# Controversial encounters between law-enforcement and civilians - the omnibus thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 10, 2014, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942 "2014-10-10T07:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/461 "2014-12-21T01:33:06Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Not necessarily in this thread, but posters in recent threads have said that if the police encounter violent offenders, they should retreat to a safe distance, and call a supervisor. > > Never mind that if the police do retreat, the perp is more able to grab a bystander, and use the machete on her. Bye, idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/462 "2014-12-21T01:39:27Z")
> [@slumtrimpet](#): > > Some fucking idiot shoots two police officers (then offs himself. Oh, and shoots his girlfriend first) and claims political justification on twitter or instagram or something. This is in the midst of “a time of heightened tensions between police and the community following a Staten Island grand jury’s decision in the Eric Garner case.” > > The whole country, and particularily NYC is embroiled in a ‘us vs. them’ thing with the police, especially the black community. This is not going to improve things. > > What a stupid, ignorant dumbfucking asshole. (the guy, not you) I sincerely hope it’s an isolated incident that doesn’t start a chain of events. If one side can keep the unwarranted violence to a minimum, perhaps the other side will take a hint. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/463 "2014-12-21T02:12:13Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Can your diseased excuse for a brain try to process these two facts, Badgesucker? > > 1. They took the poor kid away even after the victim said they had the wrong guy, and > 2. Officer Punchy got suspended, so he must have done _something_ wrong, dipshit. 1. So? He still resisted arrest. 2. Nope. Suspension happens during an investigation, usually. The bullies and troublemakers in pretty much all these articles aren’t the cops, they’re the “upstanding citizens” committing the minor crimes that make everyone else’s life a misery when they try to walk down the street. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/464 "2014-12-21T02:23:06Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I don’t know how you can watch any of the videos I’ve posted here and say that none of them show cops attacking anyone. Are you batshit crazy, or are you just fill of shit? Because in pretty much every case, you’ve either got someone resisting the police, or waving around what appears to be a gun. Defence =/= attack. > [@](#): > > The cop that punched the kid is a straight-up thug. Notice how the bystanders watching the scene weren’t screaming when the kid was being restrained. They only got angry when the cop started punching. As _everyone_ should be. There were 3 or 4 policemen already struggling to subdue him, he was obviously resisting them. The officer that punched him successfully subdued him, after other methods had failed. That’s not an attack, that’s doing his fucking job. Yes, I’ve no doubt it’s upsetting for the people to watch - it’s always upsetting to watch these things even on video. But reflecting on them, rather than just going with a gut reaction, makes it clear why it happened. And the reason isn’t police brutality, it’s the police doing their job. > [@](#): > > If a civilian “restrained” you like that, you’d have grounds to press charges of assault. But because we’re talking about a police office, he’s probably going to get a promotion after this all over and done with. Yes, of course I would. But the police are allowed - and expected - to do many things that civilians aren’t - even if they’re making a citizens arrest. If the kid had just complied, he would have been uninjured and free in a short space of time, when the mistaken identity was clear. Instead, he chose to break the law and resist arrest. That’s really what all this is about, though, wanting to let minor criminals off with their crimes. Shouldn’t be acceptable, especially when those crimes are in public and actually affect people. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/465 "2014-12-21T02:24:16Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I sincerely hope it’s an isolated incident that doesn’t start a chain of events. If one side can keep the unwarranted violence to a minimum, perhaps the other side will take a hint. Sadly, the criminal population don’t seem to respond to this, and instead continue to resist arrest, leading to the police increasing their use of (well-warranted) force. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/466 "2014-12-21T02:32:25Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Sadly, the criminal population don’t seem to respond to this, and instead continue to resist arrest, leading to the police increasing their use of (well-warranted) force. Wow. Words utterly fail. ---
**Author:** ![eulalia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eulalia/32/457_2.png) [@eulalia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eulalia)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/467 "2014-12-21T05:18:51Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Sadly, the criminal population don’t seem to respond to this, and instead continue to resist arrest, leading to the police increasing their use of (well-warranted) force. Since he was not in fact a criminal, that statement is simply idiotic. If I, an older white woman, had been grabbed by the cops for no apparent reason I’m not sure I’d even understand what they wanted, much less be inclined to comply unquestioningly. Does that make me a “criminal”? ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/468 "2014-12-21T05:55:06Z")
> [@eulalia](#): > > Since he was not in fact a criminal, that statement is simply idiotic. If I, an older white woman, had been grabbed by the cops for no apparent reason I’m not sure I’d even understand what they wanted, much less be inclined to comply unquestioningly. Does that make me a “criminal”? Notice the silence in response to this. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/469 "2014-12-21T05:57:34Z")
> **[Two New York policemen executed in broad daylight by man who shot his...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2882105/Two-New-York-police-officers-shot-Brooklyn.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus)** > > Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, shot his ex-girlfriend in Baltimore at 5.45am on Saturday then traveled 190 miles to Brooklyn to shoot recently-married Wenjian Liu and father-of-one Rafael Ramos. Man who executed two cops shot his girlfriend in Baltimore then traveled to New York and BRAGGED on Instagram that he was going to get revenge for Eric Garner and Mike Brown before launching deadly attack and finally killing himself . ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/470 "2014-12-21T06:00:24Z")
I would never resist a cop, but I try to keep my interactions with any cop to the shortest possible. And pretty much any person with much common sense has the same policy. What does that fact say about cops, generally speaking? ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/471 "2014-12-21T06:04:25Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [Two New York police officers shot in Brooklyn  | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2882105/Two-New-York-police-officers-shot-Brooklyn.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus) > > Man who executed two cops shot his girlfriend in Baltimore then traveled to New York and BRAGGED on Instagram that he was going to get revenge for Eric Garner and Mike Brown before launching deadly attack and finally killing himself > . From the shooter’s POV, the score is now @ 10,000-2, still in favor of the police. If the cops he killed were the Pantoleo type, he may have made New Yorkers safer. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/472 "2014-12-21T06:26:58Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > There were 3 or 4 policemen already struggling to subdue him, he was obviously resisting them. The officer that punched him successfully subdued him, after other methods had failed. That’s not an attack, that’s doing his fucking job. You are disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/473 "2014-12-21T10:54:18Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [Two New York police officers shot in Brooklyn  | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2882105/Two-New-York-police-officers-shot-Brooklyn.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus) > > Man who executed two cops shot his girlfriend in Baltimore then traveled to New York and BRAGGED on Instagram that he was going to get revenge for Eric Garner and Mike Brown before launching deadly attack and finally killing himself > . And the relevance to the subject and tenor of this thread is what? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/474 "2014-12-21T13:10:03Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [Two New York police officers shot in Brooklyn  | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2882105/Two-New-York-police-officers-shot-Brooklyn.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus) > > Man who executed two cops shot his girlfriend in Baltimore then traveled to New York and BRAGGED on Instagram that he was going to get revenge for Eric Garner and Mike Brown before launching deadly attack and finally killing himself > . I, for one, oppose the cold-blooded murder of random police officers. Let’s see if someone who supports it will weigh in, so we can start a dialogue. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/475 "2014-12-21T13:12:33Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [Two New York police officers shot in Brooklyn  | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2882105/Two-New-York-police-officers-shot-Brooklyn.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus) > > Man who executed two cops shot his girlfriend in Baltimore then traveled to New York and BRAGGED on Instagram that he was going to get revenge for Eric Garner and Mike Brown before launching deadly attack and finally killing himself > . I agree with [Eric Holder](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/12/20/eric-holders-statement-on-the-shooting-deaths-of-two-nypd-officers-in-brooklyn/) on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/476 "2014-12-21T13:22:13Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > From the shooter’s POV, the score is now @ 10,000-2, still in favor of the police. If the cops he killed were the Pantoleo type, he may have made New Yorkers safer. Go away. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/477 "2014-12-21T13:23:50Z")
> [@eulalia](#): > > Since he was not in fact a criminal, that statement is simply idiotic. If I, an older white woman, had been grabbed by the cops for no apparent reason I’m not sure I’d even understand what they wanted, much less be inclined to comply unquestioningly. Does that make me a “criminal”? You’re older, huh? Probably a _career_ criminal. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/478 "2014-12-21T14:11:27Z")
> [@eulalia](#): > > Since he was not in fact a criminal, that statement is simply idiotic. If I, an older white woman, had been grabbed by the cops for no apparent reason I’m not sure I’d even understand what they wanted, much less be inclined to comply unquestioningly. Does that make me a “criminal”? If you resist arrest? Yes, you’d be a criminal. How is that complicated? The time for questioning is in court if necessary, not on the street or wherever. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/479 "2014-12-21T14:47:18Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > If you resist arrest? Yes, you’d be a criminal. How is that complicated? The time for questioning is in court if necessary, not on the street or wherever. Back off. She’s a career criminal and likely carries a shiv. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/480 "2014-12-21T14:59:13Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > If you resist arrest? Yes, you’d be a criminal. Even if the only evidence that you “resisted arrest” is the word of the cop. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=25)