Man held in assault on police officer

A 28-year-old Dorchester man was arrested yesterday on charges of assaulting a police officer who was working an overnight detail outside a downtown parking garage, police said.

Edward Franklin Douglas was arrested after two police officers broke up a 2 a.m. fight using pepper spray outside the garage on State Street.

Douglas and four friends fled into the lower level of the garage, where Douglas allegedly struck one of the officers, police said.

Police did not release the name of the officer, but he was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was treated for an injured shoulder and received stitches.

"Obviously, the job of a law enforcement officer is not easy, and at times, it can be a dangerous profession," said Officer James Kenneally, a police spokesman. "But when approached by a police officer, we would hope people would pay the uniform the proper respect it deserves. Unfortunately, in this case, the individual chose not to."

Police arrested the other four men on charges of disorderly conduct.

Tacia Sturns, Douglas's cousin, said that he works at a law firm and described him as "a great person."

"This is a shock to me," she said.

Douglas is to be arraigned today in Boston Municipal Court.

David Abel can be reached at dabel@globe.com.