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I look around and keep seeing examples of the decline of human decency in law enforcement. Too many cops are too quick to jump to the worst conclusions about civilians. I think the image of "peace officer" is tattered. I don't want it to disintegrate. The latest example of unreasonable cop behavior? A deaf and mentally disabled Alabama resident, Antonio Love, was Tasered and arrested after spending "too long" in the bathroom of a dollar store. Love was dealing with an upset stomach.
Mobile police used pepper spray and a Taser on a deaf and mentally disabled man Friday after they were unable to get him to come out of a bathroom at a Dollar General store, authorities said.
After forcibly removing Antonio Love from the bathroom of the Azalea Road store, officers attempted to book the 37-year-old on charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and failure to obey a police officer, but the magistrate on duty at the jail refused to accept any of those charges. Source: Arrested in Silence: Police use pepper spray and Taser on deaf man - AL.com
So, once the officers realized that Love was deaf and observed that he had mental challenges (they allegedly called him "crazy" in the police car), they still attempted to put him behind bars. And if that sequence of events isn't enough to disgust you, then how about this:
"I saw police laugh at me," Love wrote [in a note describing his experience] "I don't care them. I don't want escape. I just wait long." The magistrate refused to sign the arrest warrant, voiding the officers' legal right to hold Love.
The officers took him home.
According to the note, Love gave directions as best he could.
"Police told me that I'm crazy. I don't understand," the note says.
The police eventually found his house.
"When he walked in, his shirt was ripped and he was just in a daze," his brother, Brodrick, said. "When I went outside, they [the police] took off. They stamped on that pedal."
Source: Arrested in Silence: Police use pepper spray and Taser on deaf man - AL.com
Look, I know police work is hard, dangerous and essential work. And I know that thousands and thousands of officers get up every day and night, put on that badge and gun and do the right thing by their communities. But this subset of Taser-happy, antagonistic, trigger-ready officers is a threat to all of us who rely on a belief that if we call on the police for help, they will not make the situation worse.
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Comments: (349)
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By: Michael Campbell on 7/28/2009 2:43PM
They can pass all sorts of tests and get a nice shiny badge and weapon but then....
comes out of the pages of the wild,wild,west a diligent,yet hapless person who before going to the academy ,never once picked up a weapon in their life.oh my God.Some of these cadets
should not be placed in any dept,not because they dont deserve a chance but because they really should of thought about what their goals in life are first.Some kids say it... some say it and then regret it,some are meant to wear that badge and to protect and serve.
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By: Kevin on 7/28/2009 5:52PM
I refused to pay full price for tickets to the "Policemans' Ball"...I got tasered, clubbed, insulted and killed........ummmm....I got better...
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By: Barbara on 7/28/2009 10:43PM
Them Racist Bastards abusing power. They have traded their Hoods for Badges.
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By: Ruth on 7/30/2009 5:15PM
I am so afraid for my 16 year old black son. How do I teach him to protect himself from this type of abuse reaching for his wallet or not getting caught on tape he can be subjected to this type of abuse? He is a great student and athlete why must he deal with this in this day and age....heaven forbid I receive a phone call...my worst nightmare for my one and only son.
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By: john dumas on 7/28/2009 2:49PM
Police are trained ALWAYS to be in control, this is a fatal flaw when they should disengage to avoid unnecessary escalation.
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By: I am baddkitty on 8/15/2009 10:25PM
john you are right about that. these cops have no idea what the hell they are doing. wait yes they do. i myself travel through mobile alabama quite often, and i can absolutly see this happening, whats worse nothing will happen to these idiots. the good ole boy mantality will come out. This family should shout to the top of their lungs and make a statement.
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By: John Huckleberry on 7/28/2009 2:49PM
The police should be fired and than charged with harrassment, assault, and a few other laws. This is everything that is wrong with America's loose police standards. Poor guy deserves something for being treated like a terrorist. How about giving the guy pepper spray and a stun gun. Than give him access to the cops for pay back!
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By: thepugpieper on 7/28/2009 2:57PM
The police are poorly trained to handle the disabled physically/mentally. Regardless in alot of these cases they made situations worse when they were not aware of the problem the person they were arresting had. If they were trained properly they would be able to see and hear for themselves what is really the situation and handle it properly, the sad result has endend in death for many of the mentally challeneged when they were upset unneccesarily, or were off their medication. If trained they would have had the ability to calm the person down, and get them to a hospital that could properly treat the person rather than put them in a jail system for further abuse.
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By: tom jane on 7/28/2009 3:09PM
I agree that there is not much training for cops on handling handicapped individuals. My agancy trained us on things to look for but many, many other depts and agencies do not. You must understand though, the article said nothing of how hard the man fought. also, if the store was asking the police to remove him, he was, in actuality, refusing to leave private property. If this had been your store just how long would you have allowed someone to ocupy your bathroom? there are ALWAYS more than one side to the story. This article and its writer are blatantly biased against the cops.
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By: STARE K on 7/29/2009 5:49PM
EXCUSE,EXCUSE ,EXCUSE, I AM SO TRIED OF EXCUES FOR THE POLICEMAN .
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