When Cops Get Caught Sanitizing And Flat-Out Lying About Brutality

This is a pretty good article from the Huffington Post that summarizes several stories in recent years about police brutality. In summary, it juxtaposes the official reports that were filed against the video (which are embedded as short gifs), but includes links to all the relevant information.

Some of these stories we have heard about before (such as Walter Scott, in Charleston), and some of them have been posted here, individually, but some of these I have not heard of. Granted, the full videos are not here, so they do not show the entire picture of what happened, but they do offer a glimpse into Police misconduct.

It's a great thing that we have video of these incidents, but how many occur daily where there is NO evidence and only the officer's "word" (which can likely be a lie)? We know how their "word" is usually taken as truth and only questioned until evidence to the contrary comes along. Some of these officers have been fired, and others are still employed. Many of these cases involve multi-million dollar lawsuits filed by the victims (and some of them seem entirely justified).

A few highlights:

One video shows a cop driving at a high rate of speed straight toward a person walking on the sidewalk with a rifle and hits him with the car:

In February, 36-year-old Mario Valencia was seen by police in Marana, Arizona, walking down the street with a rifle he had allegedly stolen from a Walmart. Officers would later report that Valencia had pointed the rifle at an officer and at himself during other encounters earlier that day.

In police dashcam video, an officer slowly following Valencia can be heard reporting that Valencia has just fired a single shot into the air. Moments later, Officer Michael Rapiejko's car comes zooming up and deliberately crashes into Valencia, sending him flying through the air like a rag doll.

An inquiry into the case later concluded that Rapiejko's use of force was justified and reasonable.

There is one video that shows a suspect sitting on his couch with his hands raised in the air, and a K9 lunges at him and bites his face:

In March 2013, officers responded to complaints of a Christmas tree burning in Hoogveldt's backyard. Neighbors claimed that Hoogveldt had previously threatened them with a knife. . .the officers who entered Hoogveldt's house and ordered him to show his hands when they found him sitting on a couch. As seen on footage from Adams' body camera, Hoogveldt appeared to comply, but when he didn't stand up quickly enough, Adams commanded Pyro to attack Hoogveldt. Officers then used their stun guns on Hoogveldt.

When all was said and done, Hoogveldt had suffered bites to the face, neck, buttocks, leg and arm. The injuries cost him about $60,000 in plastic surgery.

In a release, authorities wrote that "to protect the neighborhood and before the fire department could come in, officers had to secure Mr. Hoogveldt."

There is another that shows a beefed up cop repeated punching a black woman in the face while he's on top of her on the ground as she is trying to protect her face from his blows:

In July 2014, a passing motorist filmed as California Highway Patrol Officer Daniel Andrew rained blows down on Marlene Pinnock, a 51-year-old grandmother who was walking along a freeway. A CHP incident summary of the incident claimed that Pinnock became "physically combative" when Andrew attempted to pull her away from traffic, at which time "a physical altercation ensued."

In September, Andrew agreed to resign from the CHP. Pinnock accepted $1.5 million from the agency to settle the civil rights lawsuit she'd filed.

In another, a handcuffed woman is shoved into a chair by a cop. She tries (or does) kick him, and he responds by picking her up and slamming her face first into the floor:

In the words of an officer who filed a police report on the incident, Walker "escorted Ms. Acker to the floor." According to another officer's report, he "rolled her out of the chair to the floor."

In his own report, Walker wrote that he "forcefully threw Ms. Acker ... face down on the ground." He claimed that Acker was intoxicated and combative prior to arriving at the hospital, and said the kick was valid cause for him to respond with force. The lawsuit claims Acker sustained significant injuries from the takedown, including facial trauma, a concussion and problems with memory and cognitive function, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder.

And in another, a cop kicks a handcuffed woman sitting on the ground in the face:

Officer Edward Krawetz of Lincoln, Rhode Island, kicked 44-year-old Donna Levesque in the head during an arrest for disorderly conduct at a bar.

Krawetz's explanation of his attack on the handcuffed woman changed as the story progressed, though he maintained that he'd acted in self-defense all the way through the end of his trial in 2012, when he was found guilty of felony battery.

Many other highlights at the link.

THIS is the America in which we're now living.

Thank god for video.

These are just examples of a growing trend of what we think of one another now and how we treat each other on a cultural level.

Think these mentalities are limited to police officers?

What about the 911 caller? "I don't have to put up with this"

How about people on ATS?

"These losers who provide me with services I enjoy regularly Aren't worth any money because I see their skills as useful, even though I still love having these services available."

How about when your driving down the road and some asshole has to ride you for two miles to a prove a point that you weren't driving fast enough for their tastes?

Seems to me like the problem is bigger than police.

a reply to: onequestion

Oh, I agree that the world—and society—is bubbling and it's not limited to police, and people are certainly not nice to one another...

But officers should be held to a different (higher) standard as public servants and not brutalize and lie to cover their butts.

That's what this is about. Period.

a reply to: onequestion

How about when your driving down the road and some asshole has to ride you for two miles to a prove a point that you weren't driving fast enough for their tastes?

asshole here how about you just speed the #### up or get in the far right lane? Sorry carry on..

originally posted by: alienjuggalo
a reply to: onequestion

How about when your driving down the road and some asshole has to ride you for two miles to a prove a point that you weren't driving fast enough for their tastes?

asshole here

how about you just speed the #### up or get in the far right lane? Sorry carry on..

Me too. I'm guilty as hell. Stop impeding traffic and get the hell over, because, ya know in GA it's the law now.

originally posted by: alienjuggalo
asshole here

how about you just speed the #### up or get in the far right lane? Sorry carry on..

Or you could just, you know... drive the speed limit like the law says you should. The difference between 65 and 70 over a 30 mile drive is 27 minutes 42 seconds vs 25 minutes 42 seconds. An entire 2 minutes vs the road hazard you create by riding someone.

a reply to: Aazadan

It's called "drive right" and basically means if you're not passing you drive in the right hand lane. It's also law in many states and there are usually signs posted saying slower traffic keep right. Stop being a jackass to prove your point.

Also impeeding the flow of traffic creates a danger to those in traffic as well...in my opinion much more than the guy going 5-10mph over the posted limit.

originally posted by: RickyD
a reply to: Aazadan

It's called "drive right" and basically means if you're not passing you drive in the right hand lane. It's also law in many states and there are usually signs posted saying slower traffic keep right. Stop being a jackass to prove your point.

Also impeeding the flow of traffic creates a danger to those in traffic as well...in my opinion much more than the guy going 5-10mph over the posted limit.

Who said I wasn't in the right hand lane? People do that to those in the right lane as well.

Or how about when it's a 2 lane highway and passing isn't allowed?

a reply to: Aazadan

Well in that case they are wrong for following to close. All I am saying is if the rules of the road are followed these problems shouldn't exisit.

And then we have people pulled over, beaten, and sometimes killed for minor traffic violations like, say, not having a front license plate.

It's things like THAT the article talks about, and compares the video to the "official statement" of "but I was getting dragged," which appears to be total BS.

a reply to: Liquesence

Police is taking great example from our politicians.

Lie, then cover your co-workers. Exceed their authority to justify their poor, sad lifes. I want to see one of these policeman kids beaten by policeman for nothing.

a reply to: residentofearth

Of course. People lie to preserve themselves.

Police, their institutions, their individuality, their camaraderie, do the same. It's nothing new or surprising, but the scope of it is enlightening.

The cliche "thick as thieves" comes to mind. That's exactly what it is. Thieves with badges, and those who aren't corrupt better not say anything against the others of else.

A sad state.