Police Union Responds to Joliet Arrest Videos

JOLIET. IL — A Joliet police union has responded to a series of videos that emerged in the wake of a local teen’s arrest last week.

A statement from the members of the Joliet Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council said the videos “do not tell the whole story” and that the arrested teen, Dae Roberson, “failed to comply with officers' repeated orders and resisted their efforts to take him into custody.”

Roberson, 18, was arrested and jailed Monday on charges of aggravated battery to a police officer and resisting police. His bond was set at $50,000 and he remains in custody.

One of Roberson’s friends, 21-year-old Celena Martinez, said they were walking with a group after getting ice cream from McDonald’s when the police approached them on Benton Street.

They pulled up on both sides of us,” said Martinez, who recorded video of Roberson’s arrest. “They’ve been harassing him for like three days.”

Two more videos of Roberson’s arrest have since surfaced.

Joliet Deputy Police Chief Al Roechner said Roberson was arrested after officers were called about a “large group blocking the street.” The officers then spotted “known vice lords” among the group, Roechner said.

Officers approached the group, he said, and Roberson started walking away, saying, “F--k off” as he went.

After the officers caught up to Roberson and tried to take him into custody, he “tightened up” on a fence and wouldn’t let go of it, Roechner said, even after a handcuff was snapped around one of his wrists.

Roberson grabbed an officer and pushed him, Roechner said. Roberson was then knocked to the ground.

In addition to the aggravated battery and resisting charges, Roberson was also ticketed for being a pedestrian in the roadway, Roechner said.

Here is the complete statement from the Joliet Fraternal Order of Police:

The actions depicted in videos do not tell the whole story. That is why legal cases are tried in a court of law, where all evidence is heard, rather than the court of public opinion, where people may pick and choose what they want to believe and ignore the rest of the evidence.

The video that has captured the court of public opinion's attention in the Joliet area shows the arrest of a suspect by police. What it does not adequately show is that when the subject was informed that he was under arrest, he failed to comply with officers' repeated orders and resisted their efforts to take him into custody. Police officers are justified under both the law and by department policy to use reasonable force to place uncooperative and resisting subjects under arrest.

Police officers are being attacked and murdered in unprecedented numbers. Now more than ever they fear for their safety and their lives each and every time they respond to a call. Deadly police encounters often begin when suspects refuse to obey the instructions of law enforcement personnel.

Second-guessing every difficult arrest will make law enforcement less effective, which will make our communities more dangerous places for all of us.