Cop Punches Student

[firstdown]

I'm guess most here have either heard or seen the clip with a cop punching a student who had pushed him as he was trying to arrest her friend. Was the cop wrong for what he did and what if any actions should be taking against him?

YouTube - Seattle Police Officer Punches Girl In...

[CRedskinsRule]

Well I hadn't seen it. As always you have to avoid the rush to judgement, but geez the flat out punch seemed clearly out of line, and borderline criminal assault. I imagine he will be put on leave immediately and an investigation began. My initial reaction would be completely against the cop.

[firstdown]

While I think he may have over reacted some the girl had no business coming in and pushing the officer. The officer also has to wonder if anyone else is going to jump in and he has to keep a handle on the situation before it gets futher out of control. How does the cop know if she is going to start swinging on him along with the other girl who is pushing him off?

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Couldn't pay me enough to be a cop, all this over a jay-walking ticket I believe. Thank God this situation didn't escalate even further than it already had. Could've been handled in a much better way, by all parties involved.

[CRedskinsRule]

The fact is, I never once saw him radio for additional units, he was in an untenable situation, he had to see the cell phone cameras recording him, I counted at least 3 including the one the video is from, she pushed but he took a lunging step forward to land a solid punch to the face, by that time he had lost control of the situation, and would have been better off radioing for help and getting names and addresses. Again, I don't know what precipitated the initial contact, but unless it was a violent action, his actions only worsened the situation. If the car was the girl's as it appeared to me, she wasn't going to walk away, and he could have calmed the situation by requesting back up and using words, instead, as is to often the case it appears he decided he was going to use his authority and obvious size advantage to subdue them (a silly mistake in my mind)

[over the mountain]

if the lady who pushed him was a threat to his safety that warranted a punch, how come after he punches her he just goes right back to grabbing the other girls wrists. he obviously didnt view her as a physical threat b/c after he punches her he pays no attention to her. if she was a threat then why didnt he try to neutralize the threat?

why is this cop playing around and grabbing her wrists. that isnt proper procedure. give her clear and loud verbal instructions. if she refuses then order her to put her hands behind her back. if she refuses, then use your cop training to put her hands behind her back.

how a cop cant properly restrain and handcuff a women is a joke. ive never seen a cop trying what he is doing. did he not get trained?

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

if the lady who pushed him was a threat to his safety that warranted a punch, how come after he punches her he just goes right back to grabbing the other girls wrists. he obviously didnt view her as a physical threat b/c after he punches her he pays no attention to her. if she was a threat then why didnt he try to neutralize the threat?

why is this cop playing around and grabbing her wrists. that isnt proper procedure. give her clear and loud verbal instructions. if she refuses then order her to put her hands behind her back. if she refuses, then use your cop training to put her hands behind her back.

how a cop cant properly restrain and handcuff a women is a joke. ive never seen a cop trying what he is doing. did he not get trained?

You need to watch the video again. The car was a cop car with lights and police stickers down the side. After he punch the girl he pursued her (pink shirt) down the side of the car and thats when the other girl (black shirt)came up behind him grabbing and pushing the cop. He then turned to her and the guy (green Shirt) grabbed the girl in pink and pulled her out of the way. Sorry after watching this several time she got what she deserved.

[jdlea]

Originally Posted by firstdown

You need to watch the video again. The car was a cop car with lights and police stickers down the side. After he punch the girl he pursued her (pink shirt) down the side of the car and thats when the other girl (black shirt)came up behind him grabbing and pushing the cop. He then turned to her and the guy (green Shirt) grabbed the girl in pink and pulled her out of the way. Sorry after watching this several time she got what she deserved.

I don't know that "she got what she deserved," but she definitely ran the risk of it happening by going after the officer. She came up and pushed him, I don't think he should have punched her, and I don't think he should have punched her, but she definitely put herself in harm's way by helping her friend resist arrest.

[724Skinsfan]

This guy may have a future in politics.

[KLHJ2]

You don't want to get punched, then don't push a cop. He probably could have handled the situation better, but I do not fault him. She was trying to help a friend resist arrest. You just don't do that and not expect consequences.

You have the right to subdue/neutralize the target by using the minimum force necessary up to and including "Deadly force". Was the punch the minimum amount of force necessary? Probably not, but it wasn't much more than what was necessary.


I was in a similar situation when I was in the desert and that situation called for a butt stroke to the head series. He wasn't resisting over jaywalking though.

[saden1]

What she did was absolutely wrong but damn if what the officer did isn't wrong either. You have to assess the situation and clearly he put himself and others in danger by taking on the whole street alone. At one point he has the two girls at the same time and his gun exposed. Not having backup and manhandling people alone is not what they teach you at the police academy, at least I hope not. This cop is not street ready, get him of the streets and get him some more training.

How would I have handled it? I would put a distance between me and the teens...unbuckle my holster and put my hand on my gun, inform them that they have 3 seconds comply to my commands. If they don't obey, draw the gun though not point at them...if they still don't obey, then you call for backup and charge them with resisting arrest and fleeing.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by saden1

What she did was absolutely wrong but damn if what the officer did isn't wrong either. You have to assess the situation and clearly he put himself and others in danger by taking on the whole street alone. At one point he has the two girls at the same time and his gun exposed. Not having backup and manhandling people alone is not what they teach you at the police academy, at least I hope not. This cop is not street ready, get him of the streets and get him some more training.

How would I have handled it? I would put a distance between me and the teens...unbuckle my holster and put my hand on my gun, inform them that they have 3 seconds comply to my commands. If they don't obey, draw the gun though not point at them...if they still don't obey, then you call for backup and charge them with resisting arrest and fleeing.

While I agree with what you said its much easier to look at this on film after the fact and we don't know that he had not called for back up.

[BleedBurgundy]

Originally Posted by saden1

What she did was absolutely wrong but damn if what the officer did isn't wrong either. You have to assess the situation and clearly he put himself and others in danger by taking on the whole street alone. At one point he has the two girls at the same time and his gun exposed. Not having backup and manhandling people alone is not what they teach you at the police academy, at least I hope not. This cop is not street ready, get him of the streets and get him some more training.

How would I have handled it? I would put a distance between me and the teens...unbuckle my holster and put my hand on my gun, inform them that they have 3 seconds comply to my commands. If they don't obey, draw the gun though not point at them...if they still don't obey, then you call for backup and charge them with resisting arrest and fleeing.

This.

I can't come down too far on the righteous indignation side on this one. If this was a cop arresting a man, and some other dude came up pushing him and acting in the exact same manner as that woman did, we wouldn't be thinking twice about this. Equality works both ways.

Seriously, who here would ever even consider acting like that if someone was being arrested?

[jdlea]

Originally Posted by BleedBurgundy

This.

I can't come down too far on the righteous indignation side on this one. If this was a cop arresting a man, and some other dude came up pushing him and acting in the exact same manner as that woman did, we wouldn't be thinking twice about this. Equality works both ways.

Seriously, who here would ever even consider acting like that if someone was being arrested?

True F'ing story. Still, I find it odd that he never really hesitated in throwing that punch. As though the thought that she is woman didn't cross his mind. I know I can't just haul off and punch a chick in the face, makes me wonder why it was so easy for him.

NOTE: I'm not accusing this officer of anything, just wondering how he was so comfortable doing that.

[budw38]

Originally Posted by saden1

What she did was absolutely wrong but damn if what the officer did isn't wrong either. You have to assess the situation and clearly he put himself and others in danger by taking on the whole street alone. At one point he has the two girls at the same time and his gun exposed. Not having backup and manhandling people alone is not what they teach you at the police academy, at least I hope not. This cop is not street ready, get him of the streets and get him some more training.

How would I have handled it? I would put a distance between me and the teens...unbuckle my holster and put my hand on my gun, inform them that they have 3 seconds comply to my commands. If they don't obey, draw the gun though not point at them...if they still don't obey, then you call for backup and charge them with resisting arrest and fleeing.

Nice post . An officer has too be defensive , because of the risk of someone getting control of his gun , then maybe using it . As SS33 said , I would not want that job , very stressful and emotionally trying . Too bad it came to this .