Edmond Police defend handling of man's arrest

Tuesday, April 18th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

EDMOND, Okla. (AP) -- Edmond police are defending the manner in which they arrested a man who struck his 3-year-old grandson in the face, an arrest that prompted a protest from the NAACP.

Witness statements confirm the amount of forced used in the March 6 arrest of Roger Britt was not excessive, the Police Department said in a statement Monday.

"We understood everybody was concerned that we had notresponded. We're concerned also," said Capt. Mike Woolridge, patrol division commander. "In any type of arrest, the least amount of force necessary is exactly what we use."

Britt filed a written complaint with Edmond police Monday. Woolridge said he hopes the FBI also is given a report to investigate the matter.

According to a police report, an officer saw Britt hit his 3-year-old grandson across the face. The report said officers forced Britt to the ground and sprayed him in the face with pepper spray after Britt resisted arrest.

Britt was charged in Oklahoma County District Court with child abuse and obstructing an officer.

Britt, 40, said he didn't fight with police. He also admits he struck the child.

"Is striking him child abuse? No, you can still discipline your child as long as you don't injure him," he said. "That's the way I understand it."

On Saturday, about 20 members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People picketed downtown, carrying signs that read "Edmond police cruel and unfair" and "Where is the justice?"

NAACP representatives had met with Edmond police and members of the district attorney's office in an effort to have the charges dropped or reduced, said Roosevelt Milton, president of the NAACP Oklahoma City chapter.

The meetings have been unsuccessful, he said, so the protest was planned.

"Our concern was that this victim was profiled," Milton said. "They weren't really concerned about anything other than diminishing his civil rights."