A police officer has been removed from frontline duties after a video emerged of a man being arrested while being told “chill out or I’ll choke you out”. West Yorkshire Police said the matter has been referred to the police watchdog after the footage was reviewed “as a matter of urgency”. The 45-second clip shows two male uniformed officers grappling on a pavement with a man wearing shorts and a T-shirt. One of the officers appears to say to him, “Chill out or I’ll choke you out,” and then, “Chill out or you’re going to sleep.” The officers manage to manoeuvre the man on to his front and one tries to handcuff him as the other appears to talk on his radio. Temporary assistant chief constable Osman Khan said: “We are aware of a video circulating showing the arrest of a man at Spring Hall Gardens, Halifax, on Sunday 16 August in relation to assault offences. We immediately reviewed the footage and looked into it as a matter of urgency to establish the full circumstances. “We have reviewed the actions of the officers involved and a referral has been made to the Force’s Professional Standards Directorate. Our investigation remains ongoing and we have made a voluntarily referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC). “The officer involved has been removed from frontline operational duties. The man arrested was released under investigation.” West Yorkshire police and crime commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson, posted on Twitter in response to the video: “Hi, this footage has been looked into it as a matter of urgency by West Yorkshire Police. A referral has been made to the Force’s Professional Standards Directorate and the officer involved has been removed from frontline operational duties. “The investigation remains ongoing and a voluntary referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) has also been made.”