Spring Valley High attack: Police officer in 'dragging video' faced two previous complaints - one for excessive force

One lawsuit accuses the officer of 'recklessly targeting African-American students with allegations of gang membership and criminal gang activity'

Ben Fields

Ben Fields, the schools police resource officer who has been thrust into the spotlight following an incident at a South Carolina school at which he appeared to drag a student, has previously been the subject of both criticism and praise.

Mr Fields, who has been placed on administrative leave since Monday’s incident at Spring Valllley school in Columbia, was sued in 2007, along with fellow deputy Joseph Clark and Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, in an action alleging false arrest, excessive force and violation of free speech.

According to CNN, the complainant, Carlos Edward Martin, who was in the army, was driving home in 2005 and got out of his car when Mr Fields approached him and asked if he was the source of an excessive noise complaint that the officer was investigating.

Mr Martin claimed that Fields “slammed him to the ground, cuffed him, began kicking him, and chemically maced him until his clothing was drenched and the contents of the can of mace was [sic] depleted,” according to court documents.

When Mr Martin's wife took pictures with her cell phone, Mr Fields told a responding officer to confiscate her phone, according to the lawsuit. However, a jury found in favour of Mr Fields.

Mr Fields is also one of 10 defendants in another case, scheduled to go to trial in January.

In that lawsuit, former Spring Valley High School student Ashton James Reese claims he was unlawfully expelled from school in 2013. At the time, Mr Fields was investigating alleged gang activity at the school.

Carlos Edward Martin being detained by Ben Fields

Mr Reese raises a number of allegations in the suit, including lack of due process, negligence, negligent supervision and a violation of the right to public education, as mandated by state law, the network reported. The lawsuit accuses him of "unfairly and recklessly targets African-American students with allegations of gang membership and criminal gang activity".

The jury trial is scheduled for January 27-29 in Columbia, South Carolina.

Meanwhile, Mr Fields has also received accolades for his work with students.

He was given a Culture of Excellence Award by a Richland County elementary school, where he also worked as a school resource officer in 2014, the network said.

"Ben has been working for the Richland County Sheriff's Office Department since 2004 and joined the School Resource Officer Programme in 2008,” a sheriff's department newsletter said.

"He is assigned to Spring Valley High School as well as Lonnie B Nelson Elementary School, and has proven to be an exceptional role model to the students he serves and protects."

Efforts to reach Mr Fields were not immediately successful.

Richland School District Two superintendent Dr Debbie Hamm released a statement, saying the district was deeply concerned about the videos and what they portrayed.

She said the district and sheriff’s deputies were working in full cooperation to conduct a thorough and complete investigation.