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Atlanta police suspend sergeant for kicking handcuffed woman in head

Atlanta Police
Posted at 4:48 PM, Jul 27, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-27 18:48:11-04

The Atlanta Police Department said it had suspended a police sergeant without pay after a viral video showed him kicking a woman who was handcuffed in the head.

In a statement, the department said Chief Rodney Bryant and commanders became aware of the video on Monday.

The Washington Post reported that the video, which was posted on Instagram, of the woman lying face down on the ground handcuffed with her hands behind her back. The six-second video then showed the woman lifting her head up and then the unnamed sergeant kicking her in the head.

"Upon reviewing the video, the actions of the sergeant appear to be unacceptable, and we are also concerned with the apparent lack of reaction from another officer present during the incident," the department said.

The department said the sergeant and the other officer were relieved from duty, with the sergeant placed on unpaid suspension and the officer placed on administrative assignment.

The department added that Chief Bryant would "monitor the progress of this expedited investigation and review the findings to determine the proper course of action."