Three Springettsbury Township police officers have been placed on administrative desk duty pending the outcome of an investigation resulting from federal civil rights lawsuits being filed against them on Thursday.

Springettsbury Township Police Chief Thomas Hyers said in a news release Friday that he placed Cpl. Gregory Hadfield, and Patrolmen Chad Moyer and William Polizzotto on administrative desk duty effective immediately.

The three officers are named in two lawsuits alleging that they punched a handcuffed woman and a kneeling man, leaving him with five broken ribs, and then made false reports to cover up their assaults.

Hyers also said he has asked York County District Attorney Thomas Kearney and Chief of York County Detectives Darryl Albright to conduct an investigation into the alleged incidents.

Both cases involve allegations against Moyer, shown in videos released by plaintiffs' attorney Devon Jacob.

Other officers who allegedly took part in the assaults or who were supervisors are named in the lawsuit, along with the township and the police department.

Steven Landis claims that he was arrested falsely last August and prosecuted maliciously, that police used excessive force, that he was denied medical care and that police brass did not supervise the officers properly.

The video depicts Moyer stopping Landis, a pedestrian, and then moving to take him into custody after learning there was a warrant for his arrest. Moyer tackled Landis, knocking out one of his hearing aids, and then was aided by co-defendant William Polizzotto Jr.

Landis alleges Moyer broke his ribs with his knee and Polizzotto twice used a stun gun on him.

In the affidavit filed when Moyer charged Landis with resisting arrest, Moyer said he delivered a compliance strike with a knee on Landis' left side after Landis failed to obey his commands.

Debra Lynn Williams' lawsuit said that in April 2011 she was punched and grabbed by the neck, and alleges Moyer and another officer, Gregory Hadfield, filed false incident reports.

Williams' suit said Moyer and Hadfield had arrested her at a home outside York, and she was subdued with a stun gun. The video shows her kicking the inside of a police cruiser, after which two officers are seen apparently hitting and slapping her.

The 42-year-old woman was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. She pleaded guilty to simple assault, involving a victim inside the home and occurring before police arrived. She received two years' probation. The other charges were dropped.

In that affidavit, Hadfield said he "struck her once in the left side of her face as she brought her knees up to kick again."

Both Williams and Landis are seeking damages, costs and legal fees.