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id=article_title class=main_h1>Anatomy of a Confrontation</H1></DIV>
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id=article_author class=main_h2>Reuel S. Amdur</H2><A
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<P
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anatomy of a confrontation with police is based solely on the account of the
event given by the civilian who was involved in the conflict with
police.</P></DIV>
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<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">It
is being credited for two reasons: it details his own stupid, impulsive,
antagonistic behavior without any attempt to cover it up, and some of the police
behavior alleged in this instance has been seen in other cases. So what
happened?</P>
<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Craig—that’s
the name we’ll use—was stopped by a policeman for a traffic offense. Craig
argued with him, denying the offense. During the exchange with the
officer, he repeatedly referred to the officer as a “fucking pig.” </P>
<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">The
officer demanded his license, registration, and proof of insurance, and Craig
continued to argue. He asked permission to reach inside his jacket for the
license. It appears that the request may have been ignored. The
officer ordered, “Get your ass out of the car!” “I told him that I was
concerned for my safety and if he holstered his pepper spray, I would exit the
car.” </P>
<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">At
that point, the cop hit him in the face, kneed him in the abdomen, pepper-
sprayed him, and called on his radio for backup. Craig told him, “I’ll
feel more comfortable getting out of the car when backup arrives, you fucking
pig.” </P>
<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">The
cop kept kneeing him and pulling on him. Then backup arrived at the
passenger side. Cop number one called out, “Stop biting me!” Craig
shouted, “I’m not biting you.” At the same time, he was being hit.</P>
<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Craig
was then forced from the car and thrown on the ground, where he was kneed and
hit and pepper-sprayed again. According to Craig, “I was lying on by back
with the cop’s leg on my chest and neck.” Said the cop, “Stop resisting
arrest and lie on your stomach.” “How can you expect me to do that when
you are on my chest?” Again, “Stop resisting,” along with blows and knee
jabs.</P>
<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Six
or seven police cars were at the scene and he was taken to the police station
and charged. His lawyer managed to arrange a deal with the prosecution to
avoid a criminal conviction—community service at a food bank and $1,000 donation
to a charity. And by the way, he had to take an anger management
course. A wise provision, but one obviously needed by a certain officer as
well.</P>
<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">So
what do we make of this situation? In the first place, Craig’s behavior
and language were inappropriate, to say the least, and inciting as well.
>From his account, he did not physically attack the policeman, though his refusal
to leave the car could be seen as resisting arrest. He should have
cooperated at the start, and when the situation escalated to the point when
asked to exit the car, he should have done so. Blame rests on him for his
conduct and language. Arguing about the merit of the traffic charge
belongs in court, not in a heated debate with the officer. But the officer
also has some culpability in this situation—big time.</P>
<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">We
expect more from the police. The physical aggression described far exceeded
anything that could be justified under the circumstances and was clearly
criminal. Efforts at de-escalation appear to have been quite limited—the
caution that failure to identify himself to an officer was a criminal
offense. And that caution was incorrect in law.</P>
<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">Particularly
disturbing is the tactic used too frequently to shield police in illegal
administration of physical punishment: cries of stop resisting, stop biting,
stop fighting me, while the person is doing none of these things. If you
see an altercation with police, be alert to this tactic. Notify police
headquarters, defense lawyers, and media.</P>
<P
style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px">On
a final note, there were apparently six or seven patrol cars at the scene.
The Police Department complains about a lack of resources. This
extravagant display of equipment and manpower on such a small occurrence belies
the claim. </P></DIV>
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