I see this as a winning situation for everyone but the perp, who deserved what he got and should not be wearing a badge. If this were a gas station armed robbery and the perp got caught we would be applauding it. At a macro level this is no different.
I do not believe it is right for anyone outside of law enforcement to goad cops into confrontations in the hopes one will blow his top. I read the transcript of this. The cop didn’t get out of his car threatening the guy. It took a while of the kid being ompletely uncooperative in response to legitimate questions be fore the cop blew it. And he did blow it and that is not the way a cop should behave. It’s not the temperament a cop should have. That said, I am of the belief that if the kid had been honest and cooperative, none of this would have happened.
I’m sorry, I just don’t think the kid is right...nor the officer. This is a case of ends justifying questionable means. I don’t like it and it’s going to make cops’ jobs more difficult.
If this were the media doing this to an American soldier, FReepers would be calling for the reporter’s head and cheering the soldier.