[Burnett:] New video of a violent confrontation happening just hours ago. What you're going to see is a confrontation between a white high school security officer and a black female student caught on a cell phone camera. This happened today in South Carolina. Officials saying the student refused an order to leave the classroom for allegedly disrupting class. We'll show it to you now so you can see it in full. The school's resource officer was called, at one point putting his arm around the girl's neck and knocking her down. You can see that in the back corner of the room. There you go. You can see it there, lifting her up and then dragging her actually across the floor. As you can see, literally throwing her body there at the front of the classroom. Now, the officer eventually actually handcuffed that teenager. We have attempted to reach out to the officer multiple times. School officials and the sheriff's office are investigating tonight. Tonight, police afraid to do their jobs. The head of the FBI says violent crime is on the rise, thanks in part to countless videos of police allegedly using excessive force.
[James Comey, Fbi Director:] I spoke to officers privately in one big city precinct who describe being surrounded by young people with mobile phones held high taunting them when they get out of their cars. They said to me, we feel under siege and we don't feel much like getting out of our cars.
[Burnett:] Evan Perez is OUTFRONT. And, Evan, that's a pretty damning statement.
[Evan Perez, Cnn Justice Reporter:] Well, it really is, Erin. You know, one of the things that the FBI director said he wanted to do was to start a conversation. I can tell you here at this police conference, police chiefs conference, in Chicago, it was the talk of the conference, simply because a lot of officers have been saying some of these same things privately, but they have not been wanting to say it in public. And here you have the FBI director saying it to the whole world.
[Burnett:] Saying it to the whole world and really giving credibility to what they're saying. And as you said, maybe being afraid to say it in public. He didn't have that fear. The White House is not happy with the director's comments. There's no question about that. I mean, here's spokesman Josh Earnest today.
[Josh Earnest, White House Press Secretary:] I haven't spoken to the president about it, and I don't know if Director Comey has communicated those views to the president directly. I will say that the available evidence at this point does not support the notion that law enforcement officers around the country are shying away from fulfilling their responsibilities.
[Burnett:] Is Director Comey reacting to those comments tonight?
[Perez:] No, he's not yet, Erin. But one of the things that he's saying here is simply that we want to have a conversation about whether or not all of these viral videos and all this pressure on police is causing, at least in some places, to some officers to not do the things they normally do, get out of their cars and initiate some of these stops. So, that's the question he's asking. He says, look, the jury is out. We'll see what the numbers are. We'll see whether or not the crime numbers hold up later on. But he certainly says he doesn't want to wait to find out.
[Burnett:] All right, thank you very much. Evan Perez reporting live from Chicago. And this really isn't a problem just for cops already on the street. Police departments across the United States now are struggling to find new recruits. Kyung Lah with an OUTFRONT investigation.
[Kyung Lah, Cnn Correspondent:] The Los Angeles Police Academy where the next generation of cops learn how and when to fire. High-speed pursuit tactics. And takedown moves on armed suspects.
[Unidentified Female:] Suspect, put your hands up!
[Lah:] A tough job, yet recruit officer Asia Hardy longs to wear the badge, even if others around her don't support her career choice.
[Asia Hardy, Lapd Recruit Officer:] I think it's not as easy for the people for family members or friends to actually accept the profession we're going into just because of the perception that African-Americans have towards law enforcement.
[Lah:] A perception affected by high-profile officer-involved shootings from Ferguson, Missouri, two North Charleston, South Carolina, to Cincinnati, Ohio. Outrage leading to high-profile targeted killings of police officers. The fallout seen across the country as police departments struggle to attract new officers. In Philadelphia, the number of police recruits has dropped 47 percent in 2014 compared to 2008. Since 2013, New York, the country's biggest police force, applications are down 18 percent. In Los Angeles, 16 percent. Lieutenant Aaron McCraney joined the LAPD at a tough time for cops, the Rodney King era. He's now in charge of trying to convince future cops to join. [on camera]: When you go out and talk to recruits, potential recruits, are you hearing them mention news events?
[Lt. Aaron Mccraney, Lapd Recruitment Section:] Sure. That's one of the first questions. They want to know, OK, why should I be a police officer when all of these bad things are going on? Why should I put myself at risk?
[Lah:] Coupled with relatively low pay and tough entrance standards, and that chance that they could be hurt or killed. This is a hard sell, especially for women and minorities. But not for Asia Hardy. She wants to improve not just her community but how others view her and her brothers in blue.
[Hardy:] Despite all of the backlash law enforcement is getting, this is a personal choice of mine. This is my passion. So, I'm just forward with it, despite this happening right now.
[Lah:] A number of the police departments we've spoken with say it's not just public perception that's affecting applications. It's also the job market as well as the economy. They also say that these things are cyclical and they hope this is the bottom Erin.
[Burnett:] Pretty interesting tonight that the FBI director weighing in aggressively and against the White House on this. OUTFRONT next, some of America's favorite foods, bacon, hot dogs and steak, a report linking them with cancer, putting them in the same category as smoking. And Jimmy Fallon's ongoing streak of painful bad luck.