officers know the policy and where I stand, that I expect them to protect the public and individuals who have been assaulted. By law, we have to make sure that violent individuals who have a warrant for their arrest get arrested.”
Pacillas will not turn the investigation of the officer’s actions over to the El Paso District Attorney’s Office.
“The officer’s punch was use of force that is in policy,” Pacillas said. “There’s no reason for it to go any further.”
He added, “It was in policy, and I support the actions of what the officers had to do. The decision that the officers had to use force was a reaction into the individual resisting arrest.”
The El Paso Times reached out to the El Paso District Attorney’s Office on whether they will conduct an independent investigation. District Attorney’s Office officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Viral video shows violent confrontation
A video on social media shows Tavera punching Hufford with a closed fist in the face as officers were executing an arrest warrant for an assault causing bodily injury involving a family violence charge.
The arrest warrant was executed on April 1 at a house in the 600 block of East Rio Grande Avenue in Central El Paso.
The video shows a chaotic scene with several officers attempting to arrest Hufford. She resists arrest as two officers, including Tavera, attempt to handcuff her while she’s pinned to the floor. Tavera punches Hufford in the face.
Hufford continues to struggle but officers eventually place her in handcuffs. Hufford is dragged out of the house and placed in a police patrol unit.
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso officer did not use excessive force when he punched woman, chief says
Reporting by Aaron Martinez, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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