The New South Police officer involved in the violent arrest of an Indigenous teenager last week has been placed on restricted duties.
The arrest of the 18-year-old, who lives with a disability, occurred in the mid north coast town of Taree on Tuesday.
Following the incident, the officer was placed on restricted duties after an internal investigation was launched by NSW Police.
The investigation came after videos of the arrest circulated on social media, described as "difficult to watch" by NSW Police minister Yasmin Catley.
One of the videos appears to show the plain-clothes officer perform a leg sweep manoeuvre during the arrest, knocking the teenager to the ground.
A second video shows the pair fall to the ground, before the teenager appears to begin having a seizure.
The officer then pulls the teenager upright before walking him to the front of a residence where he is handcuffed.
Following the emergence of the footage, Greens NSW MP and justice spokesperson Sue Higginson renewed calls for a parliamentary inquiry into NSW Police, labelling the treatment of the teen "unacceptable".
"The footage of this incident is shocking. A vulnerable person was experiencing a medical episode and the police responded with violence instead of calling an ambulance," Ms Higginson said.
"This is completely unacceptable and shows us once again that we do have a police problem in this State."
Ms Higginson said the response to the incident falls short of what's required to address the "systemic issues" with NSW Police.
"NSW Police have announced an internal investigation which goes nowhere near what is needed to deal with the systemic issues that allow this to happen," she said.
"We need systemic accountability and this can't be left up to the police to deal with one police officer at a time.
"There is clearly something going terribly wrong and we need to shine a light on the extent of this and develop a reform agenda that will fix the root cause of the problem."
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley confirmed the arresting officer had been placed on restricted duties while an internal investigation was conducted.
"I acknowledge the video that's circulating is difficult to watch. That's why this investigation will consider the police response and arrest," Minister Catley said.
"I cannot comment further while this takes place."
In a statement, NSW Manning-Great Lakes Police District will undertake an investigation to examine the "response and arrest made by a police officer".
However, Ms Higginson said NSW Police are experiencing a "substantive deficit" in their ability to respond to vulnerable people, such as First Nations Australians, calling for further action to address the "alarming number of violent incidents involving NSW Police and vulnerable people".
"I am calling on the NSW Government to support my calls for the establishment of an inquiry through a select committee into NSW Police responses to vulnerable people and ensure that we have systemic accountability and a reform agenda that considers policing not just for this term of government but for the long term," she said.
"We know we have good people in the NSW Police force, but it's not enough to leave this important work up to them. The government must act."
