THERE IS, YET AGAIN, A VIDEO of cops manhandling a suspect.
The immediate reaction, depending on political position is either
- Liberals: The cops are mistreating an innocent person — again.
Conservative: The suspect is forcing the cops to act this way; they have no alternative.
Who is right? Who is wrong?
IN A RECENT CASE in south Florida, the suspect is wrong.
The cops had a suspect for whatever crime. The suspect tried to run.
The cops showed restraint and the suspect only was “tased.” He could have been shot.
- Being shot is not likely since shooting a person in the back is prohibited by most departments unless the person is suspected of committing a felony.
Caveat: This scrivener's first born is a cop. He was not involved in this incident.
What SHOULD have happened
The person should have allowed himself to be taken into custody.
No Taser®.
No roughing up.
A ride to jail, a phone call to alert his relative of his status, and a meeting with an attorney before a preliminary hearing.
I’m sure a jail cell is not a 5-star hotel suite — as a newspaper reporter long ago I have been inside jails and federal prisons — but it’s better than being beaten or tased by cops trying to subdue a suspect.
- Even if the suspect is “caught in the act,” the suspect remains a “suspect” until determined otherwise in a court.
One of the first things I learned as a young lad in the military was “Do what you are told and argue about it later.”
Back then the reasoning was that if someone says “Hit the ground” and the soldier fails to respond, he might be it by an enemy bullet. While that’s not likely on a parade field, it was the response that was being taught.
The “argue about it later” is valid when dealing with cops (and other persons of authority, as we learned at home [parents], school [teachers], service [sergeants] ).
While it is not recommended, what some protesters did by lying limp is safer than getting into a cop’s face. The cops will have to take “dead weight” to the Black Maria1 — and that is NOT racist; look it up — for transport to the lockup.
Sue the cops
If the cops make a mistake and arrest the wrong person — it happens — there are lots of lawyers who, for a hefty fee, will gladly file a wrongful arrest case against the cops and the jurisdiction that employs them.
That probably is the best way to eliminate rogue “cowboy” cops who ought not be cops in the first place.
- It also is a good idea to insist that whatever media reported the arrest is obliged —
the lawyer can help with this, too — to report that the defendant was exonerated (found innocent rather than “not guilty”) at the same level as the arrest was reported.
True story. As a reporter in northern California, a story about a guy arrested for a felony was front page, above-the-fold news; BIG headline. When the court ruled he was innocent, I insisted that this story ALSO appeared on the front page, above-the-fold and under a BIG headline. Fair is fair.
Got a weapon? Drop it
Cops like to see empty hands.
When a cop sees a suspect carrying something, the cop reaches for his (her) service weapon.
That’s the first step to someone being shot.
People with concealed weapons permits are told that if they use their weapon, before the cops arrive on the scene, (a) empty the weapon and (b) put the weapon in plan sight so the cops won’t suspect you are the bad guy.
Again, EMPTY HANDS avoids “accidents.”
Admittedly, it is difficult to keep cool when being “harassed” by the cops (or any authority, ibid.), but that is the only way to protect yourself.
DO NOT GIVE THE COPS AN EXCUSE.
Don’t run from the cops. Run to the courts.
It’s safer for all concerned.
Most cops don’t want to hurt a suspect. Certainly the cops I know prefer to keep things peaceful.
If a suspect tries to “rabbit” (run away) the cops will act like dogs — what does a dog do when a rabbit (or almost any animal) goes by? It chases it. If the dog catches the prey . . .
Revenge can be sweet
Disappoint the far left with their cell phone cameras at the ready.
Do as instructed by the authority.
Revenge — in the courts — can be sweet . . . and, perhaps, profitable
Sources
1. Black Maria: https://tinyurl.com/y2dudavd
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