A detention officer was caught on camera when she punched a woman in the face as she was booked into custody.
In the video, released yesterday, a female officer grabs the suspect by the throat and punches her least six times at Charleston County Detention Center, South Carolina.
Officer Rapeunzel Rivers, 35, of Santee, has been charged with third-degree assault and battery, and misconduct in office.
A CCTV recording of the violent attack was made on December 17 last year, when a woman was brought in after being arrested on an alcohol-related offence at Folly Beach.
It shows the female officer walking over to the suspect and talking to her for about 20 seconds.
Then the officer grabs the suspect from behind and puts her arm round her throat, seemingly trying to choke the woman, before starting to punch her in the face.
She holds the woman by the throat with her left hand and lands at least six punches in quick succession before officers intervene and drag the two apart.
