Another officer beating up a handcuffed minor

[Wolf-Were]

I just love our police here in Michigan ....................what patience and understanding...... NOT!!!


http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/08/video_shows_officer_punching_t.html


KALAMAZOO -- Video of an incident that led to a Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety sergeant's unpaid suspension last week shows the officer punched a handcuffed 16-year-old three times after the youth spit in his face.

Sgt. Jeff VanderWiere, 37, was suspended last week for 10 work days after an Office of Professional Standards investigation into the April incident.

The Kalamazoo Police Supervisors Association has filed a grievance on the suspension.
The video and police documents related to the case and VanderWiere, a 12-year department veteran, were released by the city Tuesday after the Gazette filed a request under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.

[Tim01]

1. If MY boy acted like that I would hope he would get his ass beat.

No shit. I watched the video. Maybe the cop shouldn't have hit the kid, but the kid damned well earned it.

Threatened to shoot the cop and spit in his face.

[Wolf-Were]

2. No he should have walked away

had another officer take over and charge him with assault end of story.

[zonkers]

8. Exactly. I don't know why so many feel like it's okay for the cop to retaliate and extract

punishment on the spot when this can only lead to more and bigger problems including escalation of danger at the scene of the incident. Cops must be professional and control their emotions.

[CreekDog]

11. yup, that would have been the professional thing to do

but that ship has sailed...

[CreekDog]

10. what a coward, beating him up with cuffs on?

loser. no wonder he needs to carry weapons on his job.

[Tim01]

14. The coward is the kid who knows he can't be held accountable for his actions.

If a grown man threatens and spits on another grown man he gets what he gets.
A 16 year old threatens and spits on a cop,,,,,, nothing. Nothing from his parents either.

[CreekDog]

16. wrong, hitting a kid in handcuffs is the most cowardly thing i can think of

and he's an adult and supposedly professionally trained in the use of force (which turned out to be a waste of money).

[DJ13]

3. That suspect was out of control

I probably would have hit him too.

[Wolf-Were]

4. No he should have walked away...

That officer needs anger management.

[CreekDog]

12. me too, but you're not a cop

and that's why neither of us should be.

[tularetom]

5. That kid was a jerk but the officer should not have lowered himself to his level

Because he let this kid get under his skin and lost control of his emotions, he's in a whole lot of trouble.

Unfortunately he did not act very professionally. He'll just have to deal with the consequences.

[CreekDog]

13. the cop didn't lower himself to the kid's level, he hit a restrained kid

big difference.

[stray cat]

Not an excuse - but how would you react if a 16 year old spit in your face?

after threatening to shoot you. I'm sure you would smile and buy him a beer. I don't know too many guys who let people spit in their face and threaten their life without responding.

[Wolf-Were]

7. He was handcuffed DUH spray him..nt

[tularetom]

9. The kid "won" that encounter. He forced the cop to act emotionally

rather than thinking. The kid was handcuffed. He should have just laughed at him. In different circumstances an emotional reaction like the officer exhibited could leave him vulnerable and even put him in moral danger. He's supposed to be above all that. Sorry. He fucked up.

[pipi_k]

6. I've stuck up for cops recently, but this is not cool

There are ways for cops to deal with spitting people...like pulling the fronts of their shirts over their heads so any more spitting is futile...

I don't care who you are...you don't beat someone up who's handcuffed and totally incapacitated.

[TexasObserver]

15. Recommend

[bemildred]

17. It's a lot safer for you when the person you are beating is tied up somehow ...

:puke: