Quote Originally Posted by Papewaio View Post
A cop who has someone in their custody has a duty of care to them. A minor should not be put in this situation where they can be violently assaulted. So why can't the state which is ultimately responsible for these guys be sued?

If Joe Citizen held down a child, held her hands behind her back so she cannot shield her face, and then watch John Doe smash his fist into her head a couple of times, said Joe Citizen would not be charged with aiding a crime?

I do not agree with the idea that cops are above the law. My own view of how the law would be approximately the following:

1. Normal crime, normal punishment.
2. Attack a cop or a judge in uniform, higher punishment for the crime.
3. A crime committed by a citizen who is within the law system and within their purview, the higher punishment for the crime then those above.
Here's a follow up article. He will also face Department charges on top of the criminal/civil ones. Google 4th degree assault in Washington State: the penalty is possible 1 year in jail & $5,000 fine.The officer overreacted to the female kicking her shoe at him. He was well within his right to place her on the wall to subdue/restrain her and place cuffs on her. Taking her down by the hair and punching her on the ground when it was obvious by the video that she was not resisting constitutes excessive force, being a minor has no real relavence, he'd be just as wrong if it was an adult. The second officer involved will be required to provide written testimony on what happened, and with video of the incident there's no way he could lie about it. He will have to testify against the agressor or face criminal and departmental charges himself. Unless one can prove he purposely held the victim down so the other could assault her, which I don't think one can, he was following procedure to restrain and handcuff a person who assaulted (kicking a shoe) at a fellow officer. It's not his fault that the officer used excessive force instead of just restraining/controlling/handcuffing that person.

We have been using video's in any of the jails I have worked at for years. I welcome them because they also protect and provide evidence for me and my colleagues from assault and justify our use of force. We don't get paid to be punching bags for every anti-social , and aren't required to, but you gotta use your head, know the law and follow correct procedures.

Seems to be a lot of assumption & inuendo made here, but cops only seem to make the best headlines when some of them do something wrong. People tend to forget that they are us...

Second guy is not charged because he didn't participate and was under training...
Don't know how true this statement is, but if he's a trainee than that means he's also on probation. So he's at the mercy of the Department and can lose his job even if not charged with a crime. IG will make him a deal he can't refuse.