why do some police think they are above the law?

Question

owning pepper spray is illegal for normal people so why do police have it? and some police abuse the fact. My neighbour was assulted tonight by 2 police officers he was choked, punched, kicked, handcuffed then while on his knees with a knee in his back was sprayed with pepper you may say he must of been violent well as i witnessed it for my self (bare in mind i don't like my neighbour so not biesed) his only crime was to refer to them as tossers i think this is an abuse of there powers please disscuss also any advice for my neighbour as there was just no need.

I feel i need to add some/ more details
my neighbour was in bed when the police knocked on door he got out of bed went to window ask what the prob was the police said he had called them and he knows neighbour his name is john got his dressing gown on went downstairs opened the door explaned no one had phoned and to check their facts they then said a 13 year old had phoned over domestic john has 2 sons 7and9 and his wife who is not 13! now this is when he called to his wife to come down and see the "tossers" now i must say the above events are from john i was not there so can't say if it is what happened what i will say is the walls are very thin and i did not hear any shouting or arguments during day but did hear john shout to his wife to come see this is when i played nosey neighbour and opened front door to see police shouting at john then storm in. like i say i don't really get on with him mainly because he is outspoken and i find him rude now the other point i did say SOME police

also i am sorry about spelling i don't pretend to be perfect, the police force in this area replaced cs with pepper spray, i am posting this from u.k and i do agree police should be able to protect themselves but then so should everyone if someone asulted me and i used pepper i would be arrested for an illegle weapon 1 last point john has just returned from hospital he has had a 2 day stay for suspected fractured cartilage turned out to be serious soft tissue damage on his throut hospital kept him in over night as he was not eating or drinking as too painful he also showed me the bruising round his neck, shoulders, ribs, lower back, the swelling to his knees and the cuts and bruising to his wrists from the hand-cuffs.

Answer 1

You know what I have figured out in my 24 years as a cop? People who comply with the law and the orders given to them by the police never, ever, ever have to have force used on them during an arrest or control situation.

Remember this... the police can use all necessary force to effect an arrest.

Act like a idiot and you are going to get the full police tune up.

Just giving you what you came for. Ask for the full service and you are sure to get it. I am going home unhurt every night. It is up to you if you want the same.

Answer 2

They used to shoot idiots who gave them trouble at least it was pepper spray why were the police there in the first place sounds to me from your story he beats on his wife so maybe one of the boys called the police to protect the and there mother perhaps a month or two in jail would help your neighbor you couldn't pay me enough to be a cop the crap they see and go through isn't worth it what would we do if we didn't have law and order not saying the law is perfect but we sure in the heck wouldn't have any luxuries we wold be living like animals more than we are know look how they live in Iraq would you really want to live this way think about it!!!!!!!

Answer 3

To answer your first question police have pepper spray for their own protection, just like they have a metal baton. And may I add rightly so. The response officers should also be issued with Taser, and in due course this should happen.

As for punching, kicking and gassing someone for calling them a tosser then obviously no. However the chances are that when they arrested him for disorderly behaviour or being drunk and disorderly he became violent. Now my opinion on this is that you use reasonable force and reasonable force only. If that means you have to baton someone then so be it. In 11 years I've only ever used gas once and never used my baton.

I for one can't afford to lose my job for a moment of stupidity.

Answer 4

Owning OC Spray (pepper spray) is not illegal especially for LEOs. You can buy it in any stop and rob.

Your neighbor probably failed to comply, resisted arrest, and general behaved badly.

If your neighbor wants to file a complaint he should speak with the supervisor on duty about this. If the officer's agency is like mine there will be a use of force report filed and an investigation into the force used anyway. Since you were not sprayed or subjected to soft or hard hand techniques you have no complaints.

Answer 5

There is always someone who thinks that they are above the law but most police love the law. Your friend should not have resisted arrest. If he were not guilty he would go with them and get it straightened out. Yes police carry pepper spray, knight sticks and guns because they are out there putting their lives on the line. The only people I know that hate the police are law breakers.

Answer 6

Dog Lover is right, when I was in law enforcement the only perps that got tuned up were the ones that would fail to comply with a lawful order during an arrest, the amount of force used was enough to effect the arrest. I also as well as my partner went home with out being hurt.
The police are not being paid to get hurt.

Answer 7

Well first of all, the police were responding to a possible domestic violence call from a residence where a child called in correct? These are the most violent calls because police don't know what to expect when they arrive. Your neighbors name calling and rude attitude probably antigonized the police and made it very very difficult to do their job. I doubt all these things happened to your neighbor but if he was unruly and out of control, the police have every right to detain him to protect themselves by whatever means necessary.

Answer 8

So basically you are just a third party observer with no insight on what actually happened but still decide to drag all the uniformed law enforcement officers (good or bad) through the mud in the public eye.

Answer 9

If this is the case you must go to your neighbour and go to the head of your police force and make a formal complaint and report the situation you will get the full attention of the head of police as they hate complaints against the officer of there force don't let him palm you off with his smooth talk ask for action and have them charged they get away with murder and need to be shown we have rights as well do it don't let it be swept under the carpet and let them get a way with it i think you need a customer charter form Dave
P.s they have the power to use forcible measures in an arrest but not to bully the public most copper are jumped up little **** holes who used to get bullied at school and now it is pay back time for them not all of them though there are some good ones

Answer 10

Judging by some of your comments and phrases i think your in the UK.

In the UK They don't have pepper spray. They are issued CS gas a different substance.

The police have LAWFUL authority to carry CS the public don't its that simple.

Also the police can use force necessary to effect an arrest and any of there equipment to effect that or defend them selves simply you play hard you go down hard no pis$ing about, you play easy its all nice as pie..

Answer 11

Perhaps your neighbour should show some respect and not go around calling people "Tossers."

You forgot to mention why the Police were talking to your neighbour in the first place. I wonder is there more to this story than you have written?