Following a traffic stop that escalated into a use of force incident on June 29 in Woodstock, a police officer has been relieved of his duties. Officer Justin Davis, with the Woodstock Police Department, was fired after an internal investigation concluded he used excessive force during the arrest of Jasmine Taylor. As detailed by FOX 5 Atlanta, the department started to scrutinize the arrest the day after the incident and upon reviewing the body camera footage, they found Davis had infringed multiple department policies.
Chief of Police Robert Jones emphasized the department’s commitment to maintaining the community’s trust, stating, “The trust of our community is built on accountability and transparency.” He added that it is critical “to earning and keeping the trust of our community” to assert responsibility whenever standards are breached, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. The incident occurred on Main Street and involved Taylor being pulled over for speeding. She was reportedly trying to assist her girlfriend, who was experiencing a diabetic episode. Davis, employed with the Woodstock PD since September 2022, had recently completed use-of-force and de-escalation training last November, according to his Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) record.
Taylor’s encounter with the police quickly became contentious. She recalled to 11Alive that after being asked to exit her vehicle, things escalated when Davis forcibly unlocked her car door and demanded she get out. “I said, why is he being so aggressive? I’ve never been arrested. I’m a military veteran and have a clean background,” Taylor told 11Alive. The situation culminated in Davis allegedly pushing Taylor to the ground, resulting in her ingesting dirt and chipping a tooth while she screamed that she was unable to breathe…