POLICE COMMISSIONER Charles H. Ramsey yesterday asked Philadelphians not “to rush to judgment” when watching a video showing baton-wielding cops repeatedly striking, kicking and stomping three young men whom they had stopped after a triple shooting in Hunting Park.
“On the surface, it certainly does not look good in terms of the amount of force that was used,” Ramsey said during a news conference with Mayor Nutter at police headquarters.
Ramsey said that an Internal Affairs investigation is under way. He expressed concern for the mental well-being of the entire force, which is still reeling in the wake of Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski’s slaying last weekend…
“The video is the video,” Mayor Nutter said. “We have no audio. You don’t know what was going on at that moment when the officers approached the vehicle. There will be an investigation and we will move on.”
Does wearing a badge permit you to be a vigilante?
These jackasses (the criminals) are guilty of attempted murder of three other people. That’s the reason they were pursued. As far as I’m concerned, once a criminal crosses that threshold they no longer have rights. I think the video does nothing but rile up all the uneducated “we are oppressed” folks in the country.
Would you kindly ask a murder to be still while you cuff them? Or would you make *sure* they didn’t move while they were cuffed?
Anyone ever meet a police officer outside of a traffic stop? They deserve the public’s respect as much as our men and women of the military.
#65:
“Most cops go a whole career without ever pulling a gun in the line of duty.”
Actually most cops draw their gun quite frequently. It’s that they hardly fire their weapon.
#81–Michael==did you read the linked article? The three who got beat up are totally innocent of any wrong doing. ==only guilty of “driving while black.”
Why don’t you read that article and get back to us on where rational support should be?
I love the excuse machine on display. Cops are tired and frustrated so the innocent citizens of Philly should be concerned for the cops emotions when they beat the crap out of people.
High standards indeed. If those goons on tape where in the Military, they should be courts martialed for the good of the service and the honor of the USA? Won’t happen to cops though–poor stressed out bunnies that they are.
>>Would you kindly ask a murder to be still
>>while you cuff them?
Would YOU take a possibly innocent person (actually innocent, in this case), put them in handcuffs, and THEN kick the holy fuck out of them, as these “peace officers” did?
Takes a really special kind of person to kick someone in the balls (over and over and over again) with their hands cuffed behind them. Then beat them with a nightstick. And then drag them across the asphalt, face down, with their hands up behind them. Yeah. They deserve the public’s respect. Riiiiiight. Bet you thought Hitler was a Real Fine Fellow too. (OK, not necessary to point out that I obeyed Godwin’s law here).
#65, Michael isn’t that the problem Has “Anyone ever meet a police officer outside of a traffic stop?”
Where are they when real crime is being committed?
How long does it take for them to respond to real crime vs. how many money making tickets they give out?
Your right about one thing, people only know what they have experienced. Too many people have experienced people not interested in attacking real crime.
#81, Michael,
As far as I’m concerned, once a criminal crosses that threshold they no longer have rights.
So whatever happened to “Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law?”
Why do you hate America Michael? Would it be because they closed your John Birch Society Chapter? Is it because they won’t allow you to wear your white robes through town without those uppity niggars kicking the living shit out of you? Is it because your mommy wants you to move out of the basement and get a real job that doesn’t involve web design or selling cheats for GTA II?
#82, Michael,
Actually most cops draw their gun quite frequently. It’s that they hardly fire their weapon.
Sorry. You must be watching too much COPS. The majority of police will never draw their weapon in the line of duty.
Snip from article:
“Police watched as four men got out of a gold Mercury Grand Marquis and walked to the corner. One of them then fired upon three other men standing on the corner. The man who fired took off running and his three companions got back in the Grand Marquis and drove off, with police in pursuit, Ramsey said.”
Though the shooter ran off, the other three occupants of the car were involved in the shooting. That’s why they were pursued. That’s why they were stopped. That’s why they were forcefully taken down.
#86 “Sorry. You must be watching too much COPS. The majority of police will never draw their weapon in the line of duty.”
What is your reference for this? I know many a police officer in many different departments, in many different cities. While the act of drawing a weapon does not imply aiming it at a person or pulling the trigger, it happens more than you realize. Near every felony traffic stop has the office drawing his weapon. Searching a building for a suspect has the officer drawing his weapon. The odds an officer will have to fire his weapon are extremely low but don’t assume it stays in the holster.
#85 “Where are they when real crime is being committed?
How long does it take for them to respond to real crime vs. how many money making tickets they give out?”
Speeding is a crime FYI – want to know how many people die in traffic related accidents? Look it up. Despite what you may think, traffic cops don’t usually have quotas – they are assigned traffic duty. That’s what they do on their shift. Just because you get upset when you’re fined for going 30mph over the limit doesn’t negate what their doing.
78 Mr. Gawd.
“Police watched as four men got out of a gold Mercury Grand Marquis and walked to the corner. One of them then fired upon three other men standing on the corner. The man who fired took off running and his three companions got back in the Grand Marquis and drove off, with police in pursuit”
That’s how I know they were involved. In an attempt to willfully end the life of another human being. Boring stuff for you, perhaps.
Since these gentlemen were too busy fleeing to follow instructions or otherwise politely reveal the true extent of their threat to the cops, the police have a higher duty to protect themselves – even if the risk to them could be quantified at barely a percentage point.
Understand that the risk of injury & death to the cops is somewhat additive. If the risk is low, say 1%, over the course of 100 take-downs, it approaches 100%. It’s like rolling a die with 100 sides to it. The idea is to make the probability of injury to the cops an astronomically low number. Else, you go face someone having just shown murderous intent.
RBG
#69 – Get rid of stupid cities and you won’t have crap like this. Screw ‘em all. They’ll all die from global warming anyway.
If you don’t like living in the enclave of culture, then keep stick to your backwoods mountain shack. We won’t mind.
But per capita, crime is no worse in the city than it is in rural America.
#70 – And I think most NORMAL people would think the guys who just participated in a murder should be treated like the most lethal form of assassin.
I would hope that NORMAL people would want to know if those guys participated in a murder, especially when it seems likely that they did not… but in a culture of vengeance that might be too much to ask for.
Here’s a site commemorating over 7,000 cops killed in the line of duty.
7000? Out of how many total cops over what length of time? Is that all cops killed in the line? I shouldn’t have to remind you, I am from a police family. I don’t need to be reminded that on occasion, cops die. We don’t dishonor the dead by becoming brutal thugs.
If these guys are criminals who were shooting weapons, then I believe that these officers are doing a good job and a service for their community. Violent crime can only be solved by even more violent police that is upholding the law. I am with the POLICE!
God bless them.
Higher than I thought–seems cops are the 8th most dangerous job in USA.
http://tinyurl.com/4zr7zu
>>That’s why they were forcefully taken down.
And then they were handcuffed, and then kicked, beaten, had their testicles stomped on, and dragged face-down across the asphalt while manacled. Man, those cops must be REAL MEN!!
Okay here’s a question that needs to be answered (don’t care about mindless comments).
So, these 3 fine, upstanding citizens were hanging out with a 4th person who is a murderous scumbag.
Scumbag shoots 3 people and runs. Did any of these 3 fine, upstanding citizens promptly call the police to turn in this scumbag whom they knew the ID of?
#92 “And then they were handcuffed, and then kicked, beaten, had their testicles stomped on, and dragged face-down across the asphalt while manacled. Man, those cops must be REAL MEN!!”
Let me ask you a question – would you mind one little bit if these three accessories to attempted murder were beaten after shooting at you or your loved ones? Nope, me neither.
“So, these 3 fine, upstanding citizens were hanging out with a 4th person who is a murderous scumbag.
Scumbag shoots 3 people and runs. Did any of these 3 fine, upstanding citizens promptly call the police to turn in this scumbag whom they knew the ID of?”
It’s not about them being fine upstanding citizens. It’s about the police going way above what they needed to do to place these men in custody. Once a suspect is on the ground with handcuffs, there’s no reason whatsoever to continue to pummel them about the head with kicks or stomp on anyone’s privates. (I would argue that there’s no reason to stomp anyone about the head or on their privates regardless of whether or not they were subdued, but I may just be a softie that way.) All you gotta do is frisk them for weapons and put them in the patrol wagon, move on.
This type of violence does nothing but stir up controversy and turn the public against you, thus increasing the danger. Now every two bit criminal is going to be scared that the cops will simply toss him to the ground and beat the everloving shit out of them, so they might as well do some escalation of their own and put some hurt on the cops instead of going quietly. It’s both bad police work and bad policy.
“every two bit criminal is going to be scared that the cops will simply toss him to the ground and beat the everloving shit out of them”
Good!
#95 – Remember, no mindless comments in response to the question asked.
#97–pat==why would you put your families bread winner at risk of being executed “gang style” for turning snitch when it was only a rival gang member horning in on your friends territory?
There is no legal requirement to turn in people you know did crimes==morals to very based on how much you value your life?
89 O. Re-read 88 RBG to find that they were involved.
Is that all cops killed in the line?
Politics before family, huh? How many of your “family” of cops murdered is ok for you then? I know of some families who might have a different opinion than yours.
RBG
#98 – A yes or no is required to play. Justifying homicidal behavior earns no points.