A Parma police officer is off the streets and on paid administrative leave after body-camera and security footage captured him pressing a handcuffed 13-year-old boy’s head into a brick wall, then dragging the boy’s face along it outside the city’s police station. The incident grew out of a summertime call about a fight at a neighborhood park. The boy was later treated at a hospital for bruises and scrapes, and his family says it is now focused on accountability as the department launches an internal review.
Video Shows Officer Forcing Boy Into Station Wall
Investigators obtained body-camera and exterior security video that show Officer Michael Frinzl grabbing the handcuffed teen by the head, shoving him into the brick exterior of the Parma police station, and scraping his face along the wall. The encounter started just after 6 p.m. on Aug. 13, 2025, when officers responded to Walters Grove Park & Pool for a report of kids fighting. The boy was arrested after allegedly throwing a stick at his mother’s minivan. He was taken to a hospital afterward, and his mother later shared photos of bruising. Charges filed by Parma police were ultimately dismissed in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court, according to News 5 Cleveland.
Chief Orders Internal Investigation
According to the department, Chief Kevin Riley ordered an internal investigation on May 28, after the allegations surfaced, and placed Frinzl on paid administrative leave while the review plays out. In a written statement, the department said the probe will examine “video footage, reports, witness statements, applicable Department policies, and any other relevant information,” and stressed that “paid administrative leave is not a disciplinary finding, and no conclusion has been reached.” Chief Riley declined an on-camera interview, News 5 Cleveland reported.
Park Call And Where The Video Ends
The confrontation began at Walters Grove Park & Pool, a city recreation spot where residents gather for swimming and youth programs. The site, located on Walter Avenue, includes an outdoor pool and playground, according to the City of Parma. The video later shows the boy being escorted into the Parma Justice Center, the municipal complex that houses both the police department and municipal court, as described on the Parma Municipal Court website.
Family Response And Legal Next Steps
The boy’s mother told investigators her son has withdrawn since the arrest and that his injuries have been significant for him. Attorney Subodh Chandra, a Cleveland civil-rights litigator, said the youth weighed roughly 70 pounds at the time and that he plans to file a lawsuit to hold both the officer and the department accountable. Chandra’s firm is representing the family in the matter, according to the Chandra Law Firm. Officer Michael Frinzl appears on the department’s staff roster, and the Parma Police Department’s 2024 annual report lists him as a patrol officer hired in 2008, per the Parma Police Department.
What Comes Next
The internal review will determine whether department discipline or other actions are warranted. Any written investigative findings will be handled under department policy and applicable confidentiality rules. For now, the internal investigation and the potential civil lawsuit are the key next steps, as the family and the wider community wait to see what, if anything, happens to the officer involved.
