The coalition said the video of police arresting a 15-year-old appeared to show law enforcement contradicting its code of conduct.
TOLEDO, Ohio — The Black and Brown Unity Coalition issued a statement Thursday reacting to the arrest of a 15-year-old girl in north Toledo last week, an incident that garnered the attention of Toledo City Council members and community leadership alike.
In the statement, the coalition said it was deeply disturbed by what it called the forceful detainment of the teenager, whom police arrested while she and several others were walking down the street last Friday.
A police report shows officers stopped the teen and a group of her friends after observing them walking in the middle of the roadway on Austin Street. Police said the teen refused to provide officers with identification.
Video posted on social media by the teen’s mother, Tosha Woods, showed a police officer grabbing the girl and walking her to a patrol car where she then stood facing the hood. The officer could be heard telling the girl to remove her hand from her pocket. When she didn’t—and continued to push and pull away, according to police— he is shown in the video reaching for his handcuffs and wrestling her to the ground.
After putting her in handcuffs and getting her on her feet, police said the teen then spit in the officer’s face, according to a police report. In the mother’s posted video, the officer can be seen getting her to her feet, then reaching and touching the right side of his face, before taking the girl to the ground once again.
The 15-year-old is facing a felony charge of harassment with a bodily substance, along with misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and obstruction.
“What we saw in the video does not reflect the standards that law enforcement in our community has agreed to uphold. The Code of Conduct, signed by the Sheriff’s Office, the Toledo Police Department, and City officials, clearly outlines expectations for how officers are to interact with the public,” the coalition said in its statement.
The coalition said officers are required to remain calm and allow individuals the opportunity to comply before using force. It said officers should prioritize de-escalation whenever possible. Additionally, the coalition emphasized that force, if necessary, “must be limited to what is objectively reasonable and reduced as soon as any perceived threat diminishes.”
The Code of Conduct to which the coalition is referring is that which the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office, the Toledo Police Department and city officials have signed, according to the statement. The code of conduct was created in partnership with the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) and other community organizations in April 2025.
WTOL 11 found the FLOC code of conduct on the sheriff’s office’s website, which can be read here. The document does reference the expectations mentioned by the coalition, including that deputies must prioritize de-escalation techniques and remain calm, as well as using only the amount of force “objectively reasonable” to control the person.
“The Code of Conduct was not created to sit on paper,” the coalition said. “This moment calls for accountability. It exists to guide real interactions and to protect the dignity and safety of community members, especially our youth.
The coalition called on law enforcement to use the code to address the situation and find a solution. It said that moving the officer to a different neighborhood, which Toledo police did following the teen’s arrest, was “not accountability.”
The coalition also said it was calling for a “formal review of the incident, a public explanation of the actions taken and meaningful disciplinary action in response to conduct that violates standards outlined in the Code of Conduct.”
Meanwhile, Darlene Sweeney-Newbern, president of the Toledo NAACP chapter, said the NAACP will remain involved as the situation progresses, including the teen’s court case. The 15-year-old is due back in court May 14.
Bodycam video of the arrest can be watched below:
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The coalition’s full statement is below:
The Black and Brown Unity Coalition is deeply disturbed by the incident involving a 15 year old girl who was forcefully detained by police while walking in her neighborhood with friends.
What we saw in the video does not reflect the standards that law enforcement in our community has agreed to uphold. The Code of Conduct, signed by the Sheriff’s Office, the Toledo Police Department, and City officials, clearly outlines expectations for how officers are to interact with the public.
The actions shown appear to contradict those expectations. Officers are required to remain calm, allow individuals the opportunity to comply before using force, and prioritize de-escalation whenever possible. If force is necessary, it must be limited to what is objectively reasonable, and reduced as soon as any perceived threat diminishes. Force should not be used in situations where it is not warranted, especially when there is no active resistance.
The Code of Conduct was not created to sit on paper. This moment calls for accountability. It exists to guide real interactions and to protect the dignity and safety of community members, especially our youth.
The agreement also provides a clear pathway for response in situations like this, including the ability for the community to call a formal meeting. That process must be honored. Simply moving an officer to another neighborhood is not accountability. It does not address the harm caused, nor does it reinforce the standards that were agreed upon.
Training is already a stated requirement in the Code of Conduct. The question now is what consequences will follow when those standards are not met. Our community deserves a clear response that includes accountability, transparency, and a commitment to ensuring this does not happen again.
We stand in support with the leadership of our board member Darlene Sweeney-Newbern and the NAACP in this matter.
We are calling for a formal review of this incident, a public explanation of the actions taken, and meaningful disciplinary action in response to conduct that violates the standards outlined in the Code of Conduct.
