Seattle Police "Beating Video"

That's the phrase that is being "Googled" to locate the video of Seattle police kicking a suspect while the suspect was on the ground and not resisting arrest. Other news reports indicate the officers have been reassigned and the Mayor of Seattle finds the video to be "disturbing."

Personally, it was disgusting to watch. I've known people that have been falsely accused and or detained for whatever reason, much like the detainee in the video. Clearly, the video shows the person is doing everything he is supposed to be doing and cooperating with authorities. There is no reason any police officer should be treating a citizen this way. "That could have been me," my friend said. Then he began recounting his arrest experience with our own local police department and detailing the character profiling that has happened since then.

"That could be anybody that is arrested or detained," I said. "Now, I know I have really good legal protection and trust me, I would have invoked my right to speak to an attorney before the cuffs were placed on me---and had them on the phone, because I can. I know this. However, many people don't have that. Watching this video is just scary and sick."

Just then, the news station quoting an anonymous viewer statement that come in during the broadcast read, "As usual, the media is overreacting. This is certainly unprofessional, but definitely not police brutality." I was outraged.

The interview of the detainee clearly showed fresh bruises or scrapes on his left upper temple near his eye. If invoked physical injury is considered abuse and domestic violence between family members or other members of the community, how is this somehow viewed as anything less delivered in an unprovoked manner by a police officer? Should the police officer not get the same treatment as a citizen here in the state of Washington? It should be off to jail with you until things are sorted out, charge you with assault or domestic violence if need be and set your court date! Other employers would just fire you over something like that, not "reassign" you until things get sorted out.

Don't get me wrong, I support and respect the proper duties that police officers provide when doing so professionally and within the bounds of both the spirit and the letter of the law they are expected to uphold and enforce. Currently, it is not uncommon to need their genuine assistance for whatever reason and I believe the majority of those in law enforcement stay true their original callings of why they became police officers to begin with.

The challenge happens when a trusting citizen encounters a police officer and is emotionally torn or confused knowing we are supposed to trust the police to help us when we need it and yet never really knowing what the police officer will really end up doing to us all under the guise of legal phrasings such as "reasonable cause." All specifically because of publicized incidents like this or because of a general reputation the local police force may hold.

If you don't believe me, just start random conversations with people in your community on the topic, you'll hear all sorts of stories. Stories that never really ever make it to the front page of anything for fear of quiet retaliation by the local police departments in the form of "hard to prove" behaviors like planting evidence, making up things to pull you over for, or illegal searches of your possessions. Like most things that aren't supposed to happen, unfortunately, these types of behaviors happen more often than not.

Police departments can do more in each local district to help prevent these types of behaviors. I do want to sincerely recognize and thank those in law enforcement that are doing everything in their power both individually and as local force, to change this reputation, dispel fear and regain the trusts of those in the communities they support.