A distinguished British historian, in the USA for an international conference, was wrestled to the ground by 5 police officers, arrested and spent the night in the cells, simply for trying to cross the road. What is wrong with these people?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,29389-2541133,00.html
2007-01-11 00:14:28 · 29 answers · asked by Martin 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Practice?? No really it is something that just happens sometimes it doesn't mean all American police officers are thugs. The professor had a right to see ID if the police officer wasn't in uniform and didn't identify himself, but after he did he pretty much has to do what the officer says. Their is a saying ignorance of the law is no excuse. If I was in England and a cop told me to do something I would just do it no matter how much it might rankle me.
2007-01-11 00:17:52 · answer #1 · answered by Frank R 7 · 5⤊ 3⤋
Most cops are good guys doing a hard thankless job. However about 10 percent are thugs with badges. These guys were the guys in high school who could not get a date with their own sister. They are poorly educated for the most part and resent anyone who is in a better socioeconomic position than them. Unfortunately they are given a gun and a badge and a license to take out their insecurities on others. When someone asserts their right to question their authority they react as all bullies and abuse their power.
In answer to some of the knee jerk responses to this question I would say the following. The officer did not have the right to ask for the professors ID unless he was arresting the man or investigating a crime, which he was not. Jaywalking is a citation offense, you can not arrest someone for it. You can only issue a ticket. This cop exceeded his legal authority. He obviously has some psychiatric issues that need to addressed before he goes out on the street again. Remember the cops work for us and are answerable to us. I don't advocate rudeness but I do advocate accountability for everyone especially those given the power to interfere with peoples liberty.
2007-01-13 09:32:00 · answer #2 · answered by Isue4u 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
American police aren't thugs. Why do people think that they can go around doing as they please and when confronted by the police, can do or say whatever they want? I'm aware that there is free speech. Also, you should be aware that when a cop is dealing with someone and their actions are perceived as a threat, the cop is allowed to go one step higher to stop the threat. Also, please understand, when you see 5 cops restraining someone, it is for safety (both the cops and the subjects). It is hard to restrain someone who doesn't want to be handcuffed. If the officer has to struggle with the individual, then people get injured or other tools (baton, tazer, pepper spray) will need to be used. Nobody wants that. So 5 cops come and handcuff someone without any injury to anyone. The downfall with this country are the people who watch the news or read the newspaper, without understanding what the police deal with on a day to day basis, and make conclusions. It's even worse that these people pass these ideas on to their children. Then these poor kids grow up thinking it's okay to be disrespectful to other people, to include the police. I just realized that I could go on for hours about this issue.
2007-01-11 03:52:48 · answer #3 · answered by Dan 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Your knucklehead countryman thought he was being cute by breaking the coppers aggats. When you're stopped by a police officer and instructed to produce identification you don't turn on the British charm and get cutesy-pie.
That may float in GB but not here. It also only takes 5 cops to accomplish a job when the individual in question decides to resist arrest and make a spectacle of himself...such as this fellow did. You're in a foreign country bubby. If some American citizen gave some grief to a copper in London and gets a rubber trunchon acorss the knees so be it. Abide by the laws and customs of the country you're in. Can't do it? Then go back home.
2007-01-11 00:26:06 · answer #4 · answered by Quasimodo 7 · 7⤊ 2⤋
"A distinguished British historian" - irrelevant, "in the USA for an international conference" - irrelevant, "was wrestled to the ground by 5 police officers" - not according to his own remarks, "arrested and spent the night in the cells" - that is what happens when you bow up to a cop in the performance of his duties, "simply for" - meaning because he was "trying to cross the road" - violating an ordinance, then refusing to comply with a lawful order, and then resisting. "What is wrong with these people?" - I trust you are referring to the Brit who, ignorant of the law, chose not to comply and then resist a uniformed officer.
2007-01-11 00:29:03 · answer #5 · answered by Curious1usa 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
They are just as stupid and ignorant as some of your American answerers. It is precisely because of this kind of unneccasary over reaction that America is increasigly becoming more and more hated by much of the rest of the world. It is also this kind of arrogance and disregard for other people that has caused so many American atrocities throughout the world. America should hang it's head in shame for the many human rights abuses it commits on a daily basis.
2007-01-11 03:59:56 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
He violated the law, refused to recognise the police as officers of the law even though they were in uniform, and fought with them when they tried to ticket him, forcing them to physically restrain him. Why are "distinguished Britis historians" such arrogant morons? Do they think they're above the law? What is wrong with those people?
2007-01-11 00:22:17 · answer #7 · answered by My Evil Twin 7 · 6⤊ 1⤋
It sounds to me like the subject broke the law and was acting in a threatening manner towards the officer. If at any time we feel threatened we are to go through a series of 5 steps in the "use of force" process.
1) appearence as a force
2) words as force (i.e. verbal judo)
3) physical force and defensive tactics
4) non-lethal force (i.e. OC, tazer)
5) lethal force
We are to start at the top and work down, only going to the next step when it has already been presented to us by the subj at hand. It looks as if he was starting to get irrate and physical towards the officer. The officer arrested him, and it looked as if he was resisting the officer arresting him. We weren't there and there could have been many factors that led up to that situation. I would back the officer 110%. He was doing his job.
2007-01-11 01:46:52 · answer #8 · answered by River 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Because (most) of the people they deal with are such thugs, so best stay clear of the police so you don't get mistaken for a thug!
2007-01-11 00:20:14 · answer #9 · answered by b b 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You have to be real careful over the pond not to upset these people, they have their own set of rules. The whole justice and law system over there is b##locks. J walking? Who gives a f##k. Get a life Copper.
2007-01-15 00:06:03 · answer #10 · answered by JOHN 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋