Cambridge Police Department Backs Officer Who Some Say Mishandled Encounter With Black Man

— -- The Cambridge Police Department defended the actions of one of its police sergeants today, saying in a statement that the officer's behavior in a video was "consistent with his duty obligations" even though at least one witness objected to his treatment of an African American pedestrian.

The encounter between the two men, which took place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was captured at night in four video clips taken by two bystanders on Oct. 13.

The video comes at a time when both violent encounters between police officers and black men, and acts of violence against police officers have gained national attention, creating an atmosphere of division and mistrust between the two sides.

In it, Sgt. Thomas Ahern, who is white, grabs Cleon Hodge, the black man filmed in the encounter, and appears to put him against a wall. Ahern said in a police report that Hodge had his fists clenched prior to that, but it is unclear in the videos whether or not that is true.

In addition to offering support for Ahern, the statement issued by the CPD also notes that an application for a criminal complaint has been filed against Hodge, as well as the woman who filmed it, and another woman whom the officer claims grabbed his arm and tried to interfere while he was interacting with Hodge.

"The Cambridge Police Department conducted an internal review of an incident occurring on Oct. 13, 2016 in the Porter Square area involving Sergeant Thomas Ahern and three defendants and determined that Sergeant Ahern’s actions were consistent with his duty obligations," the statement begins.

CPD goes on to explain the details of the applications for criminal complaints against the three parties.

"The Cambridge Police filed an application for criminal complaint against Cleon Hodge, 21, from Dorchester, for disorderly conduct and assault and battery. A criminal complaint was filed against two women: one for interfering with a police officer and the other with assault and battery on a police officer and interfering with a police officer."

Jeremy Warnick, the director of Communications for CPD, clarified to ABC News that an application for a criminal complaint does not amount to a charge, and that a hearing scheduled in December will determine whether or not charges will be filed against the three parties.

He said that at a preliminary hearing that took place last week, two of the three parties didn't have an attorney, which is why the magistrate rescheduled it for next month.

Ahern was on duty but dressed in plain clothes at the time of the encounter, according to the CPD statement. At several points in the videos, the women ask for Ahern to show his credentials.

The videos appear to show Ahern grabbing Hodge by the sweatshirt and shifting him around along the sidewalk at first. The two women follow their encounter, one behind a cellphone camera, and the other occasionally cutting into view to ask the officer to show his badge and to question the nature of the interaction. Ahern said in his report that he showed his badge.

Ahern appears agitated at points in the videos, balancing his attention between Hodge and the women.

"You're supposed to say excuse me when you cross the street," Hodge tells Ahern at several points during the videos, referring to their initial point of contact between the two men, which does not appear in the four clips.

Hodge and the women also accuse Ahern of being intoxicated.

“Oh, I’m drunk. OK. Yeah, you’re right," Ahern says in response, using what sounds like a sarcastic tone.

Later in the video, another officer dressed in plainclothes arrives at the scene and holds Hodge's arm as he searches for some form of ID. Sirens from a cop car can be heard in the video and a third officer, dressed in uniform, assists with the encounter.

In his police report written after the encounter, Ahern says that back at the police station, he took a breathalyzer test that was videotaped and witnessed and showed that he had not consumed alcohol.

Hodge spoke to the Boston Globe about the interaction, and told the paper that it began when he bumped he into Ahern by accident as he was reading a text message.

However, the statement from CPD denied Hodge's claim to the paper, and implied that he had intentionally struck Ahern while crossing the street.

"The department refutes the defendant Hodge’s versions of the events published in the Boston Globe article and determined that the defendant made eye contact with the on-duty officer who was in plain clothes, was not on his phone, made no intention of avoiding a collision, and intentionally walked into and struck the officer with his shoulder," CPD said in the statement.

The Cambridge Police Department statement concludes by saying that is “has continually worked thoroughly and intimately with the community to build quality relationships and trust," and “takes matters like this seriously.”