Florence Police say officer was hit, kicked during arrest attempt

FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Florence Police Department said an officer was physically injured in an attempt to arrest a man Sunday.

Florence Police told News 19 officers responded to 116 S. Royal Avenue to help EMS on a medical call. According to police, 54-year-old Rodger Buttrum was screaming and had his hands jammed down in his pockets.

Officers made contact with Buttrum and asked him to take his hands out of his pockets. He complied for a second then immediately placed them back into his pockets.

Buttrum refused to remove his hands from his pockets so officers attempted to place him in handcuffs. Buttrum resisted by kicking and hitting officers.

Once he was taken into custody he was taken to the North Alabama Medical Center for treatment and released to the Lauderdale County Detention Center. One officer suffered an injury and has since been released from the hospital after receiving treatment.