Cotati Police: Officers Were Forced to Kick the Door Open

The Cotati Police Department is defending the actions of its officers that were captured on video and posted on Youtube, where it's gathered over 100,000 views.

The video depicts a homeowner talking with members of the Cotati Police Department. In the video, the officers request the occupants -- which are identified as James Wood and his wife, Jennifer -- to exit their home and talk with them.

When the couple refuses, and tells police that there is no domestic violence, but instead an argument taking place, police enter the home and taser Wood, who was shooting the video.

A Cotati Police Department press release stated "Cotati Police Department policy dictates that all domestic disturbance calls are taken seriously in order to ensure everyone's safety and in order to comply with state law."

On May 10, at 3:48 p.m., a caller phoned 9-11 to report a male yelling loudly at a female a Marsh Way Apartment complex.

Officers went to the home and heard Wood yelling at his wife, according to the press release.

"The officer could hear Jennifer sobbing and crying," the release stated. "While waiting for backup to arrive, the argument escalated. It became clear to the officer that a domestic disturbance was in process with the potential of turning into a physical confrontation."

The release stated that the officer knocked on the front door and someone inside locked the door. Police asked Wood to open the door and speak to him, but Wood replied "no" and walked out of view, according to police.

After repeated requests for Wood to open the door and come outside to talk with them, the officers resumed their investigation into the domestic disturbance.

"Officers also learned that a six year old and a two year old toddler were at the apartment," the press release stated. "According to the officers, Jennifer appeared to be taking direction from James, supporting the officer's belief that she was a domestic violence victim."

Police warned the occupants, which also included another man named James Helton, that they would need to force the door open in order to check the well being of everyone in the home, the release stated.

"The officers could not leave the scene without checking the welfare of everyone in the apartment, to do so, would be a neglect of duty," the release stated. "Constitutional law allows for officers to make entires under these type of circumstances without a warrant."

The officers tasered Wood after they asked him to stop and get on the ground. The officers then determined that no one was injured inside the apartment.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the moment when police tasered Wood.