The Victoria Police Department is standing behind one of its officers, despite a hearing that found he used excessive force during a violent arrest three years ago.

The March 21, 2010 arrest was videotaped and uploaded to YouTube, showing Acting Sgt. Christopher Bowser and Const. Brendan Robinson subduing a young man, Tyler Archer, following a brawl outside a downtown bar.

Archer does not appear to be resisting, but Robinson shoves him to the ground and Bowser kicks him in the stomach then knees him repeatedly on the back.

The Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner ordered a hearing into the arrest, and an adjudicator ruled Thursday that Bowser had, in fact, abused his authority.

“Both officers know that Archer was injured and [had] been pepper-sprayed,” retired judge Ben Casson wrote in his decision. “Not only did Cst. Bowser not intervene to prevent Cst. Robinson’s unnecessary use of force, he escalated the use of such force by delivering foot and knee strikes to vulnerable parts of Archer’s body.”

The hearing found that Robinson, who had been on the force less than a year, acted in error, but made an honest mistake and therefore did not abuse his authority.

But Bowser, as the senior officer, should have known better, Casson found.

Bowser reported that Archer had a “thousand yard stare” and “was coming back for no good,” but Casson said those fears should have been put to rest when the young man complied with police demands.

“Archer got down on the ground, as commanded, rolled onto his buttocks with his right arm supporting him,” Casson wrote. “Cst. Bowser knows that Archer would have cooperated with him to be handcuffed had it not been for the unnecessary intervention.”

Archer, who is in the process of suing the department, told reporters he's relieved that the hearing is over.

Meanwhile, the Victoria Police Department, which has stood by its members throughout the investigation of the arrest, continued to publicly support Bowser and Robinson on Thursday.

“These are very good officers,” Acting Chief John Ducker said. “These are some of the best officers we have in the department. I don’t feel they were acting unreasonably.”

The department has the ability to appeal Casson’s findings, but police said they would have to fully review them before coming to a decision.

The Vancouver Police Department was initially called to investigate Bowser’s actions and, according to documents obtained by CTV’s W5, the officer told an investigator, “I’m proud of what I did.” He even went so far as to suggest that he deserves a commendation.

Bowser is set to face a disciplinary hearing in April.