It wasn't to help public perception, the public here knows LMPD is awful.
LMPD also knows that we will always demand video of any controversial encounter they are involved with, as we should. They have done that to themselves.
"Wrist lacerations" (or something to that affect) were one of the injuries he went to the hospital for.
Sure seems like that could happen from beating on a window and jumping in a car.
There's currently no angle that would show the dragging, if it occurred.
If it did happen, it would have happened in the time frame of the shorter video above.
If he did indeed get "dragged" by the car, it's weird that no other officers reacted until after Det. Gillis was beating on the car after he had stopped.