Schenectady police have identified the officer involved in a highly-criticized arrest caught on camera Monday morning.
Patrolman Brian Pommer, a seven-year veteran of the department, is "assigned to desk duty during the review process" of the arrest of Yugeshwar Gaindarpersaud, according to police. Gaindarpersaud was detained by police after he was suspected in a tire slashing on Brandywine Avenue on Monday.
Police released initial information on the incident Tuesday, which prompted criticism due to video surfacing of Pommer's knee on Gaindarpersaud's neck during the arrest. Documents say he led police on a foot chase and “was taken into custody after a brief struggle on the ground.”
More footage of the arrest began to circulate on social media later Tuesday, and police released body camera footage of the arrest to the media Wednesday.
Police say the footage was reviewed Wednesday afternoon by "Mayor Gary McCarthy, Chief Eric Clifford, Schenectady Police Department command staff, leadership of the Schenectady NAACP, a member of the Civilian Police Review Board, Schenectady City Council members and several community leaders." McCarthy, seen at police headquarters multiple times Wednesday, tweeted that he ordered a full review of the incident.