Let me just start out by saying that I have many friends who are emergency service personnel: fire fighters, EMT/paramedics, etc., but no actual friends who are police officers. I have encountered many over the years, but none in a positive light. Logic would tell me that the common denominator of the situation is me. I do, however know two corrections officers and also a few military police officers, but the MP's aren't even close to similar professions.
The first corrections officer I met is a really interesting gentleman. Articulate, well-read, well built with masculine features, and is pretty much in this story, the exception to the rule in every manner. He is more of a career-oriented person who enjoys the government job and its numerous benefits.
The second individual I've met who is a corrections officer was the complete opposite. One friend actually used to refer to him as the "lunch money victim." I'd never heard this term before, so he elaborated: "the kids that got bullied in school for their lunch money...now they're cops, or wannabe cops, and use their badge to throw their weight around." The man he was referring to had always been known to us, fellow coworkers as one who was obsessed with "big fish tales." Often, he'd recant stories of working in a minimum security prison that came off sounding more like he'd spent twenty years working at Alcatraz. He'd revel in his little anecdotes about how he'd "punish (or whatever the legal/PC term is)" the inmates. For some reason, I just mentally associated him with Milton from Office Space. If you keep picking on him long enough, and take his stapler, his office, and his paycheck, he might just burn the office building down.
I've been spoken to maliciously by the occasional PA State Trooper who had objections at my speed, but until last night, I still gave them the benefit of the doubt. My account is more of the plot to "God's Country," by Ani DiFranco. "State trooper thinks I drive too fast, pulled me over to tell me so. I say out here on the prairie, any speed is too slow...He's gonna put his two cents in because he's got a gun, but I'm going to put in three because history owes me one."
What I witnessed tonight was outright illegal, immoral, and unethical. Excessive force, illegal search and seizure, arresting someone without Miranda Rights being read, and on a college student who allegedly had a few too many drinks.
The issue of the drunkenness, public or underage or what have you, notwithstanding, I was personally outraged at what I saw. The fact of this young man's obvious impairment, and whether that was due to breaking a law, or Temple policy is irrelevant to my point. If he was, in fact guilty of a crime, then the police performing their job (in front of a crowd of voyeurs) professionally and dutifully would have made them look like heroes, rather than bullies.
I watched the police officer slap the cell phone out of the young man's hand. They were shouting at him for his wallet, which he'd clearly lost (probably a casualty of the evening's events), the two Campus officers then grabbed the kid and pushed him out the door of the dorm building. No rights were ever read or stated. I witnessed everything from when the officers said "you're going to jail," to these officers actually stuffing him into the police vehicle. There three of them paused on the sidewalk when one of the officers reached into the student's back right pocket without warning. It alarmed him, as it did me, even as a bystander. The boy turned around, instinctively, as one would assume when being groped without warning or consent. Immediately after the kid turned around, the officer who had "searched" his back pocket gave him a significant push. He did not fall, as the other officer was helping him maintain his balance, by holding his arm...which was handcuffed to his other. Again, no Miranda Rights. The two officers then started yelling at him to stop moving and not to touch the officer, which he had not done. The "groping" officer opened the door to the SUV and they pushed the teen in. Also along for the ride was a female friend who'd also seen the entirety of events, but I'm not sure whether she was sober or a girlfriend, or what. She got in the other side of the vehicle and they stated they were taking him to the hospital.
I personally wish in this particular instance that the young man had not been drinking. What if he'd just been in the middle of a diabetic emergency and had an altered mental status for a medical reason. That would show them...and his parents would own our dorm building after the lawsuit was over.
This is a PERFECT example of why police are negatively stereotyped. I don't believe ANYONE is above the law, however when you see a cop who is speeding with no lights and flashers just so they don't have to sit at the red lights, or one who is littering, or one who in anyway evokes the "Do as I say, not as I do," but then follows up with "because if you do, I'm going to get you."
What can I, Jane Q Public do? Who am I supposed to write an angry letter to, the chief of the executive branch of the government? "Dear Mr. President, please stop letting cops bully the public. By the way, I know my personal legal record is not impeccable, but..." Am I supposed to turn a blind eye and pretend it isn't there? Ignoring this behavior like those who'd condoned the beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles not so many years ago? I think not.
These are the same people I'm supposed to pretend are enforcing safety and protecting democracy. Please. Unless "Democracy" is a new flavor of coffee at Starbucks, I doubt it.
Word of advice, if you were bullied as an adolescent, stop perpetuating the cycle. Isn't it true that most violent criminals are repeat offenders? If you are thinking of getting a job as a cop because it "would be cool to carry a gun," or "they'll have to listen to me now," or even "I am the law!" then please do us (innocent bystanders whom you have pushed out of the way for your own personal motives) a favor. Go work for the DMV or be a gym teacher like normal grown up bullies.
But seriously it is NEVER okay to take out your personal crap on someone who can't fight back.
Seething,
Shayna
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