Andrews – A newly hired police officer accused of using a law enforcement technique on an ex-girlfriend resigned from the department last week.
Roy William Bryan, 23, submitted a letter of resignation to the Town of Andrews after the Cherokee Scout went to press on Sept. 21. Bryan was arrested two days prior after he reportedly told a Cherokee County sheriff’s deputy he used a jugular notch technique on a woman during a domestic argument that turned physical.
The victim told police Bryan “body slammed” her on the ground before pushing her onto a couch and pressing his finger into her jugular notch. She also accused Bryan of threatening to break her arm as she swung at him while being choked. A police report says Bryan initially denied touching the woman’s neck, but he later admitted he used the jugular notch technique after a deputy questioned the redness on the victim’s skin.
New officers going through N.C. Basic Law Enforcement Training are taught to use a jugular notch technique to prevent suspects from eating drugs or other harmful items. However, in the wake of George Floyd’s death last year, agencies have discouraged officers from using any force that restricts respiration or blood flow to the head except in situations where deadly force is authorized by law.
Bryan, who previously worked at the Clay County Detention Center, graduated from Basic Law Enforcement Training earlier this year and was hired by Andrews about a month ago. He had not yet received the required certifications to be sworn as a municipal cop and had been working part time in a training capacity.
Bryan was placed on investigatory suspension without pay following his arrest, but he resigned prior to the conclusion of the town’s probe. He is charged with assault on a female and has been released on bond.