Watch: Video released by Caldwell police shows arrest of man who alleges excessive force
A video obtained by the Idaho Statesman via a public record request details the arrest of a man who sued two Treasure Valley officers — along with the Caldwell Police Department — alleging they used excessive force.
Jeremy Mattson, 45, was arrested in March 2020 by the Caldwell Police Department along with four other agencies after police alleged he led law enforcement on two vehicle pursuits. Police said Mattson also had active arrest warrants at the time for charges of felony domestic battery and failure to appear in court.
In the roughly six-minute video taken by Caldwell Detective Aron Streibel, viewers can see the seven officers — from multiple agencies — arrest Mattson. In total there were 15 officers at the scene, according to the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Idaho.
The lawsuit comes amid an FBI investigation into officers in the department. The U.S. government charged Lt. Joseph Hoadley in March, and an additional charge was filed this month. Another lawsuit was filed against five Caldwell officers after they arrested a man in September.
Caldwell police body camera footage shows arrest
Mattson was asleep in the middle of a vacant lot surrounded by a fence near a radio tower north of Middleton and Sand Hollow when he was awakened by a “sharp, fire-like pain,” according to the lawsuit. Streibel, one of the officers being sued, had just shot him with a less-lethal bullet.
But the video doesn’t show the shooting, as Streibel said he forgot to turn on his body camera until after the shot was fired, according to a narrative written by the detective.
Once the video starts, Streibel’s weapon can be seen as the video shows his perspective looking down upon Mattson from his position within the roof hatch of Caldwell police’s armored truck a small distance away.
Streibel stated in his narrative that before he started the video camera, he commanded Mattson to rise slowly to his knees and stand. He then had Mattson lift his shirt with one hand. At that point, Streibel stated that he “did not see any weapons in his waistband.”
Mattson at the start of the video appears to have his fingers interlaced on the back of his head and is waiting on commands from Streibel. Streibel is waiting for the six other officers to finalize their plan. A voice can be heard saying “Come on guys.”
Shortly after that, five officers, some outfitted with bulletproof vests, shields and rifles, approach a fence that Mattson is behind and cut the lock so they can command Mattson to walk toward the officers.
Meridian Police Department Officer Daniel Vogt is present with his K-9. He is the other officer Mattson is suing.
As the officers approach to cut the lock, Streibel shouts, “Remain still.” It is unclear if Mattson moves.
Once the lock is cut, the officers back up, leaving the viewpoint of the camera. After about 25 seconds, Streibel begins giving Mattson directions to get up and walk backward toward the officers.
Mattson complies with all of Streibel’s orders. Roughly two and half minutes into the video, Vogt says to Streibel, “I’ll take him in.” To Mattson, Vogt says, “Suspect, walk backwards.”
He continues to tell Mattson to keep walking, and at that point, his K-9 begins to bark and pulls aggressively on its leash.
Vogt tells Mattson to “get down to your knees” as the K-9 continues to bark and pull on its leash. Mattson is then asked to lie down, but he hesitates to remove one hand from his head and looks back at Vogt.
This causes Vogt to become louder and repeatedly yell, “Flat on your stomach!” Additionally, two Idaho State Police troopers unholster their guns and point them at Mattson.
Mattson again takes his hand off his head. Narratives from two Caldwell officers obtained by the Statesman via a records request suggest he was reaching for his waistband.
When Mattson doesn’t immediately comply, Vogt releases the K-9.
As the dog latches onto Mattson’s lower back and abdomen for 17 seconds, four officers surround Mattson to handcuff him by kneeling onto the ground and placing their body weight on him. Mattson can be heard screaming, and one officer yells, “Stop fighting.”
In his lawsuit, Mattson alleged that he was “compliant.” It is unclear from the video if Mattson was moving, as he is obscured by the officers surrounding him. The Statesman on Friday submitted requests for additional body camera footage to the four other police agencies that were present during Mattson’s arrest.
In addition, the two other Caldwell officers at the scene did not have footage, according to their narratives. The narratives say Mattson “was considered armed and dangerous.”
No gun was ever found, according to the lawsuit and reports from police.
“Just looking to see if I can see the gun anywhere,” an unidentified officer says on the video once Mattson is detained.
Idaho police agencies, lawyers decline to comment
Attorney Tyler Williams, who is representing Streibel, Vogt and the city of Caldwell, didn’t immediately respond Friday to a request for comment on the incident or the video. Williams previously declined to comment. A spokesperson with Caldwell police declined to comment.
Meridian police spokesperson Kelsey Johnston declined to comment on the incident or the video. When asked about the K-9’s behavior, she provided the Statesman with an emailed statement: “A police supervisor carefully reviews and documents incidents where Meridian police officers use force to ensure their actions were consistent with department training, department policy and the law.”
Mattson is in custody at the South Idaho Correctional Institution, a minimum-security prison in Kuna, according to Idaho Department of Correction online records. He is in prison for three felonies, according to court records, including intimidating a witness; possession of a controlled substance; and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer in a motor vehicle.
Mattson’s attorney, Susan Lynn Mimura, of Meridian, did not immediately respond but previously left a voicemail for a Statesman reporter saying that she couldn’t speak on the case without Mattson’s approval.
This story was originally published April 22, 2022 at 2:52 PM.
