Vancouver police officer charged with assault on cyclist

Originally Posted by puckluck2

Do new threads bother you or effect you in any way?

Edit: And linking the said thread would be better than whining.

God, you're just generally a difficult person aren't you?

Does this cop punching this dude effect you in any way? Using that logic, the purpose of any forum would be??

I pointed something out politely and you replied in typical puck*uck fashion. Bravo!!!

[Fusebox]

Originally Posted by sa226

Are you a police officer? Otherwise that is a hilarious analogy\comparison. I would also get fired If I slugged a customer at work....."Thanks for flying with us today! *Roundhouse kick to the face*

Hey, if a customer punched me first without provocation, that would be a completely different story. However, in this instance, it is clearly documented on video - the man being arrested provided no resistance to being arrested. Anyone arguing anything else is insulting their own intelligence. I'm usually on the side of cops in these kinds of things, but now that everyone has a camera phone, more and more things like this will come out.

I do work with the public for a very well known organization here in Calgary. If someone had a video of me accosting a customer and punching him in the face for absolutely no reason, then yes, I would be fired immediately, just like this cop should.

Originally Posted by Fusebox

Hey, if a customer punched me first without provocation, that would be a completely different story. However, in this instance, it is clearly documented on video - the man being arrested provided no resistance to being arrested. Anyone arguing anything else is insulting their own intelligence. I'm usually on the side of cops in these kinds of things, but now that everyone has a camera phone, more and more things like this will come out.

I do work with the public for a very well known organization here in Calgary. If someone had a video of me accosting a customer and punching him in the face for absolutely no reason, then yes, I would be fired immediately, just like this cop should.

While I agree, based on the video, it appears the punch was unnecessary (thus the charge), there's a difference between whatever it is you do and what a police officer does simply because they are authorized to use force to uphold laws and public safety.

Section 25, 26 and 27 of the Criminal Code outline use of force and excessive force by police (and others).

[Fusebox]

Exactly. Police are not authorized to use force unless they are willing to testify that someone is posing a danger to themselves, the public, or the police. Clearly, as the video shows, this was not the case in this situation.

We, as civilians, are also authorized to use force if we feel that someone is posing a danger to us. For example, if someone break were to break into my house and threaten my family, there isn't a judge in the land that would convict me of assault for hitting him on the head with a frying pan once.

I don't understand what you're getting at here - do you feel the policeman deserves to keep his job?

[WilderPegasus]

Originally Posted by Bent Wookie

While I agree, based on the video, it appears the punch was unnecessary (thus the charge), there's a difference between whatever it is you do and what a police officer does simply because they are authorized to use force to uphold laws and public safety.

Section 25, 26 and 27 of the Criminal Code outline use of force and excessive force by police (and others).

The punch by the cop is worse. If it was an ordinary citizen who did it to someone at least they could fight back. Against a cop that'd be the worst thing you could do.

I can understand the cops sometimes wanting to take a shot at someone who is intoxicated or a general dirtbag and giving them problems. But this guy aside from being a piece of crap cyclist is just a normal guy who doesn't seem to pose any sort of threat to the cop. He's not intoxicated. He didn't really endanger anyone but himself with his crime. I'm all for arresting idiot cyclists but they don't deserve to be beaten for their actions.

[TurnedTheCorner]

On the cop's side.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Bent Wookie

God, you're just generally a difficult person aren't you?

Does this cop punching this dude effect you in any way? Using that logic, the purpose of any forum would be??

I pointed something out politely and you replied in typical puck*uck fashion. Bravo!!!

Yeah, you were being extremely polite

But seriously where is this thread that this should have gone in? I'm still waiting for you to link it because I searched and didn't find it.

You just couldn't handle seeing another police brutality thread since you're probably in law enforcement which would explain your extremely sensitive feelings towards threads that call out police actions.

[KelVarnsen]

Typical Canadian cop.

[MarchHare]

He didn't really endanger anyone but himself with his crime.

Except for the other vehicles and pedestrians sharing the intersection that he blew through. Yes, nobody was injured in this particular instance of the cyclist running a red light, but that's not to say he'll always be so lucky. Maybe next time a car with a green light has to swerve to avoid the non-law-abiding cyclist and crashes into a pedestrian.

None of that excuses the cop's actions at all, but let's not pretend that it's not a public danger when any individual (be they a motorist, a cyclist, or a pedestrian) selectively chooses to ignore the rules of the road.

[WilderPegasus]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Except for the other vehicles and pedestrians sharing the intersection that he blew through. Yes, nobody was injured in this particular instance of the cyclist running a red light, but that's not to say he'll always be so lucky. Maybe next time a car with a green light has to swerve to avoid the non-law-abiding cyclist and crashes into a pedestrian.

None of that excuses the cop's actions at all, but let's not pretend that it's not a public danger when any individual (be they a motorist, a cyclist, or a pedestrian) selectively chooses to ignore the rules of the road.

Why would anyone want to swerve?

[Fusebox]

It doesn't matter if the guy was riding around on his bicycle molesting little children or running red lights, a police constable has no right to use physical force unless they feel, and are willing to testify under oath, that the particular person they are using force against poses immediate harm to themselves, the cop, or the general public. You can't just have police punching people because they are sick of dealing with the scumbags of society.

[Jedi Ninja]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Typical British cop.

fyp

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

I think he was being facetious. It will be a disgrace if the cop gets to keep his job. If I were to punch a customer at my work, I'd be fired immediately. No excuse for this kind of thing. That's what policing is - customer service.

I don't agree with the cop in this situation but isn't this false equivalence, or something similar. You also can't carry a gun at work or hand out tickets for speeding either.

Also hockey players can punch people at work all the time, and usually the worst they get is a five minute rest. Maybe the cops should just be short handed for two minutes, but only if he instigated!

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

It doesn't matter if the guy was riding around on his bicycle molesting little children or running red lights, a police constable has no right to use physical force unless they feel, and are willing to testify under oath, that the particular person they are using force against poses immediate harm to themselves, the cop, or the general public. You can't just have police punching people because they are sick of dealing with the scumbags of society.

Actually, I would be happy to help the cop kick his head in, if that was the case......

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Typical Canadian cop.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Typical Canadian cop.

Actually no...no he isnt. In fact, he would be very much an Atypical cop.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

Exactly. Police are not authorized to use force unless they are willing to testify that someone is posing a danger to themselves, the public, or the police. Clearly, as the video shows, this was not the case in this situation.

This isn't completely true. The police, and citizens, can use as much force as necessary to arrest someone.

When the man in the video pulled away his arm he made a mistake that did open up his arrest to more force, even his buddy knew it. Did it require a punch to the face? I don't think so.

[Nage Waza]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

It doesn't matter if the guy was riding around on his bicycle molesting little children or running red lights, a police constable has no right to use physical force unless they feel, and are willing to testify under oath, that the particular person they are using force against poses immediate harm to themselves, the cop, or the general public. You can't just have police punching people because they are sick of dealing with the scumbags of society.

So if I broke a law and a police officer came to arrest me, and I simply refused to allow myself to be arrested, they cannot use force to arrest me, if I was not a risk to anyone?

I somehow think police have more allowances than you give them.

[Acey]

I've been pulled over by CPS probably 6 or 7 times and at least three had English accents. I found them to be much more polite, but less likely to give you a break.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Acey

I've been pulled over by CPS probably 6 or 7 times and at least three had English accents. I found them to be much more polite, but less likely to give you a break.

Calgary police tend to be very professional and friendly in my experience. The come off as "we're just regular guys and girls who work as police officers" rather than the "You will respect me because I'm a cop" attitude you see in other municipalities.