Two Atlanta police officers were removed from duty in 2021 after a video circulated on social media appeared to show an Atlanta police sergeant kicking a handcuffed woman in the head while she was on the ground.
On August 4, 2021, the Atlanta Police Department announced that its Office of Professional Standards had completed its expedited investigation. The investigation concluded that Sgt. Marc Theodule violated department policy and acted outside Atlanta Police Department standards and… pic.twitter.com/AHN3bml4eM
— Dominick Izzo (@CopTalkLIVE) June 4, 2026
Atlanta Officers Relieved of Duty Pending Internal Investigation
ATLANTA, Ga. — Two Atlanta police officers were removed from duty in 2021 after a video circulated on social media appeared to show a handcuffed woman being kicked in the head while on the ground.
According to a statement released by the Atlanta Police Department, the actions depicted in the video prompted immediate administrative action and an expedited internal investigation.
Incident Overview
According to Atlanta police, officers responded at approximately 12:30 p.m. on the day of the incident following reports of an armed individual.
Police stated that a caller reported a woman walking in the area had pointed a firearm at several people.
Officers located and detained the woman upon arrival.
The department stated that officers became concerned about the woman’s mental health and requested transport by emergency medical personnel to a local hospital for evaluation.
Atlanta police reported that the woman was not criminally charged.
According to the department, officers recovered an unloaded handgun during the encounter and turned it over to a family member for safekeeping.
The woman’s identity was not publicly released.
Video Posted to Social Media
Following the incident, a video was posted to social media and reviewed by Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant and department leadership.
According to the department’s statement, the video appeared to show an Atlanta police sergeant kicking a handcuffed woman in the head while she was on the ground.
After reviewing the footage, department officials stated that the actions shown “appear to be unacceptable.”
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Officers Identified
The department identified the sergeant shown in the video as Sgt. Marc Theodule.
A second officer present during the incident was identified as Officer Bridget Citizen.
According to reporting by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the department also expressed concern regarding what appeared to be a lack of intervention by the second officer during the encounter.
Administrative Actions Taken
Atlanta police announced that both officers were immediately relieved of duty.
The department further directed its Office of Professional Standards to initiate an expedited investigation into the conduct of officers involved in the incident.
Department Statement
In its public statement, the Atlanta Police Department said:
“The actions of those in the video appear to fall outside our standards and training.”
The department also stated that a full internal review was necessary to determine all facts surrounding the encounter.
According to the statement, Chief Rodney Bryant intended to monitor the progress of the investigation and review its findings before determining any additional actions.
Internal Investigation
The Office of Professional Standards was tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of:
At the time the department released its statement, the investigation remained ongoing.
Current Status
Based on the information provided:
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were the officers removed from duty?
Atlanta police stated that a social media video appeared to show a handcuffed woman being kicked in the head. After reviewing the footage, department leadership stated the actions appeared unacceptable and immediately removed the officers from duty.
Was the woman charged with a crime?
According to the Atlanta Police Department, the woman was not charged.
Why were officers initially dispatched?
Police stated they responded after receiving a report that a woman had allegedly pointed a firearm at several individuals.
Was a firearm recovered?
According to police, officers recovered an unloaded handgun and later turned it over to a family member for safekeeping.
Who investigated the incident?
The Atlanta Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards was assigned to conduct an expedited internal investigation.
On August 4, 2021, the Atlanta Police Department announced that its Office of Professional Standards had completed its expedited investigation. The investigation concluded that Sgt. Marc Theodule violated department policy and acted outside Atlanta Police Department standards and training. As a result, Chief Rodney Bryant approved the termination of Sgt. Theodule’s employment effective August 2, 2021.
The same investigation found that Officer Bridget Citizen did not violate the department’s Duty to Intervene policy. According to the department, the kick was a single act that immediately ceased, and investigators determined that Officer Citizen reported the incident to a supervisor shortly afterward. She was returned to full duty.
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