Confronting body cam vision shows arrest of tradie in Brisbane
An internal police review is underway after shocking video of an arrest in Fortitude Valley went public.
Jarryd Evans was fined by council officers, then taken into custody by police, but his only crime was dropping a cigarette on the ground.
“You have to listen to me, and you have to repeat after me,” the officer can be seen in the vision yelling at Evans.
“No I don't,” Evans says back.
“Listen to me and listen to my direction or I'll arrest you for obstructing police,” the officer responds.
“I’m not obstructing anyone,” Evans immediately says back.
The confrontation eventually led to the 25-year-old tradie being put behind bars.
“Now you’re under arrest for obstructing police, put your hands behind your back,” the officer continues to say in the vision.
Since this body cam vision first emerged there's been allegations of predatory behavior and intimidation by council officers and accompanying police in our nightlife precincts.
“If I hear one more swear word out of your mouth, you will get a ticket,” the officer continues.
“Pull your f**ing head in you f**ing clown,” the officer then says.
“I actually busk here in the valley and see 'em kind of hunt people down,” one Valley worker told 7 News of council officers.
“This heavy handed approach isn't helping at all it's actually creating incidents of harm,” Simon Turner, of the Fortitude Valley Safe Night Precinct, said.
The distressing incident from last April is now under investigation by police and council has also taken action.
“That officer has been spoken to,” Brisbane councillor Amanda Cooper told 7 News.
Prosecutors have dropped all charges, and been ordered to pay victim, Evans' legal fees, however it's far from an isolated incident.
In the past 12 months there have been more than $6000 fines issued and more than half have been issued around late night venues in the valley.
