The Police Brutality Thread

[wuapinmon]

This right here illustrates a bias in your thinking that I have a big problem with. Cops can't assume without (depending on the circumstances) either reasonable suspicion or probable cause. It absolutely is a crazy assumption, because there was nothing about the guy's behavior that would lead to a reasonable suspicion that there was alcohol.

Your bias here leads you to think it's okay to trample on someone's constitutional rights, because in your mind it's not a "crazy assumption" that a black guy with an Arizona Ice Tea can has alcohol. That fact that you don't see it as a "crazy assumption" is evidence of your bias either in favor of the cop or against the black guy. The guys were not being stupid. Give me one example of what they were doing that was "being stupid." This wasn't a cop (he lied about that) - he was a security guard, and he had no authority to do what he did. What's worse for the security guard is that he was employed by the state, which means as a state agent, he has a particular duty not to violate someone's constitutional rights. The fact it's a state-owned property makes it worse for him, not better. The guy had every right to refuse to give up his can.

A-*******-MEN!

[Pelado]

If the dude wasn't really a police officer, then it doesn't belong in this thread.



Oh, and the guy is an ass and a dick. Not sure how he managed to combine those attributes.

[ERCougar]

The cop-bashing on here often bugs me a little because every day I get just a small taste of the POS's they regularly deal with. I know there are bad cops, but on the whole, there are a lot more good ones.
Today's example: patient brought in tweaked out on meth. They're taking him to jail, so they have to bring him by the ER for medical clearance. He's cooperative for the most part, relatively, and as he calms down through his stay, the cop relents to his requests and removes his cuffs (which makes it easier for us to treat him too). The nurse, a good nurse and friend of mine, goes in to give him his discharge instructions, gets an eerie feeling and steps back from him. Just as she steps back, he swings and connects with the cop. This cop is a good 250+ pounds of pretty solid muscle and this little tweaker floors him. A struggle ensues, during which the cop tazes him at least 10 times by the nurse's account, which doesn't phase him a bit. The guy is completely out of control, but finally the cop manages to get him into a headlock, with this dirty HIV and who knows what else infested tweaker's teeth firmly clenched down on the cop's arm, while he finally manages to get him under control.
This cop likely saved the nurse from at least serious injury and paid for it with a severe concussion, a black eye, a bite on his arm that will turn into God knows what.
He also took a gunshot wound a few years ago.
I guarantee he'll be back at work next week.

EDIT: I should mention that my favorite UHP officer is here with another tweaker. Her name is Bambi and she cuffs everyone in pink handcuffs. How cool is that?

[Art Vandelay]

Cops seem to often have control issues generally be good guys. Take this fine officer for example, it was nice of him to give this young lady his personal phone number.

[Eddie]

The cop-bashing on here often bugs me a little because every day I get just a small taste of the POS's they regularly deal with. I know there are bad cops, but on the whole, there are a lot more good ones.
Today's example: patient brought in tweaked out on meth. They're taking him to jail, so they have to bring him by the ER for medical clearance. He's cooperative for the most part, relatively, and as he calms down through his stay, the cop relents to his requests and removes his cuffs (which makes it easier for us to treat him too). The nurse, a good nurse and friend of mine, goes in to give him his discharge instructions, gets an eerie feeling and steps back from him. Just as she steps back, he swings and connects with the cop. This cop is a good 250+ pounds of pretty solid muscle and this little tweaker floors him. A struggle ensues, during which the cop tazes him at least 10 times by the nurse's account, which doesn't phase him a bit. The guy is completely out of control, but finally the cop manages to get him into a headlock, with this dirty HIV and who knows what else infested tweaker's teeth firmly clenched down on the cop's arm, while he finally manages to get him under control.
This cop likely saved the nurse from at least serious injury and paid for it with a severe concussion, a black eye, a bite on his arm that will turn into God knows what.
He also took a gunshot wound a few years ago.
I guarantee he'll be back at work next week.

EDIT: I should mention that my favorite UHP officer is here with another tweaker. Her name is Bambi and she cuffs everyone in pink handcuffs. How cool is that?

One of my best friends growing up is a cop, seriously one of the good guys.

I also used to work with some cops fairly regularly in a previous job, and while some were morons it was very rare that I would see something I would consider bordering on bad, much less dirty.

There are some bad cops. Unfortunately they give the rest a bad name. Most are OK guys - though one thing I would change is that all too often they seem to be in a hurry and end up escalating things when a few more minutes and an ounce of humility (not having the need to always start and win pissing contests) would end in a better resolution.

[smokymountainrain]

One of my best friends growing up is a cop, seriously one of the good guys.

I also used to work with some cops fairly regularly in a previous job, and while some were morons it was very rare that I would see something I would consider bordering on bad, much less dirty.

There are some bad cops. Unfortunately they give the rest a bad name. Most are OK guys - though one thing I would change is that all too often they seem to be in a hurry and end up escalating things when a few more minutes and an ounce of humility (not having the need to always start and win pissing contests) would end in a better resolution.

Yep. One thing we should always keep in mind is that we only see the rare instances where police brutality takes place. We don't see the hundreds of thousands of situations in which the police simply do their jobs very well and without any fanfare.

[ERCougar]

One of my best friends growing up is a cop, seriously one of the good guys.

I also used to work with some cops fairly regularly in a previous job, and while some were morons it was very rare that I would see something I would consider bordering on bad, much less dirty.

There are some bad cops. Unfortunately they give the rest a bad name. Most are OK guys - though one thing I would change is that all too often they seem to be in a hurry and end up escalating things when a few more minutes and an ounce of humility (not having the need to always start and win pissing contests) would end in a better resolution.

Completely agree.

[wuapinmon]

I think cops should get a sabbatical, so they can relax and not come to hate humanity the way most of the ones I've known, including many many former students have done. I had a kid in class a year ago who I saw the other day at Wal-mart and he already has the 1,000 yard scanning stare and was a total dick. Sad, really, because I even warned him that it might happen to him if he wasn't careful.

[Blueintheface]

I think cops should get a sabbatical, so they can relax and not come to hate humanity the way most of the ones I've known, including many many former students have done. I had a kid in class a year ago who I saw the other day at Wal-mart and he already has the 1,000 yard scanning stare and was a total dick. Sad, really, because I even warned him that it might happen to him if he wasn't careful.

That stare could have been about the grade he received as much as some transformation, right? You may have more examples but that alone doesn't prove a transformation has taken place or regularly does.

[wuapinmon]

That stare could have been about the grade he received as much as some transformation, right? You may have more examples but that alone doesn't prove a transformation has taken place or regularly does.

Agreed, but all most of us have are anecdotal experiences. I have had scores of crim majors through the years, and I keep in touch with many of my former students, as well as see them around town. In Hartsville City and Darlington County, I have at least five former students alone serving as sworn officers, including the chief of police in Hartsville.

[Rickomatic]

The cop-bashing on here often bugs me a little because every day I get just a small taste of the POS's they regularly deal with. I know there are bad cops, but on the whole, there are a lot more good ones.
Today's example: patient brought in tweaked out on meth. They're taking him to jail, so they have to bring him by the ER for medical clearance. He's cooperative for the most part, relatively, and as he calms down through his stay, the cop relents to his requests and removes his cuffs (which makes it easier for us to treat him too). The nurse, a good nurse and friend of mine, goes in to give him his discharge instructions, gets an eerie feeling and steps back from him. Just as she steps back, he swings and connects with the cop. This cop is a good 250+ pounds of pretty solid muscle and this little tweaker floors him. A struggle ensues, during which the cop tazes him at least 10 times by the nurse's account, which doesn't phase him a bit. The guy is completely out of control, but finally the cop manages to get him into a headlock, with this dirty HIV and who knows what else infested tweaker's teeth firmly clenched down on the cop's arm, while he finally manages to get him under control.
This cop likely saved the nurse from at least serious injury and paid for it with a severe concussion, a black eye, a bite on his arm that will turn into God knows what.
He also took a gunshot wound a few years ago.
I guarantee he'll be back at work next week.

EDIT: I should mention that my favorite UHP officer is here with another tweaker. Her name is Bambi and she cuffs everyone in pink handcuffs. How cool is that?

DNews story about this:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/8...g-suspect.html

[Eddie]

DNews story about this:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/8...g-suspect.html

...Sawyer was charged in 5th District Court with disarming a police officer, a first-degree felony; assaulting a police officer, a third-degree felony; drug possession, a third-degree felony; assault on a healthcare provider, a class A misdemeanor; criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor; drug possession, a class B misdemeanor; disorderly conduct and intoxication, both class C misdemeanors....

What! Assaulting a police officer is a felony, but he only gets a misdemeanor for assaulting a healthcare provider? You docs should be outraged...outraged I tell you.

Time to start chatting with your legislature friends about stronger deterrents for those who would assault healthcare providers.

[wuapinmon]

What! Assaulting a police officer is a felony, but he only gets a misdemeanor for assaulting a healthcare provider? You docs should be outraged...outraged I tell you.

Time to start chatting with your legislature friends about stronger deterrents for those who would assault healthcare providers.

I struggle with stiffer penalties for assaulting one class of people. Other than children and the mentally retarded, I'm inclined to think that the penalty should be the same. We should all be equal before the law, both the accused and the victim. I'm completely opposed to hate crime laws and I think that if we need harsher punishments for say someone assaulting a judge, then we need harsher penalties for someone assaulting anyone. One person shouldn't receive greater legal protection by way of potential consequences just because of their profession, race, sexual orientation, political office, or age. Why should what happened to these people carry less of a penalty than shooting the President?

[Art Vandelay]

I'm curious from the lawyers on the board: How much would you be asking for in damages, if this was your client? My (non-legal) answer is, A LOT.

[Donuthole]

I'm curious from the lawyers on the board: How much would you be asking for in damages, if this was your client? My (non-legal) answer is, A LOT.

In excess of $10,000.