City schools police chief placed on leave after slapping video surfaces

BALTIMORE -- Authorities and school officials are "vigorously investigating" after a video obtained by CBS station WJZ-TV shows a uniformed officer slapping and kicking a young man in Baltimore.

The video first sent to WJZ shows a uniformed city school police officer's shocking interaction with a young man at the REACH! Partnership School.

Reach Partnership is one of seven high schools in the city that has a school police officer dedicated to the building, which is large, according to school officials.

In a wider view, you can see another officer standing next to the one doing the slapping and kicking. Both were initially reassigned in what school officials are calling a "vigorous investigation."

As of Wednesday afternoon, the officer seen slapping the young man was suspended with pay.

It's not clear what led up to the very first slap or what happened after the camera stopped rolling.

"If it was my son, I would be highly upset, asking questions, want to know what happen prior to it, but nobody deserves to get their hands put on them like that," said Gary Payne.

WJZ has also confirmed the Chief of City Schools Police Marshall Goodwin has been placed on administrative leave.

"As a parent of a Baltimore City school student, I was appalled," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. "The behavior that was demonstrated is something you never want to see."

Veteran educator Karl Perry is the schools' chief supports officer, he said it "appears to be an act of violence."

"No matter what the circumstances are I am totally appalled, that behavior should never be tolerated and it wont be," Perry said.

Sources say the young man being cursed at, slapped, and kicked is a student, but school officials say they are unsure as they continue looking into this disturbing encounter.

"I know the school is investigating it. I know it surfaced late yesterday and the investigation is going on because I just never want to see anything like that happen again," said Rawlings-Blake.

It's still unknown at this time why the City Schools Police Chief was placed on administrative leave.