The Antioch Police Department released a statement, overview and video after former officer Matthew Nutt was charged with assault.
As has been previously reported, former Antioch Police Officer Matthew Nutt was terminated from his employment as the result of an internal investigation into his use of force against an individual during a traffic stop on July 1, 2022.
During the incident, Mr. Nutt learned the driver of a vehicle stopped for not displaying license plates had an outstanding felony warrant for shooting at an inhabited dwelling or occupied vehicle and conspiracy. Upon placing the individual under arrest, he refused to sit in the back of a police vehicle and displayed physical resistance. Mr. Nutt used force against the arrestee, consisting of a series of punches and kicks, along with knee and elbow strikes.
Mr. Nutt’s application of force triggered an automatic review of his body-worn camera footage. The reviewing supervisor had concerns about what was depicted in the video and believed Mr. Nutt may have violated Antioch Police policies governing use of force. The supervisor communicated his concerns through official channels, and an internal review was initiated.
Mr. Nutt was placed into an assignment with no direct public contact.
After a thorough investigation, Mr. Nutt was sustained on four (4) use of force policy violations, including using unreasonable force, failure to de-escalate, and failure to use alternative tactics. Chief Steven Ford reviewed the findings of the investigation and terminated Mr. Nutt from his employment with the Antioch Police Department on April 21, 2023.
Members of the Antioch Police Department Professional Standards Unit initiated a criminal investigation into the matter and presented their findings to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. On June 13, 2023, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office charged Mr. Nutt with one misdemeanor count of assault by a public officer.
Chief Ford releases the following statement regarding this incident
Police officers are entrusted with the authority to use reasonable force to protect the public and themselves in the lawful performance of their duties. This requires close supervision and evaluation to maintain public legitimacy and preserve the sanctity of human life. The Antioch Police Department is committed to accountability and full transparency – my hope is our community will see the actions of our personnel to investigate and bring this matter to my attention as an expression of their commitment to accountability and the core tenants of their oath. This unfortunate incident is not reflective of the women and men who serve our community – please join me in continuing to offer our support of their hard work
Mr. Nutt was employed with the Antioch Police Department for four years and had two years of prior experience with the Los Angeles Police Department.
In the interest of transparency – and in accordance with State Law – we are releasing the following documents and evidence:
- Internal Investigation Report – https://antioch.nextrequest.com/documents/21707013
- Former Officer Nutt Body Cam Video #1 – https://antioch.nextrequest.com/documents/21707034
- Former Officer Nutt Body Cam Video #2 – https://antioch.nextrequest.com/documents/21707031
- Sergeant Evans Body Cam Video – https://antioch.nextrequest.com/documents/21707033
- Officer Dibble Body Cam Video – https://antioch.nextrequest.com/documents/21707032
Redactions have been made to these items in accordance with State Laws governing release of certain privileged and/or protected information.
The Antioch Police Department trains officers and has several policies on use of force, de-escalation, and alternative tactics, which can be reviewed on our transparency website: https://www.antiochca.gov/police/sb-978-policy-manual-training-materials
The Antioch Police Department recently joined a Trust Building Campaign https://www.theiacp.org/iacp-trust-building-campaign with 25-key policy enhancements we have pledged to implement within a 36-month period. We have also begun a process to seek accreditation of our Police Department and Dispatch Center, which includes regular audits of our policies and practices by an internationally recognized organization.
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