I'm sitting here shaking my head at some of these comments. This adds to the pile of "people are quick to judge" statement. If this is a jaywalking incident, why is it that it got to the point of an altercation? Could the officer have been respectful to them or the other way around? The video CLEARLY shows ONLY PART of the incident. I have friends who are police officers & deputies, and they said the officer should have simply did his job to detain her/them. Either way you slice it, a jaywalking incident or him being disrespected does not deserve a punch to the face. If he felt as if he was threatened, why did he punch the girl (let her go) then go after the other girl to wrestle with her after she tried to grab his arms when she saw her friend or relative get hit? An officer that feels threatened usually handcuffs the person or people they think will pose a threat to their safety. The footage in that SNIPPET does not show him detaining them.
@ Keith Patton.....I live in Houston and have experienced the same thing, but in so-called "black" neighborhoods. Before the re-gentrification process in 3rd Ward, I was walking down the street to get to a bus stop to get home after I got off work and two "white" cops pulled their car over as if to scare me, then jumped out to approach me as if they thought they caught me doing something. Now, imagine that feeling after working a 12 hour shift (add 2 hours getting to work on the bus). Then them to demand my ID and ask a series of questions that made them look like they were unsure of who they were after. The same has happened to me on several occasions.
In my opinion, all this "black president" talk is rubbish. I can't say the numbers have increased since Obama got in office, but it sure seems to be more cases of police brutality are being reported and videotaped since he took the job. Obama is just a different face in the same game.
By the way.....how many would think their child or any child deserved it if it were a school teacher who threw the punch and the teacher was disrespected? I'm sure the same people who claim she deserved it would be outraged at the teacher and the teacher should be punished AND fired. But i'm sure i'll hear about all the differences.
Keith Patton - 14 years ago
I am no fan of the police, but remember that a police officer is armed and when the subject lays hand on the police officer he must contain the situation because he has to make the assumption that the subject might try to grab his weapon, real or not. Commentary absolving the subject of wrong doing does nothing but promote irresponsible behavior on the part of people of color. Americans of European Decent have long ago realized that if you are unfortunate enough to be stopped by the cops, suck it up and take it. Be responsible, you can only make things worse for yourself. Rodney King, Obama's professor friend, and these young women learned that lesson the hard way. I was racially profiled in a minority part of town by two hispanic cops in Houston. Apparently they thought a middle aged white male had no business being in the hispanic and asian barrio that I was traversing, leaving the martial arts dojo in which I taught. Long story short, I spent two days in jail for nothing more than transporting an unloaded gun I had recently purchased only that day and was transporting home. The law under which I was arrested was a bone of contention and had been for some time. I shelled out the $1500 for an attorney and bail and the charges were dismissed. I then went to Austin and helped get the law changed. The whole episode left me with a distinctly unfavorable impression of the HPD, who I think are grossly incompetent and who's roles contain a lot of gang member wannabes who now wear HPD blue instead of gang colors. My one consolation is the then Houston DA Rosenthal was run our of office on an unrelated sex scandal involving his stupid use of his office email.
The moral of the story is respect the badge even if you don't respect the man wearing it. It is a lose lose propostion if you fight the law, the law always wins. Hey, I think that would make a catchy song....
Jamie - 14 years ago
I agree completely with the first post here by p. smith on June 17th 2010, 4:23pm
If the lawbreaker had acted responsibly this situation would not have occurred.
Tim Gause - 14 years ago
I'll answer you, Mr Howard Jackson. If my daughter would have acted like that doing a police stop, I would have told her she deserved what she got. The difference here is, she would not have acted like a FOOL to begin with. Maybe you should take a little more time and ask WHY the 2 girls acted the way they did. TOTAL disrespect. Teach your kids to respect the law, their elders, and each other. Goes a long way.
trev - 14 years ago
If it was a mexican illigal, he would get that treatment. If it was a white meth head, he would get that treatment. if it is a black women, she was as big as he was by the way, same treatment. I don't participate in group think, you know, young people usualy hang out in large groups, but that also can be dangerouse (mob mantality).If the cop does not respond full force, like he is trained to do, somthing worse could happen, that applies to all situations. I think its pathetic, this whole makeing everything about race, and ignoring the charactor of the indeviduals. she was probably acting cocky in front of the crue, and she had to be introduced to big brother. If he allows this 17 year old girl to walk all over him, than we have bigger problems on our plate.
BV - 14 years ago
Anyone who thinks this is a race issue is a prejudiced person. This has NOTHING to do with race. A black cop would have had to do the same thing to subdue two criminals at one time. And make no mistake, these two girls are criminals. Scofflaws cross all race, gender, religious and economic lines. These girls were breaking the law and failed to answer for their actions, which would have been to stop, face the officer and take the consequences for their actions. They, and everyone else, are not above the law. The girls should be very apologetic and be VERY thankful they weren't Tazed or night-sticked! Cops are allowed and supposed to take more aggressive action when attacked. And this cop was blatantly attacked. If the girls would have obeyed the law they would have not met the officer. And if they had just accepted his address, which could have even been to just point out to them that they were breaking the law, that could have been the end of it. The worst outcome would have been a ticket. But when ANYone makes the decision to lay a hand on a cop, which is the only way our society is attempting to remain civilized, they have given up their rights to freely walking down the street doing anything they please. Wake up folks, criminals start small and get more brazen. Jaywalking is the tip of the iceberg. And the cop wasn't even there by choice, his presence was requested by the local district.
fliptrip96@yahoo.com - 14 years ago
I'm a law abiding white male from a middle class background in Chicago. I've been harassed by police officers since I was a teenager while doing nothing wrong and breaking no laws. I've seen them use excessive force against NON-resisting white males who weren't stupid enough to grab or touch the cops. Wake up people. This isn't a race issue. If you think it is, you're just supporting and perpetuating a self-defeating cycle of racism. If you grab a cop, expect to be physically detained and expect for it to be legal. She's lucky she didn't get beat with a nightstick or shot. It's not that she was jaywalking. The fact that it's even being reported with this story is ridiculous. You have to realize, the officer is carrying a gun. When more than one person is attacking him, there is no such thing as excessive force. Statistically, situations just like this one are at the top of the list for how police officers are killed. He can't risk his own life or other peoples lives by allowing his sidearm to become compromised. If you have a physical altercation with a police officer, you've made a choice and you are breaking the law. Doesn't matter if you're black. It doesn't matter if you did or did not commit crime moments before. Stop wasting peoples time and money by demanding investigations of situations like this. Those resources could be better used fighting real crime.
Linda - 14 years ago
Both girls were breaking the law and should never have put their hands on the officer. I'm a "black" woman and feel that the officer acted in self-defence. Those girls were completely out of control. Not to say that there isn't a problem with police harassement and brutality, expecially towards non-whites.
Jackie Wilkins - 14 years ago
I felt the young woman should not have initiated any physical contact with the officer. I also felt the officer was 100% wrong for punching her in the face like she was nothing, no person should be treated that way. The officer took advantage of his position as a "policeman" and a man. Doesn't this give a twisted view of male to female violence? YES. Worst yet she apologized to him? If that were my daughter I would rather he arrested her than attack her, and she damn sure wouldn't have apologized to him. The "attacked" apoligizing to the "attacker", this is totally outrageous!!! Black young people attack each other, so everyone else seems to feel it's okay. If this were his "17 year old daughter" I'm sure he would see this terrible situation a LOT DIFFERENT! I am so ashamed of how people treat each other today! Where are the MEN that should be speaking up for the young woman???
GARY - 14 years ago
Ofcourse that was rogue cop brutality!Now the majority of caucasians will purposely side with the "PO PATTY PECKAWOOD COP",The pigs actions are that of 1940's,1950's JIM CROW.Now listening to the out pouring support for the pig, lets me know where the white's in SEATTLE stand.If that cop would had hit "LIL TANNER OR BECKA" he'd been fired that day,NANCY GRACE ,would had held a contractual year long vigal,GLENN BECK,would had took them to disneyland,and RUSH would had chalked one up.To the young sistas family, dont lie down on this.If this had been my child I'd do what HARRIET TUBMAN SAID"YOU DONT WOUND A SNAKE,YOU KILL IT".
Howard Jackson - 14 years ago
Ok, Mr. or Mrs. Average White American: Here we go with the hypothetical...if it were your 17-year old daughter, would you support this burly police officer punching her in the face for acting out in the street? Just answer the question. What would you say to the police when the officer declares that he believed his life was in danger from a physical assault from a teenage girl? It's a wonder he didn't scratch and bite her like the little bitch he comes off as in the video. Wonder what his peers in the precinct really think of him.
rich - 14 years ago
The young lady was completely out of line,where does it show he did not approach her in the best manner possible.
There is no video of the initial approach. there is only a video showing a young woman trying to assit another to break free from an officer.she grabs his arm to help release the other woman. Notice a young man is trying to restrain her from interfering . Yhe officer is only doing what should be done it is not a jaywalk any longer but interfering with the police and possibly an assualt. Total disrecpt for law and society and we wonder why some of our young people are zeros,because we approve of that conduct as a society in general(black community)..
Kitten - 14 years ago
Young people, black, white, yellow or green, must learn to keep their mouth shut and fight their grip with the law in court with a lawyer. The policeman hitting the girl does not look good, but the girl interfearing with the policeman does not look good either.
Shirley Graham - 14 years ago
Young people, black, white, yellow or green, must learn to keep their mouth shut and fight their grip with the law in court with a lawyer. The policeman hitting the girl does not look good, but the girl interfearing with the policeman does not look good either.
Philip Dixon - 14 years ago
The police have a bad habbit of abusing and demorlizing citizens that are not white. And it seems that if you are black inparticular their abuse is exacted ten fold. It would also appear that if the victims of police brutality are honest unarmed law obiding citizens they stand out as even larger targets for police misconduct and abuse!! Why don't we see police being caugnt on camera stopping robbers, burgulars, rappists, murderers and alike? Instead of of two young women going about thier business?
Peace and blessings 2 all of good moral conduct,a kid is just a kid,no matter if she wasn't WHITE!from America's History,people of color always receive the harshest treatment when resisting police misconduct.
Tamika - 14 years ago
Both of them deserved to be hit!! You DO NOT do that to an officer of the law. You can have an attitude if you want, but everyone should know you never put your hands on them. If it were my daughter, I would say she deserved it. My children know how to respect adults and authority figures. The kids these days have NO respect for adults or themselves. Where is she at so I can punch her in her face?! She hasn't learned her lesson.
E. Neal - 14 years ago
The officer was just doing hs job. The teen in the pink shoved and attacked the Officer first. He was attacked while the other teen was resisting. With one teen resisiting and the other attacking him..he resorted to getting her off him. ANY BODY WITH ANY SENSE KNOWS THAT YOU DO NOT ATTACK A POLICE OFFICER. IF YOU DO, YOU CAN EXPECT FORCE.
James - 14 years ago
I feel the officer used poor judgment in his approach to the incident of jay walking that led to excessive force, due to a lack of respect that escalated into a sensless altercation, that should never have happened. If in fact the young ladies refused to submit their ID or carried on in such a way that the officer felt threatened it still didn't warrant his actions on the young lady and unless there is more to this tape than I have seen, it was definitely excessive force.
I fully support the efforts of law enforcment officers in performing their duties and we have officers in the church where I serve who have handled similar situations without force because they approach all citizens with respect and treat them the way they desire to be treated. I wonder if it were his daughter how he would have felt if she was approached the same way he approached these young women.
Finally, they weren't suspected of bank robbery or murder, was a couple of jay walking tickets worth this kind of community relations nightmare.
p. smith - 14 years ago
The officer was just doing his job. The girl pushed him. that is assalt in my book. She broke the law.All she had to do was stop and take the ticket.No one is above the law. Black, purple or orange, everyone should respect the law.This just shows the youth of today having no respect for anyone.The officer was very justified. People cannot go around pushing thier wat through life.You have to be accountabe for your actions. All she had to do was show some respect. As far as race is concerned. Do we not have a black president. Our country has come a long way. The race card is getting old. Facts are: you brake the law--- YOU PAY!!!!
I'm sitting here shaking my head at some of these comments. This adds to the pile of "people are quick to judge" statement. If this is a jaywalking incident, why is it that it got to the point of an altercation? Could the officer have been respectful to them or the other way around? The video CLEARLY shows ONLY PART of the incident. I have friends who are police officers & deputies, and they said the officer should have simply did his job to detain her/them. Either way you slice it, a jaywalking incident or him being disrespected does not deserve a punch to the face. If he felt as if he was threatened, why did he punch the girl (let her go) then go after the other girl to wrestle with her after she tried to grab his arms when she saw her friend or relative get hit? An officer that feels threatened usually handcuffs the person or people they think will pose a threat to their safety. The footage in that SNIPPET does not show him detaining them.
@ Keith Patton.....I live in Houston and have experienced the same thing, but in so-called "black" neighborhoods. Before the re-gentrification process in 3rd Ward, I was walking down the street to get to a bus stop to get home after I got off work and two "white" cops pulled their car over as if to scare me, then jumped out to approach me as if they thought they caught me doing something. Now, imagine that feeling after working a 12 hour shift (add 2 hours getting to work on the bus). Then them to demand my ID and ask a series of questions that made them look like they were unsure of who they were after. The same has happened to me on several occasions.
In my opinion, all this "black president" talk is rubbish. I can't say the numbers have increased since Obama got in office, but it sure seems to be more cases of police brutality are being reported and videotaped since he took the job. Obama is just a different face in the same game.
By the way.....how many would think their child or any child deserved it if it were a school teacher who threw the punch and the teacher was disrespected? I'm sure the same people who claim she deserved it would be outraged at the teacher and the teacher should be punished AND fired. But i'm sure i'll hear about all the differences.
I am no fan of the police, but remember that a police officer is armed and when the subject lays hand on the police officer he must contain the situation because he has to make the assumption that the subject might try to grab his weapon, real or not. Commentary absolving the subject of wrong doing does nothing but promote irresponsible behavior on the part of people of color. Americans of European Decent have long ago realized that if you are unfortunate enough to be stopped by the cops, suck it up and take it. Be responsible, you can only make things worse for yourself. Rodney King, Obama's professor friend, and these young women learned that lesson the hard way. I was racially profiled in a minority part of town by two hispanic cops in Houston. Apparently they thought a middle aged white male had no business being in the hispanic and asian barrio that I was traversing, leaving the martial arts dojo in which I taught. Long story short, I spent two days in jail for nothing more than transporting an unloaded gun I had recently purchased only that day and was transporting home. The law under which I was arrested was a bone of contention and had been for some time. I shelled out the $1500 for an attorney and bail and the charges were dismissed. I then went to Austin and helped get the law changed. The whole episode left me with a distinctly unfavorable impression of the HPD, who I think are grossly incompetent and who's roles contain a lot of gang member wannabes who now wear HPD blue instead of gang colors. My one consolation is the then Houston DA Rosenthal was run our of office on an unrelated sex scandal involving his stupid use of his office email.
The moral of the story is respect the badge even if you don't respect the man wearing it. It is a lose lose propostion if you fight the law, the law always wins. Hey, I think that would make a catchy song....
I agree completely with the first post here by p. smith on June 17th 2010, 4:23pm
If the lawbreaker had acted responsibly this situation would not have occurred.
I'll answer you, Mr Howard Jackson. If my daughter would have acted like that doing a police stop, I would have told her she deserved what she got. The difference here is, she would not have acted like a FOOL to begin with. Maybe you should take a little more time and ask WHY the 2 girls acted the way they did. TOTAL disrespect. Teach your kids to respect the law, their elders, and each other. Goes a long way.
If it was a mexican illigal, he would get that treatment. If it was a white meth head, he would get that treatment. if it is a black women, she was as big as he was by the way, same treatment. I don't participate in group think, you know, young people usualy hang out in large groups, but that also can be dangerouse (mob mantality).If the cop does not respond full force, like he is trained to do, somthing worse could happen, that applies to all situations. I think its pathetic, this whole makeing everything about race, and ignoring the charactor of the indeviduals. she was probably acting cocky in front of the crue, and she had to be introduced to big brother. If he allows this 17 year old girl to walk all over him, than we have bigger problems on our plate.
Anyone who thinks this is a race issue is a prejudiced person. This has NOTHING to do with race. A black cop would have had to do the same thing to subdue two criminals at one time. And make no mistake, these two girls are criminals. Scofflaws cross all race, gender, religious and economic lines. These girls were breaking the law and failed to answer for their actions, which would have been to stop, face the officer and take the consequences for their actions. They, and everyone else, are not above the law. The girls should be very apologetic and be VERY thankful they weren't Tazed or night-sticked! Cops are allowed and supposed to take more aggressive action when attacked. And this cop was blatantly attacked. If the girls would have obeyed the law they would have not met the officer. And if they had just accepted his address, which could have even been to just point out to them that they were breaking the law, that could have been the end of it. The worst outcome would have been a ticket. But when ANYone makes the decision to lay a hand on a cop, which is the only way our society is attempting to remain civilized, they have given up their rights to freely walking down the street doing anything they please. Wake up folks, criminals start small and get more brazen. Jaywalking is the tip of the iceberg. And the cop wasn't even there by choice, his presence was requested by the local district.
I'm a law abiding white male from a middle class background in Chicago. I've been harassed by police officers since I was a teenager while doing nothing wrong and breaking no laws. I've seen them use excessive force against NON-resisting white males who weren't stupid enough to grab or touch the cops. Wake up people. This isn't a race issue. If you think it is, you're just supporting and perpetuating a self-defeating cycle of racism. If you grab a cop, expect to be physically detained and expect for it to be legal. She's lucky she didn't get beat with a nightstick or shot. It's not that she was jaywalking. The fact that it's even being reported with this story is ridiculous. You have to realize, the officer is carrying a gun. When more than one person is attacking him, there is no such thing as excessive force. Statistically, situations just like this one are at the top of the list for how police officers are killed. He can't risk his own life or other peoples lives by allowing his sidearm to become compromised. If you have a physical altercation with a police officer, you've made a choice and you are breaking the law. Doesn't matter if you're black. It doesn't matter if you did or did not commit crime moments before. Stop wasting peoples time and money by demanding investigations of situations like this. Those resources could be better used fighting real crime.
Both girls were breaking the law and should never have put their hands on the officer. I'm a "black" woman and feel that the officer acted in self-defence. Those girls were completely out of control. Not to say that there isn't a problem with police harassement and brutality, expecially towards non-whites.
I felt the young woman should not have initiated any physical contact with the officer. I also felt the officer was 100% wrong for punching her in the face like she was nothing, no person should be treated that way. The officer took advantage of his position as a "policeman" and a man. Doesn't this give a twisted view of male to female violence? YES. Worst yet she apologized to him? If that were my daughter I would rather he arrested her than attack her, and she damn sure wouldn't have apologized to him. The "attacked" apoligizing to the "attacker", this is totally outrageous!!! Black young people attack each other, so everyone else seems to feel it's okay. If this were his "17 year old daughter" I'm sure he would see this terrible situation a LOT DIFFERENT! I am so ashamed of how people treat each other today! Where are the MEN that should be speaking up for the young woman???
Ofcourse that was rogue cop brutality!Now the majority of caucasians will purposely side with the "PO PATTY PECKAWOOD COP",The pigs actions are that of 1940's,1950's JIM CROW.Now listening to the out pouring support for the pig, lets me know where the white's in SEATTLE stand.If that cop would had hit "LIL TANNER OR BECKA" he'd been fired that day,NANCY GRACE ,would had held a contractual year long vigal,GLENN BECK,would had took them to disneyland,and RUSH would had chalked one up.To the young sistas family, dont lie down on this.If this had been my child I'd do what HARRIET TUBMAN SAID"YOU DONT WOUND A SNAKE,YOU KILL IT".
Ok, Mr. or Mrs. Average White American: Here we go with the hypothetical...if it were your 17-year old daughter, would you support this burly police officer punching her in the face for acting out in the street? Just answer the question. What would you say to the police when the officer declares that he believed his life was in danger from a physical assault from a teenage girl? It's a wonder he didn't scratch and bite her like the little bitch he comes off as in the video. Wonder what his peers in the precinct really think of him.
The young lady was completely out of line,where does it show he did not approach her in the best manner possible.
There is no video of the initial approach. there is only a video showing a young woman trying to assit another to break free from an officer.she grabs his arm to help release the other woman. Notice a young man is trying to restrain her from interfering . Yhe officer is only doing what should be done it is not a jaywalk any longer but interfering with the police and possibly an assualt. Total disrecpt for law and society and we wonder why some of our young people are zeros,because we approve of that conduct as a society in general(black community)..
Young people, black, white, yellow or green, must learn to keep their mouth shut and fight their grip with the law in court with a lawyer. The policeman hitting the girl does not look good, but the girl interfearing with the policeman does not look good either.
Young people, black, white, yellow or green, must learn to keep their mouth shut and fight their grip with the law in court with a lawyer. The policeman hitting the girl does not look good, but the girl interfearing with the policeman does not look good either.
The police have a bad habbit of abusing and demorlizing citizens that are not white. And it seems that if you are black inparticular their abuse is exacted ten fold. It would also appear that if the victims of police brutality are honest unarmed law obiding citizens they stand out as even larger targets for police misconduct and abuse!! Why don't we see police being caugnt on camera stopping robbers, burgulars, rappists, murderers and alike? Instead of of two young women going about thier business?
Peace and blessings 2 all of good moral conduct,a kid is just a kid,no matter if she wasn't WHITE!from America's History,people of color always receive the harshest treatment when resisting police misconduct.
Both of them deserved to be hit!! You DO NOT do that to an officer of the law. You can have an attitude if you want, but everyone should know you never put your hands on them. If it were my daughter, I would say she deserved it. My children know how to respect adults and authority figures. The kids these days have NO respect for adults or themselves. Where is she at so I can punch her in her face?! She hasn't learned her lesson.
The officer was just doing hs job. The teen in the pink shoved and attacked the Officer first. He was attacked while the other teen was resisting. With one teen resisiting and the other attacking him..he resorted to getting her off him. ANY BODY WITH ANY SENSE KNOWS THAT YOU DO NOT ATTACK A POLICE OFFICER. IF YOU DO, YOU CAN EXPECT FORCE.
I feel the officer used poor judgment in his approach to the incident of jay walking that led to excessive force, due to a lack of respect that escalated into a sensless altercation, that should never have happened. If in fact the young ladies refused to submit their ID or carried on in such a way that the officer felt threatened it still didn't warrant his actions on the young lady and unless there is more to this tape than I have seen, it was definitely excessive force.
I fully support the efforts of law enforcment officers in performing their duties and we have officers in the church where I serve who have handled similar situations without force because they approach all citizens with respect and treat them the way they desire to be treated. I wonder if it were his daughter how he would have felt if she was approached the same way he approached these young women.
Finally, they weren't suspected of bank robbery or murder, was a couple of jay walking tickets worth this kind of community relations nightmare.
The officer was just doing his job. The girl pushed him. that is assalt in my book. She broke the law.All she had to do was stop and take the ticket.No one is above the law. Black, purple or orange, everyone should respect the law.This just shows the youth of today having no respect for anyone.The officer was very justified. People cannot go around pushing thier wat through life.You have to be accountabe for your actions. All she had to do was show some respect. As far as race is concerned. Do we not have a black president. Our country has come a long way. The race card is getting old. Facts are: you brake the law--- YOU PAY!!!!