Police under increased scrutiny as social media users continually question use of force tactics

El Paso Police officers came under increased scrutiny this week after two videos involving police officers went viral on social media.

On July 5, 2018, a video showing El Paso Police officer pulling his service weapon on a group of belligerent juveniles went viral on social media, garnering more than 7-million views. The officer is on desk duty while the Internal Affairs Department investigates.

On July 11, 2018, an El Paso woman posted a Facebook live video showing another police officer arresting a woman outside a 7-Eleven. The officer is seen asking the woman to calm down, but the woman resists, screams and cries. Eventually, more officers arrived at the scene and took the woman into custody. 35-year-old Virginia Gonzalez was charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest. Police say she struck the officer in the face.

After that video was posted, local social media users questioned the officer’s use of force. The department has already come out and said the officer’s actions were necessary.

In a news release, police spokesman Darrel Petry said, “The El Paso Police Department is aware that a video of this incident was placed on social media. At this time, it appears that the officer used the necessary force to effect the arrest.”

EPISD Trustee Al Velarde, a retired police sergeant with more than 20 years experience, told ABC-7 social media can create tension between police and the community. “They get posted on social media and people start developing opinions based on small snippets of video that they see. And they don’t see the entire interaction,” Velarde said.

Velarde said officers are trained to expect anything they do can be filmed and scrutinized. “There can always be a camera on them. It does make it more difficult, especially when it comes to the public perception of police, especially with social media. These recording of any kind of incident that occurs with a police officer – violence never looks good,” he said.

Ernest Wade, an instructor with the EPCC Law Enforcement Training Academy, told ABC-7 officers need to be aware of what’s going on around them. “We just tell the officers be to communicate with the people in an effective manner so they know what to do, and what not to do, and focus on what you have to do,” Wade said.

Velarde and Wade chose not to comment on whether the officer from the July 5th incident was right to pull out his gun because the full story surrounding the incident is unclear.

“We must hold officers accountable – no doubt – for their actions, but I think people need to be held accountable too, for the confrontations when they get involved with the police,” Velarde said.