Posted on 07/29/2008 9:36:14 AM PDT by heartwood
A rookie cop - the son of a highly respected New York City detective - has been stripped of his badge and gun after being caught on video viciously attacking a bicyclist who was part of a Times Square demonstration. '
The startling YouTube video shows Officer Patrick Pogan, 22, apparently setting his sights on - and then tackling - a bicyclist as he pedaled along Seventh Avenue as part of last Friday's controversial Critical Mass ride.
Christopher Long, 29, was among a throng of riders as he whizzed toward the corner of West 46th Street at 9:30 p.m. and appeared to try and swerve away from the officer.
But the video shows Pogan pick up his pace as he stares down Long before shoving the cyclist, slamming him to the pavement.
To the dismay of stunned pedestrians, Long, who was not wearing a helmet, hurtles several feet through the air as he flips off the bicycle and lands on the curb.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
The people defending the cop seem to be doing so because of an assumption that the cm bike riders are leftists and/or young malcontents causing inconvenience or possibly vandalism. While they may be assorted leftists, it still doesn’t give the cop the right to assault someone and hide behind the badge.
Just think of the comments had they been a group of conservatives. Whatever the possible political background of the people involved, the cop was wrong. The mental contortions involved in trying to make the cop look good are pretty wild.
These Critical Mass rides are dangerous and frankly the Cops need to just barracade and corrall the whole lot of these criminals.
Haven’t seen the clip, but these events are no different than the fools who decide to dragrace on public streets, they put everyone else at risk because of their selfish behavior.
Better by the cop than by some poor motorist he cuts off... F him. Lie with dogs, wake up with fleas.
Break the law, pay the price... cop probably went over the line, but don’t expect pity from me. You decide that traffic laws and such don’t apply to you, you are no better than every other punk who risks other peoples health and wellbeing by being stupid on the roads... just another punk.. just a punk on in spandex instead of baggy pants.
I can't find the article this week (maybe it was an AP thread) but last week was a repost of an article about an officer in Houston who had parked his patrol car outside of his home 30 minutes into his first shift on his first day (started at midnight). Some driver hit his police car!
Repeat that mantra in a month when the anarchists in Denver are blockading the entrance (sleeping dragon) to the convention center and lobbing water balloons filled with old urine.
What a police officer says in his report doesn’t mean as much to me as what he says on the stand in sworn testimony.
These cyclists are leftists and are jerks, but so is the cop.
And these cyclists aren't walking around with badges and guns and a presumption that they are acting in a lawful manner to serve and protect the public. People who assume the job of police officer have a higher, not lower, obligation to obey the laws.
You can't blindside and slam somebody into the cement because they are annoying or rude.
If this is how he acts after two weeks on the job, this guy should clearly not be a cop. He's a jerk who couldn't wait to get a badge, so his jerkocity would have some weight of legitimacy. He can go back to being a civilian shithead.
Was his wife baking donuts?
That would constitute assault, and would merit use of force to stop the assault.
A guy riding a bicycle, even if he's in violation of some traffic code, does not merit the same sort force.
Would you recommend that cops billyclub jaywalkers? Would it matter to you if they were jaywalking under a Free Mumia banner or a Support our Soldiers banner?
Yeah, I keep saying report when it is actually the Criminal Court complaint, sworn under oath. It is a class A misdemeanor to lie in the complaint.
When 100 bicyclists are conspiring together to disregard traffic lights and stop signs to engage in a “commute clog” civil protest, they are more than just being “rude”.
If asked to STOP by the officer (especially to be cited, even if one out of 100), the officer has the authority to take someone down by non-lethal force.
Have you ever seen them putting handcuffs on a drunk who is resisting? Someone who is trying to get up off the ground when they have been instructed to lie down?
Those marching under a banner would need a permit from the cities. Critical Mass considers their activities “without leadership” but like any flash mob, there is someone who takes the initiative to post a bulletin online or put a flyer on a wall.
are you dense? the police officer CLEARLY throws an elbow at the guy
this is NOT proper police procedure
i am NOT supporting these idiot cyclists who are staging a stupid protest and ignoring the officers, but the officer is screwed for doing that
Ever get bumped into by someone who wasn't looking where they were walking? Ever get bumped into by someone who wasn't looking (or caring) where they were riding their bike at 25 MPH?
If the flash mob decides to have a spontaneous marathon, then you can go after the jaywalkers with billy clubs. Rioters tend to be running anyway.
The cheer leading for this lying, thuggish cop’s behavior is an embarrassment to this forum.
Could he use such a procedure to take down someone who has just assaulted a person? How about a purse snatcher? What makes this offense different?
And no I haven’t watched the clip. Can an officer tackle (in the football sense) a person or not?
They can hit a moving car with a car and that is a more violent and dangerous activity.
I bet we could find a lot more history for “officer” Pogan.
3rd generation cop probably thought he was hot stuff
The cop is going to be screwed for this. Just weeks into his job and he thinks he can attack a civilian.
My son just became a state police officer. I would not be “proud of him” if he did something like that the way this jackass father said
AND THE MORONS HERE WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE BICYCLISTS ARE RIGHT TOO- BUT THAT DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE COP’S ACTION~!! OK???
A false report should be grounds for termination and jail
Better by the cop? Do you really want cops who take the law into their own hands?
is the traffic blocked because of the bicycle?
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