A Massachusetts school police officer who was placed on leave after he kneeled on the neck and back of a student who was being handcuffed during an arrest has been cleared of wrongdoing.
An internal investigation concluded that the Brockton school officer seen on video kneeling on the student in November “acted in accordance with existing laws and department protocols,” according to a statement this week from the city school department, The Enterprise reported.
The school department announced that Superintendent Michael Thomas was notified last week that the officer was cleared following an investigation by the police department’s internal affairs unit.
The officer’s name was not made public. He had been placed on paid administrative leave.
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“While the terms of the officer’s return to duty are still being determined, the district’s foundational goal is to maintain a positive learning environment for every student and that remains our primary focus,” Jess Silva-Hodges, a district spokesperson said in the statement.
Thomas said the 16-year-old student was being placed in handcuffs because he allegedly physically attacked another student. The student was charged with assault and battery and released to his parents, police said.
