PETERSBURG, Va. -- Two Petersburg Police officers were placed on paid administrative leave and are now the subjects of an internal investigation after their actions while off-duty outside a Petersburg bar were recorded and shared on social media.
A group of friends out on Friday night at a basement bar on Bollingbrook Street in Petersburg went outside when someone yelled to them that their friend was being detained.
"I saw him holding a friend of mine by his neck," witnesses Shavar Wade told CBS 6 senior reporter Wayne Covil.
The man doing the holding was an off-duty Petersburg Police officer. Wade said he did not recognize the man as a police officer but did recognize him as someone he saw drinking that night.
Another friend, David Gwinn, recorded what happened next on his phone.
"He kept on repeating he was [a police officer]," Gwinn said about the man who was holding his friend. "We were asking for a badge. He said he didn’t have one."
In the video, the officer said the man he detained had a warrant issued against him.
The video shows people asking the officer to take his hands off their friend.
The man responds that he is a police officer.
"It was very disturbing that an officer in street clothes abusing his power," Gwinn said.
"On duty or off duty, I’m pretty sure cops have a certain kind of code of ethics they have to stand by and abide by," Wade said.
"We are aware of video footage involving Petersburg Police personnel engaged in conduct that does not align with our professional standards," Petersburg Police Chief Travis Christian said in a statement. " In response to this situation, we promptly acted and initiated a thorough investigation. The individuals involved have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of our investigation."
Both Shavar Wade and David Gwinn said they planned to file complaints against the police officer in the video.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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