Travis

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 18:54:56 -0800

The Officers in this video had every right to do what they did. Thank God for Law Enforcement, it looks very bad in this video but the suspect is not listening to the officers and is clearly reaching for the one officers gun! I hope they are cleared of any wrong doing so they can get back out on the streets of LA and continue to protect and serve Los Angeles:)

Zach

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 12:58:16 -0800

smo, I find that the perception of something, whether it be a video, picture, hearsay, etc., is an extremely powerful thing. In going through Ethics Training with the City for Neighborhood Council, they highlight the power of perception throughout it. Even if something is legal, if it could be perceived to look phishy, then we should not do it. Now, that Ethics Training was not made for LAPD, rather it was for elected officials and upper management for Conflict of Interest policies. But what can we take from that and apply to this video? Yes, punching a suspect in the face does not look good. Yes, the man had bruises and cuts on his face. But was that from the punching or from when he was tripped when the LAPD officers were chasing him? Is it okay for the officers to trip and tackle a suspect who is running away from the police? I do not know the answer to that, but having a 19 second video tells one story. There are many other stories in this that make up the larger picture here. As a percussionist in college, one technique I learned from a graduate student, who I view as a sage of drumming, taught me about large recoils for soft strikes. The audience thinks you are going to make a loud noise, but what you produce is a solid pianissimo. That's a little bit out there, but there is a lot of psychology in psyching out someone for that distraction technique. In the end, I agree with our Mayor: I am troubled by the video images that became public today. Over the years, I have come to realize that video images may not be all that they appear to be at first blush, or tell the whole story. I have, however, asked the Chief and the Inspector General to ensure a swift and thorough investigation of this matter. If, after a full and complete investigation it is determined that a misuse of force has occurred, the public and the men and women of the LAPD have a right to expect that the full weight of the law will be applied.

smo

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 11:05:17 -0800

even if he IS a gang member and was running from the cops the police officer has no right to punch him repeatedly. This is a blatant use of excessive force no matter what the context! If the LAPD want to know why the citizens of Los Angeles dont respect them - look no further than this video.

LAist: The LAPD Video & How the Press Reacts

Travis

Zach

smo