Anybody seen the lovely new LA police video?

[Apache]

Originally posted by Maverick
I'd like to make a couple of points here on this subject.

First I haven't seen the whole tape or looked at all the reports. None here has either. Saying that, the actions I saw were not justified and merit punishment. Now the severity of the punishment is likely to be more than the kid would have gotten for the same actions to a civilian.

There is no clear logical LEGAL justification for striking a prisoner who is not STILL ACTIVELY fighting. Caps for those times for those under arrest who don't know you are supposed to stop fighting at that time. Unfortunately quite a few arrestess fall in that category. That is why you are trained to use leg hobbles and restrain ALL appendages of the suspect.

As for what the rest of cops think of this.... Frankly in my jurisdiction we tell the fellow officer that screwed up that he did in fact screw up. Most of us would line up to hold the door open to allow the chief to kick his butt outa the station. The "legal system"  will add all the other additional punishment that the conduct deserves, and then some with all the law suits. Remember some places the legal protection stops if you are found in violation "grievously" of you departments policies and in violation of law. That means his home is likely gone as well and any other property he had as a result of the suit.

This type of situation makes it harder for the rest of us to do our job.

Last take on this type of situation. Cops ARE people first and last. All the foibles that the rest of humanity have are present. Some can handle it and do the job and others can't. That's a fact of life. The simple fact is the reason that this is SUCH a sensation is that it isn't the norm. This is not the example of the majority of what happens, no matter what the claims of some "wounded cows" that have posted on the board.

It has been my experiance in a career on the street that most people get along ok. There are groups that don't and cops are convenient targets.

I have been shot at, stabbed, hit, kicked, run into by a car and spit upon. I have been subjected to a tremendous amount of verbal abuse by the same people who called me to the situation in the first place just because they didn't get their way. (like a traffic ticket) Sometimes it's kind of hard to adress someone as "sir" or "maam" after they have used language towards you, threatened your home, wife and family directly as well as tried to hurt you physically. You still have to do it though.

Before you cast this cop in the darkest dungeon in the land walk a bit in our shoes and see what it's like. You might be amased at the difference.


PS on the basis of what little I saw he WAS wrong.

Mav

[AKIron]

Originally posted by aknimitz
I hope the kid and family sue the piss out of the PD and win.
Nim

What is it that you do for a living again Nim?

[Cobra]

Originally posted by aknimitz
. I hope the kid and family sue the piss out of the PD and win. I hope you guys realize this goes on everday, all across the nation. Tragic ... but true.

Nim

Nim, you chosen profession aside (hint to all others....it's called "the oldest profession"...hehe), suing the piss out of someone, even this cop, is way beyond the degree of the offense.

That is what's wrong with the litigious aspect of this country.  The sue the crap out of him no matter if the offense doesn't merit that kind of suit.

Tragic....no.  Getting killed, maimed, all sorts of other horrible things are tragic.  This, while wrong and stupid, does not reach the tragic scale in the slightest.

Cobra

[aknimitz]

I respectfully disagree Cob Law suits that result over this type of behavior that result in verdicts in the 7 figures against police departments greatly increases the departments awareness of what is going on within its department. Deterrence, that is what a large verdit would accomplish. Way beyond the degree of the offense? If this had been your son, physically assaulted by POLICE [the people that are supposed to protect us] - perhaps you might view this differently.

And I do believe this is tragic. A tragedy is defined as simply a  disastrous event. While death or great bodily injury often is involved in a tragedy, moral and racial underlings can also weigh in. What makes it tragic is the fact that many people even here attempt to denounce it as a justifiable action. That police everday all over the country get away with this is tragic in my eyes. I wonder if the police involved in this have ever had a complaint filed against them before? I wonder if the kid had been white if the same treatment would have resulted?

I am aware that cops have a tough go of it. And I am all for cops protecting themselves, even erring on the side of using too much force in certain situations. However, when you have a young male, handcuffed, surrounded by what 7 cops ... there is absolutely no need for force.

Nim

[Tumor]

Originally posted by aknimitz
I respectfully disagree Cob Law suits that result over this type of behavior that result in verdicts in the 7 figures against police departments greatly increases the departments awareness of what is going on within its department.

Nim

And immediately puts severe strain on that Cities budget, severely hampers the ability to hire more officers, procure good equipment, and ultimately, degrades that depts ability to actually do their job better.  Worse off,  these BS lawsuites ultimately get paid for by YOU in the form of higher crime and higher taxes.  Money is not a cure all.  A cop got out of line and smacked a kid... I'm very sorry for the kid but it's hardly worth a 7 figure judgement.  It will probably happen... because people are greedy and selfish.  Why not just punish the COP in a manner fitting the offense?  The public will hold that cop to a MUCH HIGHER STANDARD THAN ANY CRIMINAL.... just watch, the stupidity hasn't even begun yet.

[capt. apathy]

Anyone wanna bet that a 16 year old that resists arrest, fights with an officer, will become a model citizen?

you're probibly right. it's likely he'll be in trouble again.  it's also likely that he resisted arest because he's met that cop or another like him before and decided not to take the beating without a fight this time.
 as I see it amazinhunks like this put their fellow officers in danger, by making people less co-operative and making witnesses not want any involvement with police

[aknimitz]

Tumor:

Good points [some of them]. However, I for one dont mind higher taxes if it means I am going to have cops that arent beating kids. Maybe you [and Cobra] are right. Maybe this cop just had a toejamty day, snapped and did something stupid. To permit a seven figure lawsuit to develop over that does seem a bit excessive.

Cobra:

I've thought it over a bit more and I do think I am inclined to pull off my initial reaction. A lawsuit will result over this, most certainly. Tragedy perhaps is a bit strong, but I, like many others, had flashes of Rodney King when I saw this video. If you will recall, the King assailants were acquitted.

*shrug*

I dunno. I do know that lawsuits can bring a lot of pain to people. But Tumor's point is well taken. But again, I dont mind increased taxes if it means our police departments are stronger and better. And I doubt if a $1,000,000 verdict would actually result in any increase in taxes or higher crime. Oh well ... we'll see what happens.

[Samm]

Unfortunately the occupation of being a law enforcer is attractive to some unsavory characters for the wrong reasons (empowerment) . This problem could probably be corrected by employing personality evaluation and selection exams maybe similar to those used in the US Army's Special Forces selection process . HOWEVER, this would exacerbate the current problem we have of understaffed and over worked police forces . What we've seen is I believe a result of balancing the need to fill the ranks and personnel quality .

Criminal behavior perpetrated by police as seen in the video should be prosecuted with emphasized vigor .

[AKIron]

Originally posted by aknimitz
If you will recall, the King assailants were acquitted.
 

What's your take on that Nim? Do you believe it justified all the rioting, looting, and murder afterwards?

[AKIron]

I'll leave the last post but I don't want to imply you would allow those after actions to be justified Nim. Was a stupid question.

[Otto]

The young man in the video is nothing more that a ‘puppy’ that needs to be housebroken.  Unfortunately our society doesn’t provide an easy way to ‘stick his nose in it’ when he gets caught making a ‘mess’  The Police seem to be trying to provide him with a little Negative Reinforcement when it will do the most good.

[Samm]

1. Police have as much right to judge or punish as the citizen in the handcuffs, that is to say none.

2.You're condoning physical violence against a man in bonds because of words he had spoken.

3.If your Idea of negative reinforcement is brutalizing somone into hospitalization then I fear for your children .

[koala]

2.You're condoning physical violence against a man in bonds because of words he had spoken.

What makes you privvy to the reason the cop did what he did?  Or are you just jumping to conclusions like so many others in this thread?

[-Concho-]

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"

Capt. Apathy,

I can think of at least one time.  I patrol a very remote part of West Texas.  I was dispatched to the scene of a "minor" accident.
When I arrived a man was trapped inside of his vehicle and it was on fire.  I called for the fire dept but I knew that they were at a minimum of 30 min away.  Myself and a few of the people who had stopped to help tried to put out the fire with no luck.  I took the sledge hammer and crow bar out of my trunk and we beat the driver's door down.  Once I got my head down in the car past the smoke I found that his foot was trapped under the seat.  At that point fire was coming into the cab of the vehicle and I was running out of options.   I had to take my boot knife out and cut the most of the guys foot off to get him free.  We removed him and laid him on the ground.  He died five minutes later of internal injuries.

The bottom line is that no one wants us around until they are in the fire, then we can't get there quick enough.

I don't know where you live or if you will ever travel to Texas, but if you do I invite you to come ride with me and see the other side of the coin.



Cody Cory
Trooper
Texas Highway Patrol

[AKDejaVu]

Sorry nimmitz... but I have to disagree with you and you feelings on a law suit.

Seems to me that you are finding ways to reward people for provoking a cop.  can't say I believe in that.

Also seems that there wasn't much physical damage.  Do a little research and find out how much money has been awarded to people that only have a bruise to show for something.

Rodney King was not in the same situation.  He deserved the settlement and the cops deserved to go to jail.

Its just not that cut and dry for all situations... this one included.

AKDejaVu