# 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:** 343
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6841 "2015-10-31T14:32:39Z")
School resource officers are really going to have to rethink their approach, now that they see they can be so easily tricked into appearing to use excessive force and getting themselves fired, as **Clothy** describes, with current techniques. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6842 "2015-10-31T14:45:44Z")
[Link to the facts:](https://www.google.ca/search?q=Ben+Fields&oq=Ben+Fields&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8) > [@](#): > > The girl involved was recently orphaned, having lost her mother and grandmother in the past year and had been placed in foster care, her attorney said. > [@](#): > > On Monday, he [a classmate] wrote: 'Just to be clear, before the video, she was sitting quietly at her desk. Did nothing to provoke the officer. > ‘The girl in the video was new to our class, and she was quiet like she never talked to anyone.’ Clothahump’s opinion based on the facts: > [@Clothahump](#): > > IMNSHO, if the kid’s parents had brought her up to respect authority, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Parents need to discipline their children so that society doesn’t have to. Some folks demonstrate that they are ignorant. Some folks demonstrate that they are insensitive. But you stand out for demonstrating that you are both when you make such an obtuse statement. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6843 "2015-10-31T15:39:57Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > The amount of force he used was quite reasonable. This is “quite reasonable”? “[Fields] picked the student up and he threw the student across the room.” - [Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott](http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/29/us/south-carolina-school-arrest-videos/) “She now has a cast on her arm, she has neck and back injuries.” - [attorney](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2015/10/28/s-c-sheriff-to-announce-results-of-investigation-into-officer-who-threw-student/) ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6844 "2015-10-31T17:14:39Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Yeah, I’ve seen the pictures of the cops black eye. Apparently, his retina detached and he may need surgery to regain sight in the eye. And then she cut a “B” for Barack into his cheek. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6845 "2015-10-31T17:40:56Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Yeah, I’ve seen the pictures of the cops black eye. Apparently, his retina detached and he may need surgery to regain sight in the eye. > [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > And then she cut a “B” for Barack into his cheek. Wait wait wait-- I’m having trouble keeping up with the new information. If we’re ever going to get to the bottom of this, we need to be careful in considering the timing of everyone’s actions. Now, did she commit all these assaults on the officer before or after she exploded the recased clock? ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6846 "2015-11-01T05:34:26Z")
[and now for something completely different](http://www.seattlepi.com/news/us/article/AP-Hundreds-of-officers-lose-licenses-over-sex-6603433.php) ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6847 "2015-11-01T14:43:31Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > [and now for something completely different](http://www.seattlepi.com/news/us/article/AP-Hundreds-of-officers-lose-licenses-over-sex-6603433.php) Now, now, that’s not nice. You’re going to get **Smapti** all hot and bothered with that story. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6848 "2015-11-01T15:01:17Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Now, now, that’s not nice. You’re going to get **Smapti** all hot and bothered with that story. I rather think he’s going to get all confused that some would apparently object to what he perceives as a perk of interacting with the police. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6849 "2015-11-01T16:24:18Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I rather think he’s going to get all confused that some would apparently object to what he perceives as a perk of interacting with the police. As others have mentioned, he probably considers it a privilege to suck a cop’s dick. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6850 "2015-11-01T17:21:21Z")
I hope Clothahump returns to advise where in the video he thinks this girl assaulted the cop. Worrying to thing that people might actually rely on his teachings for self defence. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6851 "2015-11-01T18:13:07Z")
> [@Gary\_Kumquat](#): > > I hope Clothahump returns to advise where in the video he thinks this girl assaulted the cop. It’ll be a while. He has to run the video through “enhance” mode a few hundred times. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6852 "2015-11-01T18:39:22Z")
> [@Gary\_Kumquat](#): > > Worrying to thing that people might actually rely on his teachings for self defence. Especially when he tells them a person refusing to get out of a chair constitutes an “attack.” They’ll be having to defend themselves constantly. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6853 "2015-11-01T18:45:48Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Especially when he tells them a person refusing to get out of a chair constitutes an “attack.” And allegedly breaking an arm of someone ~100 pounds lighter is “quite reasonable”. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6854 "2015-11-01T19:15:06Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Now, now, that’s not nice. You’re going to get **Smapti** all hot and bothered with that story. > [@Kobal2](#): > > I rather think he’s going to get all confused that some would apparently object to what he perceives as a perk of interacting with the police. > [@dasmoocher](#): > > As others have mentioned, he probably considers it a privilege to suck a cop’s dick. Sorry, I don’t swing that way and I don’t condone that kind of behavior from the police. I have said before that if a cop were to demand such a thing of one, it would be prudent for the sake of one’s own safety to comply and then sue the hell out of the officer and the department later. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6855 "2015-11-01T19:18:44Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Sorry, I don’t swing that way and I don’t condone that kind of behavior from the police. I have said before that if a cop were to demand such a thing of one, it would be prudent for the sake of one’s own safety to comply and then sue the hell out of the officer and the department later. What if the person has a gun? Do they not have the right to defend themselves against sexual assault with deadly force? Are you suddenly opposed to this right? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6856 "2015-11-01T19:27:58Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > What if the person has a gun? Do they not have the right to defend themselves against sexual assault with deadly force? Of course they do. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6857 "2015-11-01T20:09:35Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Especially when he tells them a person refusing to get out of a chair constitutes an “attack.” They’ll be having to defend themselves constantly. The only plus side is they will defend themselves using such damaging strikes as “not getting up out of a chair” Which, of course, is a massive negative if they are actually being attacked. “Fortunately thanks to my martial arts training I was able to defend myself by viciously allowing them to throw me onto the floor and drag me around like a rag doll.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6858 "2015-11-01T20:21:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Of course they do. _Even if cops die?!_ ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6859 "2015-11-01T20:36:50Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Sorry, I don’t swing that way and I don’t condone that kind of behavior from the police. I have said before that if a cop were to demand such a thing of one, it would be prudent for the sake of one’s own safety to comply and then sue the hell out of the officer and the department later. And how well does that always work out? From the linked story: > [@](#): > > Experts said it isn’t just threats of retaliation that deter victims from reporting the crimes, but also skepticism about the ability of officers and prosecutors to investigate their colleagues. > > Milwaukee Police Officer Ladmarald Cates was sentenced to 24 years in prison in 2012 for raping a woman he was dispatched to help. Despite screaming “He raped me!” repeatedly to other officers present, she was accused of assaulting an officer and jailed for four days, her lawyer said. The district attorney, citing a lack of evidence, declined to prosecute Cates. Only after a federal investigation was he tried and convicted. > > It’s a story that doesn’t surprise Penny Harrington, a former police chief in Portland, Oregon, who co-founded the National Center for Women in Policing and has served as an expert witness in officer misconduct cases. She said officers sometimes avoid charges or can beat a conviction because they are so steeped in the system. > > “They knew the DAs. They knew the judges. They knew the safe houses. They knew how to testify in court. They knew how to make her look like a nut,” she said. “How are you going to get anything to happen when he’s part of the system and when he threatens you and when you know he has a gun and … you know he can find you wherever you go?” ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/6860 "2015-11-01T20:43:57Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > _Even if cops die?!_ Don’t be silly. Obviously at that point the cop gets to shoot first in pre-emptive self-defence. After all, they are being threatened by a violent perp with a gun and dangerous sharp implements close to their genitals. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=342) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=344)