The Toledo Police Department is investigating the conduct of two police officers depicted in a viral video arguing profanely with several youths whom they apparently stopped along a city street.
“We are aware of the video circulating online involving officers interacting with what appear to be juveniles. The language heard in the video is difficult to listen to and does not reflect how this department expects officers to communicate with the public, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the encounter,” Police Chief Michael Troendle said in a statement his office released Friday morning. “An internal investigation is under way to fully review the incident and the officers’ conduct,” Chief Troendle said. “When officer conduct falls short of department expectations, it will be addressed appropriately.” The 51-second video was posted Thursday to a Facebook account created under the name Tenacious Resilience. It depicts officers arguing mainly with two girls, although a boy was also present, about why they were stopped along a street, but it devolves into profane comments directed toward the boy and the neighborhood as a whole.WARNING: The video below contains explicit language. Viewer discretion is advised.
The incident follows an April 10 conflict between patrol officers and several youths on a central Toledo street in which the officers stopped the youths for walking in the street and asked for their identification.
While most complied, a 15-year-old girl who refused to identify herself ended up in a scuffle with an officer who took her to the ground. Video of that incident prompted protests alleging police brutality.
On Monday, that same girl, Kaelynn Reynolds, was arrested and charged with delinquency for second-degree felonious assault after she allegedly fired a gunshot toward her mother’s feet during an argument…