Lawrence Police Captain Placed on Leave for Use of Force

A police captain in Lawrence, Massachusetts, has been placed on leave for use of force.

The Lawrence Police Department isn't saying much, but we do know Michael Mangan is the officer being investigated and the actions being questioned were caught on video.

"This is unacceptable. Completely, completely unacceptable," Lawrence City Councilor Ana Levy said.

Levy said she is still in shock after watching the surveillance video, which showed conduct she considers inhumane. A source shared the video with NBC10 Boston but asked us not to air it at this time.

The 10-second video, which does not include sound, was taken inside the Lawrence Police Department booking area shortly after 4 a.m. on March 10.

In the video, an uncuffed, shirtless Black man can be seen talking with two police officers when all of a sudden one of the officers lunges at the man and clotheslines him, knocking his head into the wall and then to the floor. Both officers then try to restain him, with a third officer coming in to assist. That's where the video ends.

"It doesn't matter that this is police, it doesn't matter who it is... violence is not good," Levy said.

In a statement, the Lawrence mayor's office said in part, "Lawrence Police Department Captain Michael Mangan is on paid administrative leave as of May 8, 2023, pending an investigation into recent on-duty conduct."

In the past few months, the Lawrence Police Department has been under a magnifying glass. Police Chief Roy Vasque has been on administrative leave since January pending an internal investigation, and just last week a teen was shot and killed at a house party and a man died while being held at the police department.

Levy believes the department needs new leadership.

"We are very worried with all of these problems that are happening," she said. "We worry about the safety of our residents, so this is something very important for us and we have to find a solution very soon."