The University of California Pepper-Spray Incident
A video showing a UC Davis campus police officer pepper-spraying protesters Friday went viral Saturday. Photo courtesy of Louise Macab

The police chief at the University of California, Davis has been placed on administrative leave, as the investigation into Friday's pepper-spraying incident of Occupy protestors gained speed.

In addition to the police chief, a second officer will also be placed on leave. UC Davis Lt. Matt Carmichael will serve as interim police chief, the university announced in a statement released on Monday.

As I have gathered more information about the events that took place on our Quad on Friday, it has become clear to me that this is a necessary step toward restoring trust on our campus, said UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi.

I take full responsibility for the events on Friday and am extremely saddened by what occurred, added Katehi, I eagerly await the results of the review, and intend to act quickly to implement reforms that will safeguard the rights of our students, faculty and staff to engage in nonviolent protest.

In response to Katehi's call, the district attorney's office plans to conduct a review of the incident, in association with the sheriff's office.

The events last Friday do not represent the UC Davis community we all aspire to be members of, said Katehi. The safety of our students and their ability to express themselves are paramount as we strive to create the best possible learning environment.

The two officers seen in various videos using pepper spray on Occupy protesters have also been put on administrative leave.

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