Springfield Woman Arrested after Resisting Police

Springfield police say an officer followed department policy and used the lowest level of force necessary during the arrest of a 19-year-old woman Friday afternoon, after she fled on foot and resisted.

According to the Springfield Police Department, Officer J. Walter conducted a traffic stop around 4:30 p.m. March 27 on a vehicle registered to an individual with multiple felony warrants. Police said the driver, identified as Promyss Davis, immediately exited the vehicle and began walking away.

Officer Walter caught up with Davis and advised her she was being detained, police said. During the encounter, Davis allegedly provided a false name. Authorities noted the officer had previous interactions with Davis on other calls for service.

Police said Davis fled on foot and actively resisted arrest when the officer attempted to secure her hands. During the struggle, she reportedly called out to a passing vehicle for help and attempted to get others to intervene.

Authorities said Davis’ elbow struck the officer’s body-worn camera during the struggle, causing it to deactivate. A second officer arrived shortly after, and police said the remainder of the incident was captured on that officer’s camera. A portion of the encounter was also recorded by a bystander and later shared on social media.

Police said Davis is awaiting trial on several charges, including aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated battery to a peace officer and resisting a peace officer.

Following the arrest, Officer Walter transported Davis to Memorial Medical Center for evaluation before she was booked into the Sangamon County Jail.

The department said a comprehensive review of the use-of-force incident was conducted, including evaluation by department trainers and experts.

“While videos of police interactions with criminal suspects can sometimes be jarring to watch, the Springfield Police Department supports Officer Walter and all men and women of the Springfield Police Department who put their safety at risk every shift to make our community a safe place to live,” the department said in a statement.

Some community groups, including Black Lives Matter, the Sangamon County Young Democratic Socialists and the Purple Coalition, have expressed anger over the incident following the circulation of video online.