The Fairfax Fraternal Order of Police is calling on Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin Roessler to resign, arguing that he “crossed the line from Chief of Police to politician” and mishandled the case of an officer charged with assault last month.

That officer, Tyler Timberlake, who is white, was arrested in early June after he used his stun gun on a Black man without visible provocation.

The letter from Lodge 77 President Brad Carruthers said Roessler made “slanderous statements” and had “effectively ended the career and impugned the reputation” of a Fairfax officer.

Roessler said Timberlake violated the department’s use of force policies. At a press conference after charges were filed, Roessler said he called the mother of the man Timberlake stunned to express his “disgust with my officer’s unacceptable and criminal actions.” The chief also said that he valued transparency and accountability.

The letter says the union chapter conducted a survey that found more 98% of respondents would support a request for the chief to step down. It does not say how many officers responded to the survey.

A Fairfax Police spokesperson provided a statement to DCist/WAMU in response to the letter: “While Chief Roessler is focused and committed to leading the department, the Fairfax County police department’s commitment to accountability, professionalism and ethical conduct by all of our police officers and professional staff members is beyond reproach.”

“Our past and current employees and volunteers are to be recognized for their dedication, service and sacrifice but public integrity, transparency and ethical leadership will always be at the core of everything we do here.”

Timberlake appeared in court Monday, where county prosecutors got permission from a judge to drop the three counts of misdemeanor assault and battery against him so they could instead seek a grand jury indictment. This move would take the officer’s case from general district court to circuit court, where it is possible to have a jury trial. Prosecutors did not specifically say what charges they plan to seek from the grand jury.

On June 5, police were called to Fairfax County’s Mount Vernon neighborhood where a man was pacing in the street and saying that he needed oxygen, according to Roessler.

Officials released body camera footage from another officer at the scene. It shows one police officer and a medic encouraging the man, La Monta Gladney, to board a waiting ambulance. Timberlake then arrives, tells Gladney to get on the ground and quickly deploys his stun gun.

Gladney falls to the street, and Timberlake places a knee on his back before using the stun gun again. As multiple officers attempt to place Gladney in handcuffs, he struggles and yells out, “I can’t breathe.”

Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced charges the day after Timberlake used his stun gun. An attorney for Timberlake has said the officer mistook Gladney for someone else he knew who had a criminal background. In the video, Timberlake refers to the man as “Anthony.”

During a court appearance in early June, WTOP reported that Timberlake’s lawyer argued this was relevant to the case because prosecutors were portraying his client’s behavior as “an irrational act.” Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Frank, however, said that information does nothing to excuse Timberlake’s behavior. “A mistake on his part does not justify what he did,” Frank said in court, per WTOP.

Others have supported the police chief and commonwealth’s attorneys for quickly taking action against Timberlake. Fairfax NAACP President Sean Perryman said the video was “a testament that Fairfax County is not immune to police violence.” In the wake of the incident, the county has also moved to purchase more body cameras for police officers.

County data shows that, while use-of-force incidents in Fairfax County are rare, they disproportionately involve Black community members.

This story was updated to correct the spelling of Sean Perryman’s name.