[quote name='DarklyDreaming' timestamp='1298482304' post='4778033']
[quote name='DarkZoulz' timestamp='1298480746' post='4778022']
[quote name='demonkoryu' timestamp='1298467122' post='4777934']
[quote name='DarkZoulz' timestamp='1298462347' post='4777912']
We pride ourself in thinking we are free and can do whatever we want. Everyone should be so lucky. But how free are we really?
We aren't so free as to be able to mess around with police officers. I mean, in fact we
are free, but as reported, it's only a waste of precious police time.
Dose of reality for the OP.
These guys are there to deal with (among others) criminals and have been granted special rights to be able to do so effectively. They especially aren't allowed to let get
suspects (as
you playfully made yourself one) away, and
they are trained (and bound) to
use reasonable force to
ensure public safety.
[/quote]
It amazes me how blindly people are willing to accept authority. I understand the reason for having and enforcing laws. Otherwise people will abuse the system and deviate from established social values. But what is the root cause for people behaving in this manner? Fixing root causes is the only way to get rid of problems for good. Laws are just a way to patch the problems. They will never actually solve anything. But I digress. My point was that people seem to just shrug this off as something normal. I'm not saying the officer was wrong to suspect he was a criminal. It's natural for him to do so since most people actually are. But isn't this an alarming development? What's next, armed military in the streets? Since nothing is being done to address the root causes (just patching up the problems) it can only get worse.
[/quote]
How do you go from 'reasonable response used to apprehend a suspect' to 'armed military in the streets'? Martial law is a last-resort to ensure public safety (you can argue whether it really does or not, but it's
designed to do just that). Law enforcement officers, unlike the military, aren't trained to use violence as a first resort to enforce the law - they are trained to use whatever force is necessary to apprehend suspects, stop a crime from being committed and so on. Military officers are trained to use force to destroy and subdue enemy combatants. That you didn't make this distinction is troubling, more so than your unproven assertions. The OP was clearly out of line - basically pulling what amounted to a prank on the officer. I mean, damn.
Also, being an alarmist because one jerk got what he deserved is well...let's just call it unnecessary.
[/quote]
You think punching someone in the face is reasonable behavior for suspecting he is a criminal? If I punched you in the face because I thought you where a criminal, would it be ok? Why is it reasonable if a police officer does it? For me, reasonable would be to never suspect anyone of being any kind of criminal. Using military was perhaps a bit extreme, but my point is: If punching someone in the face for believing that person is a criminal is 'reasonable' now. Why is it so hard to believe that keeping armed military in the cities to help law enforcement wouldn't be deemed 'reasonable' in the future?
Just to clarify yet again, I'm not blaming the cop for anything.
[/quote]
Of course punching someone in the face in this context is unreasonable so I would agree with you that you have a point, but honestly police officers get enough of a bad rep sometimes, AND IN THIS CONTEXT even though I agree that it wasn't necessary for any fist to start swining. The OP ran from the police officer which forced him to take chase and tried to close a door behind him, now the officer trying to make sure the door doesnt close he sticks his hand in there,
now whether it was actually a punch or him trying to reach in and making accidental contact with the face we will never know, cause I have witnessed first hand PLENTY of times when my own personal friends stretch the story to make the officer/ security guard look wrong, even tho I was physically there and it wasn't even like how they described.
and regardless of that, with the adreniline running and the officer in chase of course the culprit will get roughed up regardless its not like the officer is going to gently lift the culprit into a bed of feathers, he even called back and apologized, which shows hes not a bad guy, cause honestly if someone would of forced me to take chase just for sh!t and giggles, the last thing on my mind would be apoligizing.
Now if the story was that the OP was sitting minding his own business and out of nowhere an officer comes and gives him a quick jab in the face, I would be appauled by everything just like you.