The department also said that the FBI in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, has opened an investigation into the incident.
“The township will cooperate fully with all the investigations,” a statement said.
The investigation started following an arrest on Monday when police were called for a reported disorderly customer at the restaurant.
Butler Twp. Sgt. Todd Stanley and officer Tim Zellers responded to the call and on arrival spoke to Latinka Hancock, who explained the dispute and said that she had received her money back.
When police asked for Hancock for her identification to serve a trespass notice, she refused.
The exchange with police continued to get more heated, with Hancock continuing to refuse to give her identification, until Zellers decided to place her under arrest.
According to the officers, Hancock resisted arrest, leading to a struggle and Zellers threatening to use a Taser on her.
The sergeant wrote in his report that he didn’t think the Taser would work through Hancock’s coat so, in order to get her to comply, “I used my right hand and with an open hand palm strike, I struck Hancock on the right side of the face near her mouth.”
A bystander captured the arrest on video, which was circulated on social media, leading the Butler Twp. police to publicly acknowledge the video and release the incident reports and body and cruiser camera footage.
The sergeant remains on administrative leave during the investigation.
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