Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski was placed on administrative leave after a woman identified by the city as his girlfriend was charged following an altercation in Johnson City on Friday.
Johnson City Village is about 2.5 miles from the City of Binghamton.
Zikuski was present, but not involved in the incident. He was off-duty at the time.
A video posted on Facebook shows Susan Rice arguing with a group of people including two teenagers, sitting on the porch.
At one point she asks the family, “What do you do, Section 8?”
A few moments later she tells them, “We are the police.” Rice then rushes onto the porch of the house and hits two people, identified by Johnson City police as a 16-year-old resident of the house and an 18-year-old friend who was visiting.
After Rice hits the two teenagers, she is hit by someone behind the camera on the porch. She falls to the floor at which point, police chief Zikuski comes onto the porch and tries to lift her up and carry her away.
Rice was not arrested at the time of the incident on Friday. She went to the Johnson City Police station on Monday where she was interviewed, arrested and charged.
Rice faces three charges: endangering the welfare of a child, harassment, and trespass in the second degree.
She was released with an appearance ticket for a later date.
In a statement made before her arrest, Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham said Rice is a “private citizen — not employed by… nor affiliated with the City in any official capacity.”
Zikuski has been police chief of Binghamton since 2008. He was previously placed on paid administrative leave for over 3 months following allegation of sexual harassment. The complaint was later dropped.