The press is gonna love this one

[Jake2001]

This morning, the local ABC affiliate interrupted a program shortly after 8 AM CST to broadcast a live 'high speed chase' that was taking place in East Houston. After about a minute, the white car being chased pulled off the road to obviously surrender to the police. Several of Houston's finest swarmed the individual as he tried to exit his car. They grabbed him, shoved him face down to the ground, and cuffed him. Then one of the police officers kicked the incapacitated man in the head and started punching him. All of this was plain to see in the live broadcast from the helicopter overhead.

The HPD already has a bad reputation for this type of behavior and I am sure they are going to get plenty more criticism over this. No doubt the action will be shown on national television later today. Personally, I am glad the whole thing was caught on tape. It will bring more attention to the unnecessary brutality that exists at the hands of the people who are supposed to be above this behavior. In addition, I am glad the man was white so the race issue won't remove the real issue of police brutality.

Don't misunderstand me, I am all for exercising what is necessary to apprehend a suspected criminal. But the young male was face down on the ground, hands cuffed behind his back and had at least three police officers on top of him. I am not a bleeding heart that wants to see our police handicapped in conducting their duties but I do think this is more than unprofessional behavior.

I am too old to be naive so maybe I am just an idealist. Anyone else have any thoughts on this issue?

 

[Ambrosious]

If you are stupid enough to run from the cops, you get what you deserve. I'm just glad the asshole didn't kill anyone while trying to escape. I bet when the facts come in, we will find out he wasn't out collecting donations for the United Way.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Honorable people don't kick a man when he's down. No matter what kind of man he is. The only time it's acceptable, in my eyes, to kick a man when he's down is when doing so hasn't rendered him harmless.

I understand that in a high speed chase adrenaline starts running and it's hard to come off that frenzied high. If the police officer has trouble controlling himself in the midst of his adrenaline rush, then perhaps he be'd better suited to a different line of work.

Our Police force has too many problems as it is, they don't need jackasses running around making it worse for everyone. Particularly when there is a new helicopter hovering over to put that absolute worst possible spin on things. It's pretty pathetic, in my opinion, that the jackals that refer to themselves as journalists have some sort of malicious need to make cops look as bad as they possibly can. Not say all of the press does it, but there are alot of them out there who do.

 

[Jake2001]

The car was stolen according to the information they gave. The guy was at least stupid, maybe even crazy. But that doesn't give license to do what took place here. The point is, this kind of behavior is not only going to result in bad press, it will likely end up further limiting the power to control law and order by the people that need it.

 

[Closet Desire]

No excuse...

Oh yeah...it's tempting when all that adrenalin is flowing and seasoned with anger to just beat the living shit out of somebody like that. I imagine it's pretty satisfying. I can think of a few people I'd like to dish it out to like that, but I don't. It works in other places...Bogota for example...such conduct seems to really make folks respect the cops.

Cops aren't supposed to met out punishment because sometimes they make mistakes and beat up the wrong people. Police sometimes raid the wrong houses. The rules are in place to protect the police as much as to protect the public. When the rules are followed a mistake can end with nothing more than bruised egos and pissed off people rather than bloodshed.

I think the public sometimes misunderstands how much force is necessary to subdue a perp, but when he's cuffed and down a kick to the head for good measure is definitely out of order. There are lots of police forces and police officers who follow the rules and will be appalled when they see the tape.

My opinion...of course.

 

[livin_simple]

Thanks KM, you said it far better than I ever could.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[Ambrosious]

Oh, my! He stole a car? Or at least he was driving one. The poor baby, I hope they fire the Cops. All of them. That poor car thief was just a victim. Probably abused as a child. Probably abused by the "system" that didn't offer the man enough opportunity do make an honest living. Dammit! Fucking asshole coppers.

 

[Guest]

I'm looking at 50% of an 8 million dollar lawsuit now.
My main man will be buying his own BMWs now.

 

[Purple Haze]

You're abspolutely right, Ambro. This dirtbag should've gotten a couple more kicks to the head, as a matter of fact, every cop that was there should have stood in line and had a contest. If we could just pass a law that allows cops to punish these perpetrators, we wouldn't need these costly trials and public defenders costing us more tax money.

More money for beer, Yup. fer shur. Kick 'em again.

 

[Ambrosious]

Purple Haze

Good one!

 

[CreamyLady]

This is killing me, just killing me. I abhor violence in any form. However, I am also related to a lot of police officers (our family get-togethers are interesting, to say the least).

The swarming tactics are used because no one knows what a pumped-up suspect is going to do. Police officers have been disarmed and shot during struggles with suspects they assumed were subdued. You don't know, unless you are in the fight, what the suspect is saying or doing. You get an aerial view of what looks like total brutality, and maybe it is, but it could also be a suspect who will not stay down or shut up.

Now, my conservative, nay, reactionary family members can drive me to drink with their neanderthal attitudes. However, I wouldn't want one of them harmed in a fight.

As a matter of fact, my late uncle had his back broken when a person he'd pulled over for a speeding ticket ran him down afterward. Just another day on the job . . .

 

[Angel]

So it's ok for a cop to vent his frustrations but not Iverson?

 

[Ambrosious]

Who is Iverson? A crime fighter? Professional crybaby, I mean athlete?

Come on, is there a comparison? And I think Sprewell(sp) should be in prison too.

 

[Angel]

So because one chooses a career in law enforcement instead of basketball it makes him *better*?

I'm sure that means you are better than me because I hold a shitty job in a rat hole to pay bills and you have a more *honorable* job?
(And no I'm not saying it as truth I am making an example)
How hypocritical. Have you ever been harassed by a cop? They aren't all good, even other cops will admit it. I have been harassed by one. He now has no job. ::shrug::



[Edited by Angel on 02-02-2001 at 09:02 AM]

 

[TN_Vixen]

Closet D

I agree with you 100%

 

[KillerMuffin]

Scenario:

A cop pulls a man over who is driving a stolen car. The man, obligingly enough, pulls over. He expresses shock and dismay at being told he was being arrested for driving a stolen car. Then he calls the cop a slew of dirty invectives, gets out of his car and starts bellowing how it's all bullshit, he owns the car, he can prove it. He, from all reports, never threatens the cop, but casts aspersions on the cop, his family, his mother, and his children. Eventually the cop hauls off and whacks the guy for resisting arrest.

Now, following Ambrosious' and Purp's theory, the cop should then carry on and beat the everlasting shit out of our belligerent car thief before hauling his car theiving ass to jail.

During our thoroughly beaten and belligerent arrest resisting car thief's trial it comes out that he really does own the car. His wife reported it stolen because she was pissed of at the hubby and wanted to keep him occupied while she went out and got knocked up by her boyfriend.

Our hapless cop just whooped the fuck out of a guy who was innocent.

 

[Ambrosious]

Angel

That was a trip down the highway. How did you get that from what I said?

No, not all cops are honorable, no it is not a more noble profession. But if cops are held accountable, why not professional athletes? Sprewell, OJ, Ray Lewis, etc.

That is what I'm saying, and you know, if you want to stay out of the long arms of the law, don't steal cars.

Or become a really good basketball player.

 

[R Nitelight]

I don't know why anyone would want to be a cop.
The hot issue in New Jersey, and probably a lot of areas, is Racial Profiling.
Is Racial profiling a good thing? No, it is not. It is clearly not.
But I also saw in a news story that drug arrests are way down on New Jersey roads. It is becoming obvious that New Jersey police officers are becoming afraid to pull over minority drivers, even when may be justified, for fear of being accused of racism.
As an honest citizen, I think this is even worse.


I am a white male, but when I have my beard and long hair, I bear a striking resemblance to Charles Manson. My appearance also fits certain police stereotypes. I've been pulled over twice by police in the past year. Each time, it has gone something like this:

Hello, officer.
What seems to be the problem, sir.
Yes, I guess I was going a little fast, sir.
Here is my license, sir.
Here is my registration, sir.
Thank you, sir.
It won't happen again, sir.
Have a nice day, sir.


I believe if you are not a criminal and you show proper respect to the police, you'll be fine. Flash some attitude, and you'll get it returned a thousandfold.

 

[Angel]

It all depends on the Cop. Most are honorable and do their jobs properly (Well the ones I know, I have quite a few friends who are cops, and the BF wants to be one.) But there are just some out there who are fucking wrong and maybe they are on some kind of power trip. I used to hate cops just because of my one horrible experience, until I got to know some and I realized *I* was the one being predjudiced over one bad apple in the bunch.

I don't know why people become cops. All I know is my boyfriend wants to be one because he wants to help the city become a better place. He wants to be a *good cop* to make up for the bad ones. Get people in the neighborhoods to stop being afraid of them and more interested in helping clean them up and keep them clean. More power to him. I think that is the right reason to become one.

A uniform and that kind of power doesn't make it ok to kick a man in the head while he is down and incapacitated.

 

[Ambrosious]

Nitelight

Amen.

KillerMuffin

If I legally owned the car, why would I get THAT upset at someone obviously doing what they are paid to do. I would be respectful, and it would get straightened out.

 

[Purple Haze]

Another bit of sarcasm for those who didn't get it the first time.

Okay, I have an even better idea. Dirtbag get's pulled over, cops subdue him, and live, via sattellite, the viewers at home on the couch with a bag of Ruffles gets to vote on how many kicks to the head the guy deserves. Of course the facts on the matter would come from a Barbie-Doll type "journalist" in a bikini. No more courts, lawyers and bleeding hearts. Kind of like an interactive survivor series. Tuesday night would be "Steel Toe Night" and Thursday would feature "Big Bertha" doing belly flops on the accused. Must-see TV.

 

[Ambrosious]

Purple Haze

Another good one!

 

[KillerMuffin]

AMBROSIOUS

Not all of us go through life with a lackadaisical, he's only doing his job, approach to interpersonal relations. Some people get offended if they even see a police officer. Besides, what if he was meeting the Barbi Triplets, stars of WCW, Penthouse centerfolds, and porn queens? Wouldn't you get a little pissed off if some cop pulled you over and arrested you for stealing your own car?

Anyway. You can live in a police state if you wanna. I like the system we have here just fine. It isn't perfect, there is no such thing, but it's fixable and good enough.

Not all cops are good cops, not all cops are bad cops, and not all cops are meant to be cops. This incident has nothing to do with the criminal recieving a good kicking. It has everything to do with a cop that was either unable to control himself or too full of his authority to exercise restraint or simply a person doing a job he has no mental capacity to do. The officer did not further justice in any way by kicking a man while he's not only down but handcuffed. There is no justifiable reason for it.

 

[WriterDom]

So it's ok for a cop to vent his frustrations but not Iverson?

I hardly equate yelling at an entertainer after paying for a 50 dollar ticket to get into the game with a high speed chase through a city endangering the lives of many people.

but I guess I don't put athletes on a pedestal giving them the right to bend all the rules including murder.