Cops receive report of a young man carrying a samurai sword...

[draco664]

...so they tazer a 61-year-old blind guy.

I mean, a white cane held by a disabled retiree looks sort of like a samurai sword in the hands of a man in his prime. You know, if you're fucking retarded.

Bonus points for the fact that the cop in question is still on duty.

Oh, and a 27 year old man with a samurai sword was arrested later that night.

[Dreamstalker]

Hit IN THE BACK?! How could the cops even see what he was carrying from that angle? O_o I'm trying to figure out how a white cane could possibly be mistaken for a sword (hint: you don't use a sword to walk), and I swear my brain just rebooted.

I've seen umbrellas with samurai-sword handles, and am just waiting for the cops around here to do something stupid when they see one.

[Panacea]

You don't shoot or taze someone unless they make a threatening motion.

It'll be interesting to see how this case shakes out.

[insertNameHere]

Devils advocate

Police respond to call of Samurai sword, I'm gonna guess at almost 6pm it probably getting dark. They see a man walking waving what appears to be a sword around FAILING to comply to demands and reacted as such.

This is why as a law abiding citizen I'm SO fucking scared of randomly encountering the police and hate when I see them pull up behind me, because many I have learned of and witnessed that there are some individuals extremely fucking clueless about their duty or laws in general. I have a concealed handgun license and there are two kinds of cops. Those that Absolutely hate me making effort to protect myself because of court precedence stating that the Police really hold no such duty, I mean they try their best but its NOT a requirement. Then there are the ones that are like sweet you have a gun and like guns, what you carry, blah blah blah.

The cop who tasered the blind guy is most likely the first type, doesn't understand the first thing about weapons and REALLY has no business carrying one.

[Andara Bledin]

Sunset in Lancashire at this time of year actually is just about 6pm, so that would make it during twilight, which is the worst visibility of the day.

The problem I have is that the officer went straight to assuming that the individual was ignoring him as opposed to, say, being unable to hear him. The man looks old. He appears to walk with a slight hunch, has no hair, and the action of using a cane for walking while blind is pretty obvious and it's appalling that the officer couldn't at least recognize that.

^-.-^

[Greenday]

Devils advocate

Police respond to call of Samurai sword, I'm gonna guess at almost 6pm it probably getting dark. They see a man walking waving what appears to be a sword around FAILING to comply to demands and reacted as such.

If I was walking around with a cane and I heard shouts from behind me to drop the sword, I'd promptly ignore them too because why the hell would they be talking to me?

[insertNameHere]

If I was walking around with a cane and I heard shouts from behind me to drop the sword, I'd promptly ignore them too because why the hell would they be talking to me?

Which is why you would get tazed.... not saying it is right by any means just how that situation is likely to play out.


Hell how many people have been killed by cops because they had something shiny but not even close to weapon like but "its a gun!!!!"
Then you also have a majority of 911 (999) callers who give a panicked/inaccurate description to a dispatcher who at least on this side of the pond is over worked under trained and probably doesn't give a fuck to relay it off to the officers.
then here is a link of Officers killed by officers just in New York. Kind of sucks if your in plain clothes and call for backup you could easily be gunned down for it.

[Jester]

This is why as a law abiding citizen I'm SO fucking scared of randomly encountering the police and hate when I see them pull up behind me, because many I have learned of and witnessed that there are some individuals extremely fucking clueless about their duty or laws in general.

It's a pretty sad commentary on the state of the times when normal people are fearful of the police, who are supposed to be there "to serve and protect," not intimidate and cause fear.

[protege]

It's a pretty sad commentary on the state of the times when normal people are fearful of the police, who are supposed to be there "to serve and protect," not intimidate and cause fear.

There are some areas though (like Brentwood, PA locally) where some fears are justified. Their police department is seen as somewhat corrupt, especially after the Johnny Gammage incident several years ago. The officers involved not only killed someone in custody...but were *promoted* after doing so. Around that time, one of my friends was driving his dad's Jag with some friends, and got pulled over. Brentwood cops ordered the guys from the car, made them lie on the ground for an hour...removed everything from the car, before deciding that they weren't the kids they were looking for. Plus, one of my friends is an EMT, and she was telling me that they get quite a few calls...because the cops have roughed someone up.

When I drive through that neighborhood (which is white 'burb, BTW), I find myself wanting to get through the area and occasionally noticing where the cops are sitting. Even though it's been very quiet over there since the Gammage incident, they still have that reputation of being assholes. I know that not all cops are assholes, but these guys have a well-deserved reputation for acting that way.

[Andara Bledin]

Even other cops don't like dealing with the cops in the Pittsburgh region.

^-.-^

[Jester]

There are some areas though (like Brentwood, PA locally) where some fears are justified.

Oh, unquestionably. And that is what makes the whole thing sad. Not just that people fear the police, but because various police officers and police agencies have given people REASON to fear the police.

[insertNameHere]

It's a pretty sad commentary on the state of the times when normal people are fearful of the police, who are supposed to be there "to serve and protect," not intimidate and cause fear.

I feel I am normal but part of my fear is the fact some would say I'm not "normal" because 99% of the time I am in possession of at least a knife.... aka a deadly weapon but it is always within guidelines of state law and company policy. Along with about 80% of the time a concealed handgun, no sense getting hassled by the police for open carry which is completely legal but freaks the sheep out.

My dad is a cop and I have had to go with him to drop stuff off to the station and on multiple occasions officers bitching about concealed carry and that people don't need deadly weapons. As mentioned in previous posts, the police have no duty to protect you and well smart criminals look around see no cop cars then rob you, it is extremely hard to dial 911 give your location and wait even just 2 minutes IF there is a unit close by all with a weapon to your head.

I know not every cop is unreasonable just that plenty of them exist and especially in the small towns if they feel your out of place your going to get hassled and the great thing about laws and rights is even if you know they are being violated there really isn't shit you can do without getting yourself in trouble. Eventually after a lengthy trial it can be proved the police over stepped their bounds but it doesn't change the fact the infraction occurred in the first place.

My real fear is being mistaken for a criminal while I'm minding my own business or run into a Sheriff with an agenda and a god complex. Or hell the Department of Natural Resources who enforces hunting regulations around here can be straight up pricks and still try citing landowners for hunting without a permit even when Ohio law clearly states a landowner needs to permit on their land.

[Zod]

This is why we don't let our police play with guns.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

I'm sorry but I would be able to tell the difference between a samurai sword and a blind man's cane in the dark. Especially if you add in the motion the blind man was doing with the cane (it was resting on or just slightly above the ground and being rocked in a semi-circle in front of them, who the HELL would do that with a sword?)

Sounds to me like someone was just tired of looking so they went after the first person they saw with a stick-like object in their hand.

[Gravekeeper]

The cop who tasered the blind guy is most likely the first type, doesn't understand the first thing about weapons and REALLY has no business carrying one.

Well, seeing as this is the UK so neither the cop nor the blind dude has one. Thus your second type of "hey cool gunz" cop literally doesn't exist there or, to be bluntly honest, in any first world country outside of the US. No offence.

American cops seem to be a breed onto themselves though, for better or worse. I'm often baffled at the mistrust Americans have for the police at times. But I don't live in a country where it seems like 1 in 4 cops is just a total asshole. >.>