ROCHESTER, N.Y. — ​ Rochester Police Locust Club President Michael Mazzeo defended the officer that used pepper spray on a 9-year-old girl Friday afternoon.

He explained that the officer was put in a tough situation because they were told the child was suicidal and threatened to hurt others. 

"I'm not proud at all," said Mazzeo. "There was a short blast of CAPSTUN. It worked. It calmed her down. It got her in and they were still trying to get information from her at that point. We're not saying that's the best answer."

Mazzeo added that same child was handcuffed by police in November and that led to no change in policy.

He pointed out that the city can't prove the officer violated any police policy, stating,"Our officers want answers. They want to be told what they can do differently. There's great that there is going to be other services in place, but in this situation they aren't even allowed to ask for those."

At her press conference on Sunday, Mayor Lovely Warren confirmed the city's recently launched Person In Crisis team, designed to provide mental health assistance, wouldn't have responded to the original call.

Daniele Lyman-Torres, commissioner of Rochester's Department of Recreation and Human Services, says they're working out on how the new team can work with police.

"That co-response protocol procedure is under development, but we have a set of causes that the PIC team is dispatched to in lieu of RPD at this time," said Lyman-Torres.

However, Mazzeo was unsure how the situation could have played out any differently.

"I don't know who could do any better job, but if two male PIC people, whatever they are, arrived, what would they do? How can they restrain. How can they stop her?" said Mazzeo.