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Police Brutality

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Sir Edward:
Here's an interesting discussion topic. Unnecessary police brutality. It's a big problem in every country, including our own. The vast majority of cops are good upstanding people. But I've heard former officers say that about 10% are there for the wrong reasons.

With each passing year, there are more camera phones out there capable of recording video. So it's getting recorded more frequently now. Most of the time, the police officers either don't get disciplined, or they get a slap on the wrist (a reprimand and a couple of days suspension with pay, for instance).

There's an interesting video on facebook (you might have to have an account to see it), where four cops run down someone running across a sports field. I'm not sure what country this was recorded in. Anyway, they pin the guy, and afterward start hitting the guy with a baton. One of the cops tries to motion the guy to stop, but it's too late, and an enraged audience floods into the stadium and runs the cops off, apparently knocking one out. Here's the link:

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I can't condone having angry mobs, of course. But what do you do when there's little recourse? When police officers frequently aren't disciplined for harming the people they're supposed to be serving?

In this case, we don't know what happened from the video alone. We don't know if the guy was resisting and being belligerent. We don't know what happened before the video begins, including the cultural context that might have led to a general anger towards the police. Nothing is there, except the incident.

But I have a feeling this is going to become a big issue soon. With the whole "Occupy Wall Street" thing going on, there are lots of stories and video clips coming out of there about police brutality. Such as shooting a marine vet at point-blank with rubber bullets, fracturing his skull. Another case was a couple of young women cordoned off by a retaining fence, clearly upset but staying in place and not at all dangerous, a cop walks up, pepper-sprays them, and walks off. In another one, you see a police motorcycle run over some guy's leg after he fell (at a very controlled 3 MPH or so).

These videos are becoming quite common with this event going on, but they've been growing in frequency anyway due to camera phones. Frequently instead of the cops getting busted, what happens is the police charge the person who recorded it as "illegal wiretapping". Usually, but not always, the judge comes down on the side that recording a police officer who is on duty is perfectly legal. But how many people can successfully deal with a criminal charge and afford a good lawyer for a bogus charge like this? Many, but not all, of course.

What are your feelings on the matter? Where do we draw the line between police doing their duty and taking things too far? What recourse should there be?

Sir Brian:
Interesting subject of debate Sir Edward! I abhor all brutality of the strong subjugating the weak just as much as I detest lawlessness and civil discord for the sole purpose of subverting an established system of government on the basis of nothing more than one group coveting what another group has. – Not a noble cause in the least.  ???

As for the genuine police brutality incidents, if the existing political appointees and elected officials are unwilling to take the bad apples in the police department to task then those elected officials need to be voted out of office. An angry mob giving premeditated resistance or displaying highly aggressive behavior severely increases the anxiety level for any individual trying to maintain crowd control. Compound that with weeks of maintaining that level of anxiety and it is only a matter of time before the entire situation deteriorates into full blown anarchy and for that I place the accountability upon those that started the whole half-baked protest movement without having any clearly defined objectives except to cause disruption and civil disturbances.

On a personal note I could never be a police officer. My brother is now a detective in Florida and when he was a patrolman I did a ride around with him. I told him at the end of the day that I did not know how he did his job because it takes an immense amount of self control to deal with a sometimes hostile public in highly unpredictable and potentially violent situations. I told my brother I’d have a shooting incident at the first traffic stop we conducted!  ;)

Sir Wolf:
as someone who wanted to do this job, and has still thought about it weekly as a back up life style i can say are we sure we always have all of the facts in the situations. even when we think we do there are always underlying causes for the reaction of an officer to his defense. i will never trust the news or public opinions on such situations, but I know how things can be "covered up" too. i just trust that everyone "like i know you guys do" will take news reports with a grain of salt and try to be in that officers shoes.

of course if the guys is a doush then kick his but outta the uniform hehehe

SirNathanQ:
It's once again, one of those very fine lines.
I think the police should have the right to defend themselves, and pretty effectively.
I think if a person attacks a police officer (in any physical manner) then the officer should be able to respond with any force he deems necessary.
However, any officer found guilty of inflicting violence upon the non-violent should be punished heavily.
Like desk work for a month, and mandatory classes for offenders, and repeat offenders losing their job.   

Thorsteinn:
While I do feel that sometimes there are folks who just need to "fall down a few times on the way to the cruiser" (watch Cops some time and that come clear quick), I am in complete agreement with George Carlin on this:

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