The Tulsa Police Department is responding after footage of an October arrest was posted to social media in which an officer is seen laughing about an arrestee's mental health status.
An officer identified as Ronni Carrocia is seen in the video laughing about a woman, LaDonna Paris, 70, being "mental" after Paris locked herself inside the bathroom of the Habitat for Humanity ReStore at East 13th Street and South Norwood Avenue.
Paris is heard saying "the cops are trying to kill me here" through the bathroom door. At other points in the video, Carrocia laughs, arcs a Taser, and rattles the door of the bathroom.
"This is gonna be so fun," Carrocia says. The video then cuts to another officer kicking down the bathroom door and forcing Paris to the ground. Paris is seen bleeding, apparently from an injury to her face.
An EMSA responder is seen telling an officer Paris was bipolar and suffering from a manic episode.
In a release, TPD Capt. Richard Meulenberg said of the Oct. 25, 2021, arrest: "The overall actions of the Officers and the way in which the call was handled is within the policies of the Tulsa Police Department."
Meulenberg said officers believed Paris, who had locked herself in the bathroom for hours, had an aerosol can and a lighter and attempted to start a fire.
"To be clear, the banter between the officers outside of the presence of the suspect can be received as unprofessional and has been addressed with the Officers," Meulenberg said.
The Tulsa World reports Paris was "held in the Tulsa County jail for approximately a month before her charges were dismissed 'in the interest of justice and civil diversion,'" according to court records.
