Police officer returns to duty

CODY (WNE) — Cody Police Officer Blake Stinson has returned to duty after an investigation into a complaint filed against him in May, according to a press release from the City of Cody.
The complaint was regarding Stinson and another officer attempting to arrest a 17-year-old, after he  allegedly failed to yield to a pedestrian at an intersection. Edited body camera footage uploaded to YouTube showed Stinson and the other officer grabbing the 17-year-old driver by the neck and pulling at his arms as they tried to remove him from the vehicle.
The third-party investigation provided several recommendations, which will be reviewed and implemented, according to the release.
State law and city policies prohibit the disclosure of specific findings or actions when it comes to personnel, but the release said the city has “taken action to address concerns raised by the complaint, and to ensure compliance with Cody PD policies in the future.”
After the complaint was filed, Stinson was placed on paid leave and the Cody Police Department conducted an internal investigation to review his conduct and determine whether he violated the department’s internal policies, including standards of conduct and use of force. Once the internal investigation was completed, the third-party consultant was brought in to review the city’s findings.
A review of the arrest that sparked the complaint saw the charges against the driver dropped due to “procedural reasons,” according to a report published in June by the Cody Enterprise.