Oakland PD Takes Out Another Vet

[Panacea]

It interests me how because these guys are vets, when the police uses force against them.

Being a vet draws more attention too it because A) This is a guy that has served his country, likely in a more dangerous capacity then the people beating the crap out of him and B) It runs directly against the right wing narrative of "They're all just damn hippies!".

I would add to Gravekeeper's point that not all vets at these gatherings are in uniform, or wear anything identifiers as vets. Some do, some don't. But injuring a vet creates a visceral response in this country. They make a lot of sacrifices to preserve our liberties. To be subjected to police brutality is just wrong on so many levels.

I'm not saying a vet should get a pass if he's doing something out of line at a demonstration. But the accounts I've read on this indicate he was peaceful and moving AWAY from trouble. Cops should've let him go, instead they jumped him because he was an easy target.

What this should tell the police is, you can't assume protestors are criminals by the nature of their simply protesting, and making that assumption means you're likely to shoot your own foot by smacking down the guy who risked his life for his right to peaceably assemble.

Well, prove shouldn't be difficult in this case, should it? The police would have arrest logs, right? So, just check time of arrest vs. time of arrival at the hospital, and the facts should be clear.

Also, I think Panacea mentioned in another thread that prison and jail actually aren't allowed to take in arrestees that appear injured or sick without prior clearance from an emergency room; does that apply to Oakland, too? If so, did they get him cleared by an ER? Or did they violate another policy?

The police used instruments of force in arresting him, ie batons. That requires a use of force report, and he should have been checked over by EMTs at least before going to jail.

Apparently after several hours in a misery ball in his cell, the police let a nurse check him all she did was offer him a suppository ( ..... ) and leave. Then they called an ambulance several hours after that when I guess they started realising oh shit this might look bad ;p

I have to ask the question: did the nurse perform any kind of physical exam or ask any assessment questions? For her to assume the guy had simple constipation tells me either she did NOT, or that she DID and we don't have the whole story.

I would give my right arm to see her notes. This is the kind of chart review I do on the side, prison inmates who want to sue the state for poor medical care. You wouldn't believe some of the flagrant malpractice I've seen in these cases.

Unless it's the same cop every time, there's no proof of it being a habitual issue usable as proof.

I don't know that I buy that, given the poor reputations of the LAPD, NYPD, and NOPD in terms of police brutality and misconduct. Oakland looks to be well on its way to joining them in their Hall of Shame.

[Greenday]

I don't know that I buy that, given the poor reputations of the LAPD, NYPD, and NOPD in terms of police brutality and misconduct. Oakland looks to be well on its way to joining them in their Hall of Shame.

My point is that just because other cops are douchebags is not proof at all that this cop is automatically a douche.

[bara]

My point is that just because other cops are douchebags is not proof at all that this cop is automatically a douche.

I fully believe that nationally, the great majority of cops are good police. I watch those police chases where people are swerving all over the place doing 115 mph, police raid drug labs contending with trained attack dogs, people shooting at them, possible explosions, they put themselves at great risk all the time for public safety even during something as routine as a traffic stop and I thank them for that and feel they are being underpaid and under appreciated on a national level.

In fact, I have never had an officer treat me in a way I would describe as unprofessional. (Keep in mind my dealing with police never involved me in any trouble and was mostly during the DARE program in the 80s)

But the past few weeks have seen some pretty douchebagery moves by the Oakland PD. Are all of the Oakland PD at fault? Of course not. Just as not all of the protestors are doing anything wrong.

But its hard to deny that there are quite a few distreputable members in the Oakland PD at this point. And given that there are way more protesters than there are police I would say the percentages of douchebags are higher in the Oakland PD.

This is why I want to know exactly what are the police being told to do behind closed doors. Are they being told to be asshats to the protesters? I almost think that they are at this point because I cannot beleive that this is how the Oakland PD normally behaves.

[Gravekeeper]

No one said all cops are douchebags. Its just the NYPD and Oakland PD that seem to have some rather systematic problems. The NYPD especially seems rather rife with corruption at a fundemental level. I have no idea whats up with the Oakland PD though.

[BlaqueKatt]

This is why I want to know exactly what are the police being told to do behind closed doors. Are they being told to be asshats to the protesters? I almost think that they are at this point because I cannot beleive that this is how the Oakland PD normally behaves.

probably not being told to be asshats, but honestly how do you feel after working tons of mandatory overtime? So far in one month oakland has spent close to $700,000.00 just in overtime pay for the occupy oakland area.

Plus I imagine the police being seen at the instigators is frustrating, especially when you have occupy DC attacking a woman in a wheelchair and attempting to take her service dog, pushing a 78 year old woman down the stairs, threatening food vendors(stealing and damaging their property as well), and the media isn't reporting on any of that.

[bara]

Plus I imagine the police being seen at the instigators is frustrating, especially when you have occupy DC attacking a woman in a wheelchair and attempting to take her service dog, pushing a 78 year old woman down the stairs, threatening food vendors(stealing and damaging their property as well), and the media isn't reporting on any of that.

Two of the three links you provided are major media outlets, Fox and CBS.

[Panacea]

My point is that just because other cops are douchebags is not proof at all that this cop is automatically a douche.

OK, fair enough. However, if it did indeed go down that this cop attacked a protestor who was leaving the area peacefully, then the cop is a douche.

Plus I imagine the police being seen at the instigators is frustrating, especially when you have occupy DC attacking a woman in a wheelchair and attempting to take her service dog, pushing a 78 year old woman down the stairs, threatening food vendors(stealing and damaging their property as well), and the media isn't reporting on any of that.

I watched a couple of these videos. Some points.

The woman in the wheelchair was making a nice little speech . . . but there is no evidence that protestors actually prevented her from leaving the building. Other people in that building did leave.

There was some nasty words exchanged. The first blow was struck by a Tea Party woman screaming at a protestor who had her on ignore.

Another Tea Party fellow pushed through two protestors and grabbed a third who had his back to the TP guy and was walking away.

A couple of women got knocked down in the scuffle. Regrettable, but no evidence they were deliberately attacked (as the header of the video implies).

Some one in a car ran over two OWS protestors. Police refused to make an arrest, even though at least one person when to the hospital by EMS.

[Andara Bledin]

The "woman in a wheelchair" was prevented from leaving (which is douchebaggy), but at no point does any other report anywhere mention her being attacked. Without further information I would file this under "willful misrepresentation" where most of the rest of the debunked outrageous headlines go.

Speaking of debunked, the 78-year-old woman was pushed down by one of her own people who was too much an asshole to exit with the rest of his crew through the 'safe corridor' that had been provided by police. Again, the Occupiers were blocking movement, but were not being violent.

As for the street vendors incident, this all has a single source with no corroboration that I could dig up. I find myself highly skeptical, but will reserve judgment until more is made known.

^-.-^

[RecoveringKinkoid]

In fact, I have never had an officer treat me in a way I would describe as unprofessional. .

You're lucky.

Where I live, I have had many dealings with cops (keep in mind that I am a middle aged mom with not even anything on my driving record, much less a history of behavior that would attract cops. I've never had the cops called on me, never caused a wreck, never even gotten a citation. I'm boring.).

Where I live, cops are mostly armed thugs and bullies who have to be forced to do their actual job. Being the good guy is evidently not nearly as fun as being the bad guy. I'm not the only one here who thinks so.

I have had one dealing with a cop that left me with warm fuzzy feelings and one that was neutral and that I felt okay about.

The other many, many dealings I've had with them over the years have left me with feelings ranging from rage, fear, disgust, and sadness. I've seen them break the law, endanger others (including children), bully people, lie, harass, and brag about all of the above. This is not just one cop I'm talking about, this is cops in general over the years.

I dated a cop once. He was young, and idealistic and though he could change the world. Yeah. He washed out very, very quickly. I imagine that happens hundreds of times. They either wash out or conform.

[Andara Bledin]

I'm fortunate that all of the cops that I have had dealings with so far in my life have been quite pleasant and helpful.

My mother, on the other hand, was a hippie in the '70s, with all of the baggage that comes with such, and has been harassed as often as not. Although, since she hit "middle age," they've stopped acting like pigs so much.

But there are still cities that you don't drive through unless you are white and your car is nice because the cops are, as in Kinkoid's case, armed thugs with badges on a power trip just because they can and nobody does anything to stop them.

^-.-^

[Eisa]

I don't like the police. Part of that is the position of authority thing, I am terrified of men in authority in particular.

But also they have just...acted like assholes, even here. Not that they all do, I've met several nice ones here as well, and they were awesome.

Although I'm still puzzled how exactly it works when a guy rapes someone, admits to it in writing, and the cops let him go.

I can believe there's something wrong with the Oakland PD...this is kinda getting ridiculous.