The Bad Boys are Back! Philly FOP celebrates reinstatement of officers involved in brutal beating, page 1

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Topic started on 18-3-2010 @ 10:15 AM by FortAnthem

The Philly FOP is celebrating the reinstatement of 8 officers who were involved in a brutal beating caught on tape by a news helicopter. In spite of graphic video showing the beating, the officers involved were never charged in the incident.

They’re gona have an open bar and everyone will be dancing the “WE Got Away With it Boogey”!

FOP Plans Party For Beating Cops
Online FOP Invitation Declares 'Our Guys Are Back'

PHILADELPHIA - Fox 29 has learned that the Philadelphia Fraternal Order Of Police plans to hold a party to celebrate the return to the force of eight Philadelphia police officers cleared in the public beating of three suspects.

The officers were caught on tape by SkyFox in May 2008 beating three murder suspects.

An arbitrator ruled last week that the two fired officers should be reinstated, and four other officers were too harshly punished for the attack. No officers were charged after a grand jury released its findings last August.

The August 2009 grand jury report said the three suspects, because they eluded police, fell under the guidelines that justified the actions of the 20 officers who beat the three men on camera in a 14-minute video shot by Fox 29.

An invitation posted on the FOP Web site says "Our Guys Are Back" (Helicopter Video Incident) and its asks members to come out Friday night to the FOP lodge on Spring Garden Street.

The invitation promises a free party with an open bar and music, and features a smiley face with a police hat on it.

Read more: My Fox Philly

For those who don’t remember the incident, here’s the original video captured by the Fox News copter at the time of the incident;

YouTube Link

A grand jury convened to investigate the incident said there was nothing wrong with what those officers did. Did they watch the same video? What were those idiots thinking?

Jury: Police Had Right To Beat Suspects
Grand Jury: Officers 'Used Reasonable Force'

"After a careful thorough and exhaustive year long invest we the jurors have independently concluded that criminal action is not warranted against any of the officers. We found that the police on the scene used only the amount of force -- and no more than that amount -- that they reasonably believed was necessary to bring under control and into custody three suspects in a shooting who had tried to elude capture, who were resisting arrest and who were creating a potentially significant danger to police."

"We found that the design of the force applied by the police was helpful rather than hurtful; the kicks and blows in other words were aimed not to inflict injury but to facilitate quick and safe arrests. We found that the kind of force administered was completely consistent with police training and guidelines and the laws of the commonwealth."

The three men beaten by Philadelphia police after a triple shooting were acquitted in June of all charges in the shootings that led to the beating incident.

"I'm really upset because justice still wasn't served so the cops can just go out and do the same thing to anybody randomly, like they want to," says former suspect Brian Hall.

Read more: My Fox Philly

Hip, hip, horaay! Those dirtbags are gonna get back their “Do anything and get away with it” badges and will soon be back out on the streets terrorizing the people of Philadelphia.

[edit on 3/18/10 by FortAnthem]

reply posted on 18-3-2010 @ 10:47 AM by poedxsoldiervet

reply to post by FortAnthem

After watching the video I am in the air on this one... Was everyone involved from the suspects to the Police wrong.... Yes.... Did the Police use excessive force... Yes... Will Al Sharpton and other Race baiters come out... You bet... Everyone involved was wrong and it looks like no one will be charged from the Suspects to the cops... It makes you scratch your head and so hmmmm.

reply posted on 18-3-2010 @ 12:26 PM by FortAnthem

reply to post by poedxsoldiervet

I guess it is possible to say everyone was wrong in this matter, however, I believe police should be held to a higher standard especially when it comes to the use of force.

I think it is HUGELY INAPPROPRIATE for the FOP to be publicly celebrating the return of these officers to active duty. That video inflamed the people of Philadelphia and for the FOP to be celebrating these officers now is like pouring salt on old wounds.

The FOP seems to be thumbing their noses at public opinion and flaunting their officer's ability to get away with mistreating the public.

What went on during that stop goes against every police reg in the book. Those cops were angry because one of their own was killed in the line of duty and they were looking to take out their frustrations on anyone who gave them the slightest excuse.

Just for reference, here is a police training vid showing how a felony car stop is supposed to go down. Notice; there is no yanking suspects from the car, kicking them while they're on the ground or going from suspect to suspect and wailing on them with a billy club in this vid.

YouTube Link

[edit on 3/18/10 by FortAnthem]

reply posted on 18-3-2010 @ 12:33 PM by Tiger5

Originally posted by poedxsoldiervet
reply to post by FortAnthem

After watching the video I am in the air on this one... Was everyone involved from the suspects to the Police wrong.... Yes.... Did the Police use excessive force... Yes... Will Al Sharpton and other Race baiters come out... You bet... Everyone involved was wrong and it looks like no one will be charged from the Suspects to the cops... It makes you scratch your head and so hmmmm.

Well after it has become a habit for police to beat black suspects (who are still innocent until proven guilty) they will start beating white suspects. My point is that this is a human rights issue dressed up as a racial incident judging from your comment. If it was a black cop beating up on white suspects I would be outraged.

[edit on 18-3-2010 by Tiger5]

[edit on 18-3-2010 by Tiger5]

reply posted on 18-3-2010 @ 12:37 PM by Thepreye

It's insane and indicative of a dark future that these cops got away with a sustained and brutal beating of innocent men who offered no resistance, if I was a USan I'd either leave join the force or try to join a political campaign to stop the walk towards fascism, then leave when that failed.

reply posted on 18-3-2010 @ 05:50 PM by FortAnthem

"We found that the design of the force applied by the police was helpful rather than hurtful; the kicks and blows in other words were aimed not to inflict injury but to facilitate quick and safe arrests. We found that the kind of force administered was completely consistent with police training and guidelines and the laws of the commonwealth."

This part of the Grand Jury finding is what really gets my blood boiling. How can they say that kicking and beating people on the ground was "helpful" and not aimed to inflict injury.

They say "force administered was completely consistent with police training and guidelines and the laws of the commonwealth." I want to see the training manual that instructs police to act in this manner. I guarantee you, it can't be found. Watch the vid of the felony stop training I posted above. That's how this type of arrest is supposed to go down. What those cops did was old fashioned frontier justice with no concern for the actual guilt or innocence of the suspects.

reply posted on 18-3-2010 @ 06:40 PM by adifferentbreed

While I agree it is in bad taste for the cops to celebrate in this manner, bad taste isn't illegal. It might also be worthy to note alot of felons do get out of prison to welcome home parties......these don't make the news. While I agree cops should be held to a higher standard, they haven't been for along time, unless it involves race, so no harm no foul.

reply posted on 18-3-2010 @ 07:05 PM by warpcrafter

Regardless of the issue of their guilt or innocence, the FOP celebration is an inflammatory act that will only worsen relations between the police and African Americans in Philadelphia. Way to go, guys.

reply posted on 18-3-2010 @ 07:37 PM by PsykoOps

But the video clearly shows the officers acting professionaly and as they have been trained? It's a video from a news copter so we can assume that it's not faked or anything. Also it shows the whole incident starting from the stop so we can't use the 'we can't be sure what happened before argument'. How can these 'jurors' sleep at night after lying their asses off like that

reply posted on 18-3-2010 @ 11:06 PM by FortAnthem

Originally posted by adifferentbreed
While I agree cops should be held to a higher standard, they haven't been for along time, unless it involves race, so no harm no foul.

Please tell me you're not saying that, because police have never been held to high standards before, we should just shrug our shoulders and say it's OK.

We need to bring this type of arrogant behavior to an end. The only way that can be accomplished is by demanding our public servants to live up to the high standards we expect from them.

You sound like all of those people who say all politicians are corrupt, so why complain when one gets caught taking bribes or lying or whatever. That's giving up the fight and surrendering to the corruption surrounding us. People need to stand up and fight against corruption and misuse of power.

Our public servants need to be held accountable for their actions, otherwise the corruption will spread and take over.

[edit on 3/18/10 by FortAnthem]

reply posted on 18-3-2010 @ 11:21 PM by SphinxMontreal

"This part of the Grand Jury finding is what really gets my blood boiling. How can they say that kicking and beating people on the ground was "helpful" and not aimed to inflict injury."

Just another example of the system supporting Police Officers 100%, regardless how unlawful and corrupt their activity becomes.

reply posted on 19-3-2010 @ 07:46 PM by FortAnthem

Originally posted by SphinxMontreal
"This part of the Grand Jury finding is what really gets my blood boiling. How can they say that kicking and beating people on the ground was "helpful" and not aimed to inflict injury."

Just another example of the system supporting Police Officers 100%, regardless how unlawful and corrupt their activity becomes.

What shocked me about this case is that they couldn't even get an INDICTMENT on those officers!

It's often been said that it's so easy to get an indictment, you can get an indictment on a ham sandwich! How is it possible that the DA failed to get an indictment on these officers with such graphic evidence! An indictment is just saying there is enough evidence to bring charges against the accused.

It seems to me that the DA in this case must not have even been trying, if they weren't openly cooperating with the defence on this one. Knowing the Philly justice system, I wouldn't be surprised if this were the case.

reply posted on 20-3-2010 @ 10:34 AM by FortAnthem

At least a few people showed up outside the FOP party to protest the celebration.

The Philly FOP, showing their callous disregard for the feelings of the people of Philadelphia bragged that the party was an enormous success with a packed house.

Protest of FOP party for reinstated officers

Carrying signs that read "So This Is Something to Celebrate?" and "Justice Really Is Blind in Philadelphia," about a dozen people demonstrated yesterday in front of the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police headquarters on Spring Garden Street.

On a concrete island in the middle of Spring Garden, members of the Philadelphia chapter of the National Action Network, a civil-rights group led by the Rev. Al Sharpton, gathered yesterday afternoon to express outrage.

Michelle Wood waved a cardboard sign at passing rush-hour traffic.

"There's no reason to celebrate," said Wood, whose son Pete Hopkins was one of the three men kicked and punched by police. "My son was beaten almost to death."

Read more: Philly.com

This site contains video of the protest, including video of a woman flipping the protestors the bird as she walks into the party, showing just how classy the Philly FOP can be: My Fox Philly