• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / Crime / Courts / Madison police chief responds to graphic arrest video

Madison police chief responds to graphic arrest video

June 22, 2016 By Bob Hague

Chief Mike Koval WRN image

Chief Mike Koval WRN image

Madison police chief Mike Koval held a press conference on the arrest of a young woman, which has sparked protests due a to a video that has gone viral on YouTube

Bystander video shows officers tasering and roughly restraining Genele Laird outside West Towne Mall Tuesday evening. “Force when administered, especially with someone who is motivated not to be taken into custody, can be very ugly,” Koval said.

Koval said the video doesn’t show the entire arrest of the 18-year-old. Laird had allegedly threatened people in the mall’s food court, and displayed a knife. Koval said she was reportedly upset that her cell phone had been stolen.

The chief also said Laird refused to comply with officers’ orders and bit, scratched and spit at them. “It is our obligation to restore order,” Koval said. “That’s what we do.”

The video has sparked protests outside the Dane County jail. The arrest will be subject to internal review with assistance from the Dane County Sheriff’s Department. Laird, who has no prior record of contact with police, faces felony charges.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, News



Featured Stories

Baseball suspends Cubs reliever for throwing at Brewers Woodruff (AUDIO)

Badger women’s soccer advances to Big Ten title game

Wisconsin volleyball advances to eighth-straight NCAA Sweet 16

Brewers place Cain on injured list

Davison to return to Badgers next season

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Baseball suspends Cubs reliever for throwing at Brewers Woodruff (AUDIO)

Badger women’s soccer advances to Big Ten title game

Wisconsin volleyball advances to eighth-straight NCAA Sweet 16

Brewers place Cain on injured list

Davison to return to Badgers next season

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC