Second Negative

To Protect and Serve

Two Austin police officers were recently acquitted by a jury of their peers of “official oppression”. Isn’t that descriptive? I reserve the right to shade things however I like on this site, but what they did was chase a guy down who had left the scene of a hit and run (after doing the “hit” part), struggle with him, handcuff him behind his back, and then repeatedly punch him in the back and neck. The punching part was even caught on video.

I’m sure that your opinion is probably shaped by your overall view of the police, so I’ll admit that my view is pretty negative. I just don’t think that police officers need to repeatedly punch a handcuffed suspect that weighs 70 pounds less than they do in order to gain control of a situation. I think that the real problem is that police work tends to attract bullies and those who were bullied, and that results in this kind of police brutality.

Personally, I don’t care for the attitude exhibited by most of the cops I’ve had to deal with. I’m also offended by the notion that some Roscoe who barely passed high school Government thinks he can give me a lecture about the law. Yeah, I was speeding. Who gives a shit where I’m going? Just give me the ticket.

I’ve talked to at least one person who believes that if you evade arrest, the cops can do whatever they want to you. Really? That seems fair to you? I steal some Peeps from the mini-mart and take off on my scooter, and it’s open season on me?

The point is I don’t care what this guy did. Yes, it was bad, and he should be punished. But he should be dealt with within the legal system, not by a couple of cops who are pissed off that they had to chase him around when they could have been out there writing me a speeding ticket.