I have criticized cops many times on this forum, but there is a lot of info missing. Why did he blow through the checkpoint and why did he lead the cops on a 25 minute chase driving erratically? Why did he not get on the ground immediately when ordered? Granted, the dog was mishandled, but the story is being tailored to fit the bad cop, innocent black man narrative.
I remember a story out of Houston...bunch of cops chasing a black kid in Houston (probably a Katrina transplant.) After endangering all kinds of folks, the kid is finally tripped up by the corner of a cop car. As soon as he hit the ground, he had his hands behind his head...looked like a learned behavior...” You can’t hit me now!” Cop beat on him, anyway. And I understand his frustration. I can’t imagine riding herd on society in its current state
What does it matter why he was being arrested? Once he is in the process of complying and surrendering with his hands up there is no reason to unleash a dog attack on him. The other officers clearly knew this wasn’t the right thing to do by their statements and reactions in the video.
We need police, but we absolutely cannot try to justify police when they behave badly. They are paid public servants who MUST be held to a higher standard than the average person and the average person would, in all likelihood, be charged with a felony if they were on video siccing a dog on someone who was no longer a threat. It does not help the cause of law and order to protect bad police officers. Way too much is done to protect bad officers and that lends credibility to attacks on all police.
BTW, the only thing the truck driver was charged with was Failure to Comply. I suspect that given the circumstances they would throw the book at him with every charge they could think of in order to justify the actions with the dog. They didn’t charge him with anything more than failing pulling over and to me that says something.
“Why did he not get on the ground immediately when ordered?”
It was 90F that day and the surface temperature of the pavement could be as high as 130F. Besides, he was unarmed and surrounded by at least 30 cops. What constructive purpose would be served by having the man burn himself on the pavement?
In any case the civil rights lawyers are lining up to take this man’s case and the DA will likely dismiss charges in exchange for a settlement. All because some peckerhead just had to use excessive force when other cops were telling him not to.