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2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
SUBJECT: Reasonable use of force used in arrest of resisting subject
BY: Ingrid Hornibrook
NATURE OF INCIDENT: Arrest
CASE NO.:
INCIDENT DATE: 7/19/2019
INCIDENT TIME: 2:08 PM
INCIDENT LOCATION: 200 Block of 2nd Ave E
[DULUTH, MN] At 2:08 PM on 7/19/2019, officers responded to the report of an Unwanted Person, a 32 year old male at Tri Towers, located on the 200 Block of 2nd Ave E, who has a no-bail domestic warrant. Upon officers’ arrival, the individual fled on foot. Officers eventually detained him, at which point he resisted arrest. During the arrest, the suspect took an officer’s taser and pointed it at another officer's face. Using restraint and limited force, officers were able to cuff the suspect.
"This incident illustrates the inherent dangers of police work and how quickly the dynamics can change when a subject is resisting arrest, commented Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken.
"We train our officers to attempt to gain voluntary compliance through the use of effective communication skills to de-escalate an incident. Fortunately, these tactics are effective for the vast majority of our contacts.
"Sometimes these tactics are ineffective and police must respond to subject resistance by using reasonable and necessary use of force to safely effect an arrest and gain compliance.
"In use of force incidents, we conduct an administrative review to ensure officers' actions were reasonable and within policy, training and legislation.
"Based upon my preliminary review of the video, officers responded reasonably by using restraint in the face of a dynamic and escalating arrest of a resisting subject," said Chief Tusken
The suspect was taken to St. Louis County Jail for Disarming a Police Officer, Obstruction, 5th Degree Assault & Fleeing on Foot.
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