When a Police Officer Kicks a Gang Member

Pajamas Media ^ | May 17 | Jack Dunphy

[AJKauf]

If you’ve been near a television set in the last few days you’ve probably seen the video of that police officer kicking a man in the head at the end of a high-speed car chase here in the Los Angeles area. I watched the incident on the news last night, and my initial reaction was: “Uh oh.”

Thursday’s chase began when officers in El Monte, Calif., spotted a Toyota Camry with three men inside, men they quite reasonably (and as it turned out, accurately) took to be gang members. Camrys are among the most commonly stolen cars in Southern California, and there isn’t a police officer worthy of the title who would have spotted those three characters in one without running its license number to see if it had been stolen. Officers were following the car and doing just that when the driver, Richard Rodriguez, 23, took off.

As any cop can tell you, adrenalin is powerful stuff. My guess is that the officer in question, after a long and very stressful pursuit, ran into that yard not knowing that the suspect had given up, instead fully expecting a violent

[Lurker]

ran into that yard not knowing that the suspect had given up,

And then he didn't see him laying on the ground offering absolultely no resistance to the other officer who was handcuffing him.

L

[DonaldC]

Gang members are terrorists and should be treated as such.

[Lurker]

Gang members are terrorists and should be treated as such.

You'll sing a different tune when you and your shooting buddies are labelled a gang.

[Onelifetogive]

Gang members are terrorists and should be treated as such.

Given free apartments in Virginia?

[Ben Mugged]

I am personally from the shoot first, shoot often and ask questions while I'm reloading crowd but when a perp is laying on the ground in the crucifix position with a camera copter in the area, you don't kick him in the head.

[jakerobins]

I agree. Police Officers should have to follow certain rules...but when dealing with criminals like these...

Just ask what would a Gang Member do to that Officer if he was unarmed and lying on the ground? The Gang Member got off light...That kick might have stunned him long enough to get him under control.

[freedumb2003]

>> And then he didn’t see him laying on the ground offering absolultely no resistance to the other officer who was handcuffing him.<<

Gangbangers learn in prison how to pretend to be helpless and then quickly pull a weapon. The officer knew this was a particularly viscous gangbanger and took the proper precautions.

[chargers fan]

I used to be that way also, in terms of let the police do what they need to do. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve begun to think that if poliec officers can mistreat or set aside the rights for one person, they may eventually be able to do it to all.

[MEGoody]

Why, why, why. . .those jack-booted thugs should not have harmed that sweet little fellow. How did they know he wasn't just out for a drive? They should all be hung!

:::sarc tag in case it's needed:::

[OCCASparky]

Haven’t lived in CA long, have ya?

[dragnet2]

Yeah, and the news chopper was rolling in high def.

LEO was not too smart here.

That being said, many people have had an absolute belly full of these cockroach gang members, not just LEOs.

There is only one thing these mental mutts fear, not jail, but severe pain and death.

[Churchillspirit]

Unfortunately this perp. will milk this for all it’s worth....get him a fancy do-gooder lawyer and have the tax payers cover his bills for headaches for the rest of his life.

[Lurker]

Haven’t lived in CA long, have ya?

CA? Hummpphhh. Try Chicago gangs. We've been doing the gang thing longer and better than those west coast wussies.

LOL.

[wolfpat]

Pay particular attention to item #2.

Warning; Some rough language!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gCCjFbFXn8

[OCCASparky]

Too bad Steve Yagman is still sitting in federal “pound-me-in-the-ass” prison, eh boys?

[brytlea]

Did you by any chance read the entire article?

[DoughtyOne]

The officer is not judge and jury. They enforce the laws of the court. If someone is breaking an infraction, they site the person or take the person into custody and inform the court, so the court can take action.

By abusing this perp, they may have provided grounds for charges to be dismissed. It’s one of the dumbest things you can do, as a law enforcement officer.

You have a guy who clearly deserves to have the book thrown at them, then hand the guy a get out of jail free card. If not that, then you hand them a multi-million dollar settlement.

The problems with our courts are causing officers to take out revenge on the streets. I see that as a major problem, but officers cannot allow that to influence them to abuse prisoners.

[brytlea]

Someone has to be willing to go out and chase the Robert Rodriguezes of the world.

I don't like to see this stuff either, and he may have over reacted. On the other hand, I don't chase people with guns thru the streets, not knowing if this will be the last breath I take. So, I agree with the author of this piece. Look at the rest of his career, if this is an aberration, slap his wrist and move on.

[OCCASparky]

Take a walk in East LA, Inglewood, El Monte, Santa Ana, the Crenshaw District, Huntington Park, Harbor Gateway, San Fernando, etc., etc., etc...and we'll see who the "wussy" is after a few hours.

There are over 700 gangs with over 40,000 KNOWN members in LA County alone.

Sincerely,
67th and Arlington white boy.