Lancaster Police Chief under investigation

The City of Lancaster announced an investigation into its police chief.

It stems from her actions during an investigation into an officer’s use of force during an arrest last month.

An independent investigation cleared the officer of any wrongdoing, but it gets muddy after that.

At 4:30 a.m. on Aug. 17, Lt. Michael Fine approached a young man in the 900 block of Pleasant Run Road.

“Come over here,” Fine can be heard saying on dashcam. “Come over here. I said, ‘Come over here.’ That's my taser. You're gonna get tased if you don't listen. ‘Cause I got my lights on. You need to come over here and talk to me.”

The suspect, a man named Alexander Tucker, says, “Why you grabbing on me, though?”

While Tucker is being somewhat argumentative to the officer, he disobeys many of the officer's commands.

"Put your hands on the car!” Fine says. “Put your hands on the car!"

When the officer tries to out handcuffs on Tucker, he only gets one hand secured.

"Give me the other hand,” Fine says, “The other hand."

Fine reaches for his taser, and Tucker appears to get tased.

Tucker was arrested.

The next day the chief watched, and then commented on the video.

"At that time, Police Chief Wilson expressed that the incident was serious and appeared, at a minimum, to violate our policy,” said Opal Mauldin-Robertson, the city manager.

On Aug. 22, Tucker filed a complaint with internal affairs.

A taser instructor, a Texas Ranger investigator and the assistant district attorney determined that the officer acted appropriately and didn't break any laws.

Then, last week, the chief put the officer back on duty and exonerated him three days before the investigation was complete.

On Thursday, the chief was placed on administrative leave.

"This leave is in an effort to avoid any questions or concerns regarding inappropriate conduct or the appearance of inappropriate conduct or behavior involving our officer and the chief,” said Mauldin-Robertson.

The city manager says the chief's initial concern was different from her response to put the officer back to work without recourse, and that, she says, caused questions.

"The images in the video are disturbing enough that the city would want to take a more proactive approach in having this matter reviewed and investigated by an independent third party,” said Mauldin-Robertson.