Officer on Leave after Controversial Arrest of a Student

Officer on Leave after Controversial Arrest of a Student

A school district in South Carolina is investigating the actions of a school police officer after a video circulated showing the scene of his violent removal of a high school student from her desk at Spring Valley High School.

While information on the events leading up to the incident is scarce, a news story reported that the student was asked to leave the classroom several times by her teacher after causing a disturbance in the classroom. When the student did not move, the assistant principle and the school’s officer, Deputy Ben Fields, entered the room. In the video, you can hear Fields say, “You’re either going to come with me, or I’m going to make you.”

When the student doesn’t respond, he says, “Come on, I’m going to get you up.” This is when Fields reaches out for the student, picking both her and her desk up before they both tip backwards falling to the floor. Fields then drags her several feet from her toppled over desk to the front of the classroom where he then restrains her with handcuffs while she remains face down on the floor.

Since the video surfaced, there has been an immediate outcry for the safety of the children. Analysts question why the officer was invited into the classroom at all, wondering if teachers are too quick to call in the police to deal with behavioral issues.

“Too often, these teachers in these schools are calling on the cops because they have a disruptive student in the classroom.” Harry Houck, a CNN law enforcement analyst said. “This is not the cop’s job.”

The county’s police department is requesting the FBI for South Carolina and the U.S. Justice Department to conduct the investigation.  Fields will not be back at any school and is not currently working for the department pending investigation.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services
  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

New Products

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.