CORVALLIS, Ore. — The arrest of an Oregon State University student on Oct. 13 is sparking accusations of excessive force and racial profiling.
Body camera footage of the incident was released by Oregon State Police. One of the officers in the video is an OSP trooper assigned to work at Oregon State University, according to the state police agency. The other officer is employed by the Corvallis Police Department.
Trooper Kelly Katsikis said he stopped 21-year-old Genesis Hansen because she was riding her bicycle on the wrong side of the street. He asked for identification, but she refused to comply.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, Oregon state law does not require pedestrians to carry identification with them or show ID when stopped by law enforcement, though "police may detain you until they establish your identity."
Raw video: Body cam footage of OSU student arrest
In the video, Hansen is shown asking the trooper for information and why she needs to show her ID. As a crowd forms to watch and film the interaction, the trooper calls for backup. After a lengthy conversation, Katsikis and Corvallis police officer Donald Sheldon move towards Hansen. On the video, you can see the two officers reach out to grab her. Hansen either falls or is forced to the ground, and is held there by the two officers while she's placed in handcuffs. Hansen is then placed in the back of a patrol car. She was booked on charges of interfering with a peace officer and resisting arrest.
The NAACP said the actions of the officers are “unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.”
"We view this civil rights violation by state and local law enforcement as another example of racial inequity and excessive use of force imposed on communities of color by law enforcement," the NAACP said in a statement. "We are very concerned how a potential citation can result in a young woman being physically abused by police officers, and ultimately charged for the offenses committed against her. This behavior is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated in our society."
Oregon State Police said it is conducting an investigation into the allegations.
"These allegations are being meticulously reviewed and we are compiling as much information as possible," OSP said in a release. "The agency understands the importance of vigorously investigating these allegations and is taking a serious look at the incident."
According to the Corvallis Gazette-Times, OSU may pull out of its law enforcement contract with Oregon State Police.
“Let me be clear,” said Oregon State University President Ed Ray in a statement to the campus community. “This matter is sufficiently troubling that unless its resolution is satisfactory to OSU, we will reassess the value of continuing a campus law enforcement service agreement with Oregon State Police."
Ray spoke more about the issue at a meeting with the OSU Board of Trustees on Friday.
“The bottom line, to me, a student was riding her bicycle on the wrong side of the street, and it ends up with the student in handcuffs on the ground. Somebody has to tell me how this makes any kind of sense, regardless of who was involved,” Ray told the board.
The university told the Oregonian it has offered “support services” to Hansen.
During a news conference Tuesday morning, the NAACP will demand that charges against Hansen be dropped. They also plan to demand that Oregon State Police and the Corvallis Police Department "issue an official apology to both Ms. Hansen and the Corvallis community;" that OSU officials "provide support and assist Ms. Hansen in dealing with this experience;" and that Corvallis city leaders "meet and work directly with Corvallis NAACP Branch to adjudicate and educate around this issue."