Arkansas Officer Fired After Being Caught on Video Beating Inmate in Patrol Car

The Jonesboro Police Department has terminated Officer Joseph Harris after video footage emerged showing him physically assaulting a detainee in the back of a patrol vehicle. The incident, which has drawn widespread condemnation, was promptly investigated following a complaint lodged against Harris on Friday.

The police department, in a statement on their official Facebook page, stated, "The serious nature of the complaint necessitated prompt action. Following an internal review of the incident, it was determined that the officer involved, Joseph Harris, should be terminated effective immediately."

The incident, which occurred on Thursday evening, was captured on video and later posted by the department on its YouTube channel. In the footage, the detainee, who appears to be handcuffed and wearing a hospital gown, can be seen in visible distress, repeatedly telling officers that he had swallowed fentanyl and feared for his life if not taken back to the hospital. Despite his pleas, the officers seemed dismissive, with one officer responding, "Not really, no," when asked if they cared about his condition.

As the detainee became more agitated, he attempted to strangle himself with a seatbelt in the moving patrol car. The vehicle then came to a stop, at which point Harris opened the door and began punching and elbowing the detainee in the head. The video shows Harris removing the seatbelt from around the man's neck and then slamming the car door on the detainee's head. When asked if he was alright, the detainee appeared unresponsive.

Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliott told local news outlet KAIT that he has contacted the FBI, which led to the bureau’s Little Rock field office opening an investigation. Additionally, information regarding the incident has been forwarded to the Greene County prosecutor.

This is not the first time Harris has faced scrutiny for his conduct. Approximately two years ago, he received a 20-hour suspension without pay and was required to undergo further training following an incident involving excessive force. Furthermore, according to Sally Smith, a public information officer with the Jonesboro Police Department, Harris was named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed in June.

The firing of Harris comes amid heightened attention to police misconduct across the nation following several high-profile cases, including the deadly shooting of Sonya Massey in Illinois by a sheriff's deputy.

During a community forum hosted by the local chapter of the NAACP in Jonesboro on Monday, Chief Elliott assured the public that steps were being taken to ensure Harris would not work as a police officer again. "There is a nationwide decertification. So, if he’s decertified in Arkansas, it applies across the United States," Elliott said, acknowledging that the department has a long road ahead in rebuilding trust within the community.