Video shows Ocean City police use force on teens while trying to enforce ordinance on smoking and vaping

By Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN

Videos of police arresting people in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday while enforcing a smoking ordinance have highlighted the use-of-force techniques employed by the officers.

The videos, obtained by CNN and confirmed by Ocean City Police to show parts of the incident, show police arresting at least three individuals as a crowd of people gathers around.

CNN has not seen video of what happened at the beginning of the incident.

In one video, one of the people being arrested is held down by five officers as one officer can be heard saying something about resisting.

“I’m not resisting,” the teenager answers, face down on the boardwalk. As the teen asks officers why he’s being arrested, one of the officers begins to knee the individual in the side, while two of the other officers pull away. The officer eventually knees the man five times before officers appear to put the man in handcuffs.

The videos come as the US continues to grapple with police brutality and killings across the nation, prompting reformation in policing in several cities, and sparking protests calling for justice.

Vaping on boardwalk leads to arrests

The arrests began around 8:28 p.m. Saturday, when police on foot patrol in the area of 12th Street and the Boardwalk approached a large group of people vaping, in violation of a local ordinance which prohibits smoking or vaping “outside of the designated areas on the Boardwalk,” according to a statement from the town of Ocean City.

Officers approached the group and informed them about the no smoking ordinance but as people in the group started walking away, police say they saw someone in the group continue to vape, according to the statement from the town.

The officers then approached the teenager to again address the smoking violation and asked him to provide identification, which he refused to do, according to the town statement.

Police say Brian Anderson “became disorderly” as officers attempted to arrest him for refusing to provide his identification and for the smoking and vaping ordinance violation. He allegedly resisted arrest.

He was subsequently arrested and later charged with disorderly conduct, resist/interfere with arrest, assault second degree, and failure to provide proof of identity, according to the town of Ocean City.

During Anderson’s arrest, police say another teenager approached Ocean City Police officers while yelling profanities at authorities.

In an attempt to block Kamere Day from approaching Anderson, officers placed a marked police bike in front of the teenager but he continued to yell profanities and push toward police, according to the Ocean City statement.

Police charged Day with disorderly conduct, obstructing and hindering, failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order, resist/interfere with arrest, and assault second degree.

CNN is not naming the other teenagers who were arrested because it’s unclear which individuals in the video were charged with what offenses. Video shows that one of the teenagers who was arrested was also tased, but CNN was unable to identify that individual.

Other teens arrested in incident

Another teenager was arrested in the incident for pushing a public safety aide in the chest while yelling profanities, according the statement from Ocean City. He was charged with disorderly conduct, failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order, obstructing and hindering, assault second degree and resist/interfere with arrest.

Police also arrested another teenager for standing on private property next to two “no trespassing signs.” He was charged with trespassing on posted property and resist/interfere with arrest.

All individuals were seen by a Maryland District Court commissioner and released on their own personal recognizance, according to the statement from the town.

CNN has reached out to Worcester County State’s Attorney Office and Ocean City Police for comment on the incident. CNN has also reached out to all individuals involved in the incident for comment but has not yet heard back.

“Our officers are permitted to use force, per their training, to overcome exhibited resistance,” according to the statement from Ocean City.

“All uses of force go through a detailed review process. The uses of force from these arrests will go through a multi-level examination by the Assistant Patrol Commander, the Division Commander and then by the Office of Professional Standards.”