Seems like every couple days now we see some video of police apprehending a suspect where one or two officers have the suspect on the ground, face down, arms behind his back - pretty clearly under their control, while other officers come rushing up and start kicking the suspect, or trying to find room between all the police bodies to reach in and throw a punch at the suspect.
Is this official police policy? To inflict as much physical pain on a suspect as they can get away with - presumably on the theory it will discourage the suspect from running from them next time?
Or is it a reflection of poor training - perhaps a lack of emotional maturity and self restraint by some officers, coupled with a culture of unwillingness to criticize other officers who are out of control?
If it is official policy is it based on some research that shows this is an effective deterrent? Or is it just because some guys in management feel in their gut this is the way to go. I'd be surprised if there was any actual research. It seems to me this may deter a few suspects from future bad behavior, but it is really bad community relations, and for many suspects, and their associates it is just going to make them more angry and defiant, and probably more likely to pull out a weapon the next time they encounter a police officer.
As a taxpayer I have to say it makes me concerned. I know being a police officer can be a difficult job. Long periods of boring patrols, or investigating silly stuff punctuated by occasional moments of potential danger. But from what I understand here in much of urban Northern California police salaries are over $100,000 a year. Are we ending up paying people for policies that are stirring up resentment and anger instead of quelling it?
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