If the cop was just going to yell at them for skating, then the kids should've just listened to the cop, moved to another area, and skate there. They were dumb for trying to resist arrest. That's where the cop can get ya.
But the strangling was a bit too far. That was rough and uncalled for.

Heh, I thought it was kinda funny though when he was chasing after the kid. Looked like he was never going to catch that kid. :-P