Gotta agree that there's no reason to hit somebody once the cuffs are on (or once he's under control with or without cuffs). If I hit someone who says something I don't like. That’s battery plain and simple, I go to jail.
If a cop can't control himself in a stressful situation, he should find another line of work.
Growing up I met a lot of cops (I'm sure they where not the majority but they where the ones that made the most contact with kids) who if they where not cops they would be in prison before their mid 20's. They where nothing but thugs who became cops because 'they get to kick bellybutton and get away with it.' (Actual quote from a cop I overheard in a restaurant).
A lot of the problems cops have are brought on because they protect this type of sleaze instead of coming forward and testifying against them.
When I was a kid I hated cops, and all my friends hated them too. And it was the cops who looked at us and decided we where a problem without knowing anything about us and hassled us; they set the tone for how I felt about cops for at least the next 10 years.
And it hasn't changed in the last 20+ years. I see the same thing happen with my son. They see the skateboard, the weird hair, and punk music, all on a 17 year old kid.
So every time he's out and he runs into a cop there's no courtesy, no 'hi I'm officer xxx, how's it going?"
He’s more likely to get stopped when skating to a friends house with "what are you running from" or "what kind of drugs do you got on ya" or other crap like that, constantly making every contact with him confrontational.
And when I try to tell him they aren't his enemy I look like a handsomehunk because they've been teaching him that they are his enemy.
So my honor student who I raised to be responsible in his community, carry his own weight in society, respect the laws and other peoples rights and property, the kid who voluntarily takes care of lawns for widows in our church, free of charge, volunteers at the church nursery so mothers can attend service, and mentors grade school kids in the neighbor hood teaching them to skate while talking to them about doing their part at home and in school. He goes out on the street and these love muffines in uniform use a few minutes contact to put the lie to all the things that I try to teach him.
Because on the street the cops are the symbol, they represent the law. And if they can't follow the law, why should he try?
Btw at this point I'm 36 years old and never once in my life have I ever heard myself or anyone else say, "cool the cops are here"
