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SLO police officer on paid administrative leave during use-of force investigation

July 19, 2022

SLO police officer striking suspect

By KAREN VELIE

The San Luis Obispo police officer who hit a suspect in the head multiple times during an arrest on Sunday is on paid administrative leave while the department conducts an investigation, according to police.

Officers responding to a report of a man dancing and yelling on Froom Ranch Road attempted to arrest 29-year-old Justin O’Brien. The man resisted arrest and three officers pinned him face down on the road.

The suspect refused to let go of a set of handcuffs, and one officer struck O’Brien in the head multiple times.

The officer who threw the punches was injured during the arrest, according to Captain Brian Amoroso. The officer, whose name is not being released at this time, was treated at a hospital and released. It is unclear if he hurt his arm while striking O’Brien.

Officers transported O’Brien to a hospital prior to booking him in the SLO County Jail.

O’Brien is facing a felony charge of resisting arrest regarding the incident on Sunday. He is also being held on charges of being under the influence, petty theft, theft of personal property and resisting arrest, all misdemeanors that occurred in another county. O’Brien remains in jail in lieu of $665,000 bail.


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11 Comments
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Call’s for violence removed.


Stop it.


0

Dancing and yelling will always end in this type of response from law enforcement

The use of paid administrative leave is bullshit, these cops can be moved to a desk or the courthouse, not get a paid vacation.


-2

Agreed, there isnt paperwork to catch up or a highway construction site to sit at.


-1

The point of Admin leave, is to remove any influence upon the officer or Police Dept., whether through casual talk, or the intentional effort to introduce false testimony.


1

it’s obvious this individual has mental illness and law enforcement knew him. This being said can’t wait to see the body camera from law enforcement and see if this young mans disability and civil rights were violated. There was no weapons No vehicle no one was in danger


2

How could he throw the punches if there was 3 officers on suspect? Also 3 officers on top of the suspect and still couldn’t control him ?


-23

Controlling a restive subject is not like the movies, that is why they couldn’t control him. Putting someone into handcuffs who doesn’t want to go into handcuffs is not easy.


25

The review is a proper process, but from what the video shows, the force was proportionate and necessary and the suspect was safely apprehended. When police have to use violence to subdue, it can SAVE LIVES also. Everyone is alive, no serious injuries, success. Those who just hate the police and chose this as their vanity cause, don’t be offended when folks just scoff at you.


52

As a civil society we give power to the police. Our sovereignty is subject to a police officers discresion under this system. When a police office detrmines an arrest is warranted then society gives him the authority to detain that person. Once a resisting arrest event occurs then the officer has every right to self defense. In short, don’t resist arrest. I am far more concerned with whether this suspect was in need of arrest or not. If the arrest was warranted then the officer should not have to worry about punishment for subduing a suspect resisting arrest. I want to learn more about the arrest. If the suspect didn’t resist then the arrest would probably have gone smoothly. We cannot ‘handcuff’ our police when they try to handcuff our criminals.


68

remember the Pit Bull dog incident? I sure hope the same officer wasn’t involved in this incident


-30

I was thinking the same thing. It would not surprise me at all to find out you are correct.


-28