Southgate cop assaults woman, destroys phone.

[MechAg94]

The taking is also on video which makes it easy to prove.  No he said/she said. 

I assume she would go to the local police to file a complaint or press charges there?

[MechAg94]

I was also thinking they could do something worse to the guy.  Make him attend sensitivity training and sexual harrassment training.   

[zxcvbob]

I was also thinking they could do something worse to the guy.  Make him attend sensitivity training and sexual harrassment training.   

Make him the permanent sexual harassment and sensitivity instructor.

[Scout26]

Absolutely, no special punishments. And no special exceptions.

http://definitions.uslegal.com/a/assault/

http://definitions.uslegal.com/a/assault-and-battery/

Based on these definitions, it seems to me that Marshal Stockburn committed both assault and battery.

And then there's the theft of the woman's cell phone. Depending on the value of the phone, that's either a misdemeanor or a felony offense.

And then there's the deprivation of civil rights under color of law (18 USC 242 and 42 USC 1983)

Nope, I don't think Marshal Stockburn should receive any special punishments. I do think he should be charged and tried for each offense he actually committed. The standard penalties should be enough to ensure that he can never again (legally) wear a badge.

I have to disagree.  The police have to be held to higher standard then ordinary citizens.  That is the thing that ticks me off the most.  When I was on active duty, it was stressed that not did we have to be the best looking soldiers (spit shine and starch), but also the best soldiers.   Our behavior had to be exemplary, or training better and tougher then others.  We had to be able to fight like infantry, call in CAS and Artillery like FO's (and not just me, but the newest PV0 fresh from McClellan), lay demo and route recon like Engineers, scout like Cavalry, gather Intel like MI, and through it all uphold the UCMJ.  "Of the Troops, For the Troops".

The police (and municipalities, counties, states, and the feds) have got to hold those sworn to the law, to that standard.  Breaking the law, and especially violating the rights of not only the accused, but of the innocent and bystanders, needs to be smacked, and smacked down hard.  If there is no fear of punishment (other then paid time-off), then the police will continue to become more and more lawless.  To the point were the police are no longer respected, but feared by the people.  One only needs to look to the inner cities to see that result.  That will be a very sad day when that happens to the rest of America.     

[Blakenzy]

Every care must be taken that our auxiliaries, being stronger than our citizens, may not grow to be too much for them and become savage tyrants instead of friends and allies

You see, this behavior is not punished because he is acting as a representative of the State. That tells that it is the current doctrine in the US that the State has the right to dispense with civil rights, basic respect and mistreat citizens as they please. As it is above, it is below..

'mericaaa, wake up!

[brimic]

Looked like an armed robbery to me...it could have easily been seen as a shoot scenario if he didn't have his gang members with him.
I can think of another society that rapidly declined in the 20th century, where uniformed street gangs robbed, beat, and killed minorities with impunity.

[Phyphor]

He didn't take it.  I thought he threw it on the ground.  Did he keep it?

How could he have thrown it on the ground if he didn't take it? 

[K Frame]

He didn't take it.  I thought he threw it on the ground.  Did he keep it?

Depending on how the law is written in a particular location, robbery happens at the point of taking. Doesn't matter if the taker immediately disposes of property or not. He's deprived the leagal owner of his chattel, which constitutes robbery.

[MechAg94]

That definition is all fine and dandy, but if someone grabbed a woman's purse, moved it 2 feet, then sat down, I really doubt any prosecutor would go after them for purse snatching.  I just don't know how realistic that technical definition really is.  If a local prosecutor decided to press charges on the officer, I have my doubts theft would be one of the charges.  I think there are other charges that would catch a jury's attention and be more likely to get a guilty verdict.

[Blakenzy]

Police routinely shoot at people who allegedly "charge" or lunge at them, even naked folk. Always deemed justifiable. This would have been a clean shoot if the lady were armed and shot the armed man charging her... in a reasonable society that is.

I have no idea how the behavior shown in the video would result in anything less than prison time... in a reasonable society. That's criminal behavior, but some how, some where, people have been taught that it's OK to act that way if you wear certain clothes 

[Jamisjockey]

That definition is all fine and dandy, but if someone grabbed a woman's purse, moved it 2 feet, then sat down, I really doubt any prosecutor would go after them for purse snatching.  I just don't know how realistic that technical definition really is.  If a local prosecutor decided to press charges on the officer, I have my doubts theft would be one of the charges.  I think there are other charges that would catch a jury's attention and be more likely to get a guilty verdict.

Official oppression seems to be the one that would make the most sense.

[230RN]

Cops being videoed, if you have nothing to hide, what's the big deal?
(edited slightly)

 

Turnabout is fair play.  I repeat:  

[brimic]

Turnabout is fair play.  I repeat:  

Yes, the surveillance society works both ways

[Hawkmoon]

If there is no fear of punishment (other then paid time-off), then the police will continue to become more and more lawless.  To the point were the police are no longer respected, but feared by the people.  One only needs to look to the inner cities to see that result.  That will be a very sad day when that happens to the rest of America.      

Mate, I think we arrived at that point several years ago.

I found this one that goes back to 2009: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cops-arrest-priest-for-filming-them/

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ySYxlp9fa_k

[brimic]

Mate, I think we arrived at that point several years ago.

I found this one that goes back to 2009: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cops-arrest-priest-for-filming-them/

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ySYxlp9fa_k

One of my all time favorites that predates yours: https://youtu.be/49kgG0s7lVk

[Firethorn]

He didn't take it.  I thought he threw it on the ground.  Did he keep it?

Grabbing somebody and preventing them from leaving for ~60 seconds can be considered kidnapping.

In this case they can simply adjust the charge from 'theft' to 'vandalism'.

[cordex]

Whatever the proper legal term for it, it was absolutely unacceptable behavior.  The bearded Marshall done goofed.

[zxcvbob]

Whatever the proper legal term for it, it was absolutely unacceptable behavior.  The bearded Marshall done goofed.

"Not if he gets away with it." --Lon Horiuchi

[LadySmith]

To the point were the police are no longer respected, but feared by the people.  

The police are no longer feared. They've become hated.

[Mannlicher]

I try to understand the job that the Police have to do, and to support them.  When you see things like this though, and it happens with alarming frequency, it becomes hard to stay on their side.

[Blakenzy]

Wait.. what is this I am hearing from the APS... Ice Cube was right all along?

[cordex]

When you see things like this though, and it happens with alarming frequency, it becomes hard to stay on their side.

Cop abuses are heinous and need to be brought to light and punished appropriately, but don't discount the impact of the fact that cop abuse is increasingly heavily reported on and popular to document and publicize.

On another forum there was a cop who repeatedly posted news reports of gun owners doing stupid or dangerous things with the sarcastic comment of "Just another isolated incident, right?"  Got old quick but he had no shortage of ammunition, so to speak.  Of course, that doesn't mean gun owners as a group should be vilified.

[Hawkmoon]

Cop abuses are heinous and need to be brought to light and punished appropriately, but don't discount the impact of the fact that cop abuse is increasingly heavily reported on and popular to document and publicize.

On another forum there was a cop who repeatedly posted news reports of gun owners doing stupid or dangerous things with the sarcastic comment of "Just another isolated incident, right?"  Got old quick but he had no shortage of ammunition, so to speak.  Of course, that doesn't mean gun owners as a group should be vilified.

In general, though, gun owners don't line up to protect other gun owners who do stupid things. Cops, on the other hand, almost always protect their own, no matter how over-the-top their transgressions.

[brimic]

In general, though, gun owners don't line up to protect other gun owners who do stupid things. Cops, on the other hand, almost always protect their own, no matter how over-the-top their transgressions.

Plus gun owners aren't entrusted with special powers by the state.

[Blakenzy]

What makes abuse from police specially wretched it that the Law affords you no consideration or legal protection in defending yourself from it. You are obligated to sit there and take it. Even running away or otherwise avoiding his use of force opens legal grounds for him to exert even more force on you. You will always be guilty, even if he hurts his fist on your nose. So when a cop decides he wants to hurt you, there is nothing you can legally do to stop it.

To make things worse, impunity is the rule of the day. Cops will conspire with other cops to keep them out of trouble. That's a fact. If it's not caught on tape, there will be no punishment. Even if it is caught on tape, punishment is guaranteed to be less severe than it would be for any ordinary citizen. Why are police so adverse to people documenting what they do? Apparently, what they really do is not what most people think they do... and they feel they need to hide it.

We have a situation where you have a culture of we can do as we please attitude and absolute disrespect for those who are not on your "team".. or gang if you want to see it that way.

I believe people in high government like it that way, because it is always handy to have a group of people willing to do your dirty work with no fear of consequences. Post 9/11 (wait, no, longer ago) there has been a steady tendency towards militarization, and centralization of control over police forces. As seen during and after the Occupy Wall street fuss, police agencies have taken on the role of internal security agencies more than just simple law enforcement or community policing.