Police excesses: Taser Video clears homeless woman?

[Kaonohi]

The Advertiser printed this article, in which a video device attached to a Taser used to subdue a mentally ill homeless woman shows the police allegations that they were being attacked are seriously in question.

The lawyer representing the woman said the video shows the woman backing away from the officers, i.e., "takes 14 steps backwards" from police. When the police say "just shoot her already," and she is Tasered and shot in the abdomen.

I wonder if these are among the same 78% of officers who complained that discipline was too strict.

[Kaonohi]

Re: Police excesses: Taser Video clears homeless woman?

I had HPD respond to an altercation in my neighborhood lately - an alleged trespassing assault. I watched (being Neighborhood Board Leader), and I was impressed by the tolerance and professionalism they showed, acting as a mediating team to quell a dispute between neighbors, get everyone to leave each other alone and go home, and restore peace.

Peace Officers. One time that's what we called police. These guys fit the bill.

I guess each barrel has its bad apples, and we find them when they do stuff like in the OP. Tasering and shooting a woman who was backing away, trying to protect herself is unforgivable. If indeed that's the case I hope they won't be HPD for much longer.

[abunaitoo]

Re: Police excesses: Taser Video clears homeless woman?

What happened to the lady is the norm for hpd when there are not a lot of people around.
Lucky for the lady it was recorded.
Let's hope these "bad apples" get kicked off the force.

Wonder what would have happened if the lady didn't get shot????
Would we be told the truth????

[salmoned]

Re: Police excesses: Taser Video clears homeless woman?

What 'Bad Apples'? You said this sort of police behavior is the norm. That indicates the whole barrel (in the form of police policy or attitude) is likely spoiled. On that, I would have to agree.

Take a look at the Gates incident - even if Gates was yelling epithets at the top of his voice, once the officer determined that the call was a false alarm he should have said, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, sir", then calmly walk away from the property to minimize any further inconvenience of the irate, but law-abiding Gates. The officer says he was provoked, but he should have understood the provocation he was causing Gates with his unwanted presence. As well, officers are trained not to react to provocation, but rather to assess situations and respond with reason. In this case, deference to the law-abiding citizen was appropriate.

[Kalalau]

Re: Police excesses: Taser Video clears homeless woman?

A case came to light in LA a few years ago, reported in the LA Times, when a corrupt cop involved in drug trade ratted out other corrupt cops in the LAPD. The investigation expanded and the report detailed heavy police abuse of Blacks and Hispanics dating back to the 19th century. The very expensive Watts Riots and Rodney King Riots were a direct result of this abuse. We do need cops, there are bad people out there and we need the police to protect our whole society from them. At the same time we can see that not controlling the police amounts to tyranny and just as in Czarist Russia or royalist France or the Watts or King riots, there does come a breaking point, at which citizens have simply had enough abuse and rebel, sometimes with historic consequences. A nation that is interested in preserving itself into the future should keep its police under control. Its not just a matter of justice, it is a matter of national survival.

Some of the abuse reported in the Times story was as bad as reported under our man in Chile, Augusto Pinochet--drowning victims in raw sewage. This, done under the American flag, under the promise of justice, under a Constitution that prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Like everything else, the police need to be controlled.