The Police Brutality Thread

[falafel]

I think we all agree with that. But I am focused on whether he did something wrong.

I think its pretty clear he reacted with way more force than was necessary, especially since there is no evidence on that video that she posed any actual threat to him.

[Maximus]

Does she have a right to ask that? I don't know. She doesn't in my state. He pulls the tazer after the second request to get back in the car is not complied with. If she has a right to see that and he refuses, then I would probably change my tune. Though does she have a right to see it right then on her terms, or does he have to show it some time during the stop when he is ready? I don't know. I can agree that maybe a more experienced cop would have spent more time reasoning with her. Just keep in mind that when they train these guys they show them video after video of an officer getting killed while they are reasoning and cajoling someone. I've got more reason than most people to be skeptical of police and I abhor police brutality. But police are entitled to reasonable measures to keep them safe too. Requiring a person to stay in their vehicle and comply with basic commands that are officer safety oriented are something I think we can all agree are necessary.

So here after she doesn't comply with the second command, he can either take control of the situation and make sure she doesn't escalate it or he can keep rolling the dice on what she might do next. Like I say, maybe a more experienced officer de-escalates this, but I have really hard time asking someone to take that risk.

She got back in the car. After she did, he should have just continued on like a normal human instead of then trying to grab her out of the car.

[UtahDan]

She got back in the car. After she did, he should have just continued on like a normal human instead of then trying to grab her out of the car.

She got back in the car after he told her she was under arrest.

[falafel]

She got back in the car. After she did, he should have just continued on like a normal human instead of then trying to grab her out of the car.

What if she got back in her car to get her gun?

[UtahDan]

What if she got back in her car to get her gun?

[YOUTUBE]GX5kwVc9IOk[/YOUTUBE]

[RobinFinderson]

She got back in the car. After she did, he should have just continued on like a normal human instead of then trying to grab her out of the car.

I recently finished a seven-week tour of duty in an inner-city middle school. Middle school teachers are a lot like the cops we see in these videos. They get in the habit of asserting a really oppressive and ugly style of authority, and when the receivers of that ugly-style of authority balk, the ugliness escalates. I think these cops/teachers forget who they work for, and why their job exists.

The problem is, this mom-with-kids-in-the-car, got the ghetto treatment. I wonder if the same people who are crying foul in this instance would be equally upset if the woman were simply replaced by someone's whose appearance was more 'gangster.'

[Maximus]

What if she got back in her car to get her gun?

You could say the same if she got back in the car the second he told her to.

[Indy Coug]

You could say the same if she got back in the car the second he told her to.

If he told her to get back in the car, then she wouldn't have been under arrest and therefore had significantly less reason to pull out a gun to avoid arrest.

[Maximus]

[YOUTUBE]GX5kwVc9IOk[/YOUTUBE]

wow thats horrible.

[Maximus]

Yep, shes only brain dead.

[Indy Coug]

<Cop being killed video>

Sorry, but there's no way I can watch something like that.

[old_gregg]

Yep, shes only brain dead.

so it's necessary to refer to the officer as a "fat florida cop"?

[Indy Coug]

so it's necessary to refer to the officer as a "fat florida cop"?

Evidently, Maximus has some serious resentment issues over a trifling texting ticket. Given his affinity for the Paletinians, I would expect Maximus to finally be able to let go of it somewhere around the 3rd Sunday in July of 2294.

[venkman]

I agree with Indy, it's smart to comply with cops. The problem I have with cops in these situations is their approach. You can't discuss, argue, or plead your case. There is no discussion, no give and take. They give you a command, if you still want to discuss, they give you the command again, louder and more forceful. Before you know it, you're facedown on the pavement over a speeding ticket. It's ridiculous. Too often cops are the ones escalating the situation. We need a touch more Andy Griffith in law enforcement.

[creekster]

I agree with Indy, it's smart to comply with cops. The problem I have with cops in these situations is their approach. You can't discuss, argue, or plead your case. There is no discussion, no give and take. They give you a command, if you still want to discuss, they give you the command again, louder and more forceful. Before you know it, you're facedown on the pavement over a speeding ticket. It's ridiculous. Too often cops are the ones escalating the situation. We need a touch more Andy Griffith in law enforcement.

I agree with this idea but then I watch videos like the one UD posted and understand why cops thend to act like they do.