Officer put on leave as video of kick is released

Officer put on leave as video of kick is released

www.heraldtribu ne.com

Minutes later, as Perez is trying to stand up, Childers apparently kicks him in the chest, then kicks him again. Perez falls back to the ground and Childers stands with his foot on Perez for five minutes.

While Childers stands with his foot on the inmate's torso, two other law enforcement officers walk over to see what is going on and then go about their business.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:

Witnesses say arrest got rough early on



[edit on 16-7-2009 by Frogs]

I'm not sure how the officer could claim to feel in danger here given the posistion of his arms when he's kicking.

In addtion, the officer has had 5 previous excessive force complaints aginst him.

Perhaps even more telling is the article linked below that indicates the arrest "got rough" early on. One of those witnesses is a former NC homicide dective.

www.heraldtribu ne.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Witnesses say arrest got rough early on

The witnesses -- one a former police officer from North Carolina -- say they were waiting to sort out a traffic accident on June 26 when they saw the initial arrest of Perez.

The officer repeatedly punched Perez in the face and pushed his face into the concrete as he tried to handcuff Perez, who was drunk but otherwise calm, said Robin Peters and Ann Marie Locklear Wednesday.

Perez was not bleeding when the officer arrived, and was too drunk to be fighting back, they said.

"I felt sorry for the suspect," said Locklear, a former homicide detective from North Carolina who was visiting Sarasota that day. "It appeared to be an excessive use of force."

[edit on 16-7-2009 by Frogs]

Maybe this officer can just say he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol... that's what the cop who sexually abused a bartender did, earlier this week, and he's already back on the job!

"To enforce and enslave". It seems like they are really taking to that motto, huh?

Another pig on a power trip....


When are they going to really start cracking down on these bullies??

Probly never I guess..

And people wonder why we have little respect for officers. Cops nowadays think they can just get away with anything because of their status it's said.

I'm all for being physical when the need arises, but to punch a calm drunk? Then kick him over and start kicking the crap out of him? I'm sorry, but even though i'd probably 'really' get arrested for it i'd punch one right back in the face if a cop did that to me, that's messed up! :-p

reply to post by Overload


True that. The people are being alienated more and more from the cops by their behaviour and total disrespect for the law. This is being enforced by the system who have double standards for offending cops and offending citizens. I wouldn't be surprised if the people start taking the matter more and more into their own hands.

When I was street medic, I saw a lot of officers, firefighters, and medics lose their cool with drunks. Even non-aggressive drunks. Sometimes the idea that this @**hole could have plowed into your family is just too much. It doesn't excuse the behavior but it does explain it to a degree. It's not always about race.

I got a call once on a busy highway. The guy was black and higher than a kite. We arrived before the officers and this guy was walking in and out of four lanes of traffic. I got out approached the guy and he staggered off the shoulder into a lane of traffic. I pulled him back onto the shoulder. He took a swing at me and I foot swept him then laid across him until PD arrived. Never hit him or applied any holds or chokes.

I still spent a week on paid leave and had to go before a review because a lady watching the entire incident from a convenience store parking lot said, "I roughed him up." Which is funny considering I was 6'5'' 225# and rather lanky and this guy was pushing 300# and a shade over 6'.

Here he is high, incoherent, and in danger of losing his life. I want to help him and keep him from dying and according to a bystander 50 yards away, I "slung him to the ground and jumped on him".

Sounds to me that the drunk guy will soon have a lot more money to get drunk on.

Cops in general need to start improving the way they treat their fellow Americans, if they desire to be viewed in a better light.

Militant cop defenders arrive in 3....2.....1...

Hmm...where are they? Just another worthless person being abused by the 'protectors' of our 'free' society.

This guys has pretty long histiry of taking liberties, violently, with other human beings. Why is he not locked up somewhere?

An update on this. The police cheif has now been placed on leave, basically for trying to bribe the victim not to sue!

Police chief put on leave in Sarasota

SARASOTA - Police Chief Peter Abbott was put on administrative leave Saturday over the mishandled criminal investigation of an officer who was recorded on video kicking a handcuffed man.

City Manager Bob Bartolotta said Abbott would remain on paid leave pending the outcome of an administrative investigation. The move came the day the Herald-Tribune reported that the lead detective in the criminal case was told to take "cash for an instant settlement" to his first interview with the man who was kicked, Juan G. Perez, 21.

The lead detective in the case, Sgt. Ken Castro, helped negotiate the deal with Perez. In exchange for $400, the detective asked Perez to sign a release saying he would not sue the city. The detective also offered the department's help in keeping Perez out of jail in the future, and drove Perez to the bank to cash the $400 check

I think this speaks volumes about why the police shouldn't be the ones in charge of investigating allocations of police misconduct.