Cops Behaving Badly
BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 7 months ago
A lawsuit filed by a 74-year-old Seattle man who was held at gunpoint and painfully handcuffed by police in his own home claims the department has a “policy, practice and custom” of using “welfare checks” to enter people’s homes without warrants.
To illustrate the allegations, the man’s attorneys posted a YouTube video that meshes Seattle police dispatch tapes, Computer-Assisted Dispatch entries and body-camera video to highlight the ordeal of Howard McCay, a retired computer programmer, longshoreman and homeowner who woke from a nap one February evening in 2019 to find a cadre of armed officers in his house.
The officers, including one armed with an assault-style patrol rifle equipped with a flashlight, ordered a dazed McCay out of his bedroom with his hands up, holding a cellphone connected to 911 dispatch, which McCay had called to report intruders. When he exited the bedroom — where he had been sleeping with the television turned up — the officers ordered him to drop the phone, turn around and lift his shirt to show he wasn’t hiding a weapon, then had him kneel with his hands on his head.
The video shows McCay cooperating as officers point handguns at him. “What did I do?” he asked at one point.
“The officers did not explain why there were in the house, nor did they seek to verify Mr. McCay’s name, residence or purpose in the home,” wrote Seattle lawyer Joseph Shaeffer in a lawsuit filed last year in U.S. District Court.
[ … ]
McCay, who in an interview Tuesday said he suffered a shoulder injury while working as a longshoreman in 1999, said that when the officers tried to rotate his arms behind his back to cuff him the pain became “excruciating.” Body camera video from several officers at the scene shows McCay writhing on the ground.
“Please! I’m an old man! I have shoulder problems!” McCay yelped as two officers held him down and attempted to cuff him — at that point, there were four officers in the home. Within the next few minutes, according to the lawsuit, there would be 10. An officer, identified in the lawsuit as Joshua Brilla, replied, “Well thank you for telling us, but you gotta give us a second here … We’re not going to leave you alone.”
The really amazing thing here is that police nation-wide expect to be considered heroes of the community, with people caring whether they go home safely at the end of their shift.
And then they act like this, as if the destruction of their reputation could stand more work. What’s really needed here is for the officers who were involved in this to be stripped naked, frog marched into the town square, and put in stocks for people to look at.
Mothers everywhere: “See children, behave badly and this happens to you. Make sure you don’t do things like they did. They’re bad men.”
On March 28, 2021 at 8:34 pm, Jack said:
“ What’s really needed here is for the officers who were involved in this to be stripped naked, frog marched into the town square, and put in stocks for people to look at.
Mothers everywhere: “See children, behave badly and this happens to you. Make sure you don’t do things like they did. They’re bad men.”
Exactly
They just don’t get it.
On March 28, 2021 at 9:33 pm, George 1 said:
It amazes me that no matter how many instances of this type of behavior we see, there are those who will defend the cops. This stuff is not happening randomly. The police are being trained and encouraged to behave this way.
There is an article posted on American Partisan up since 03/26/21. It is titled “Police, Petty Laws and Societal Collapse.” In the comments many pointed out the problems with police these days. Most of the comments were well reasoned. The editor of AP, NC Scout, had a hissy that anyone would criticize the police.
NC Scout called his readers: “Stupid”, said they were from “the internet septic tank”, “they haven’t accomplished anything in the real world.” He also said that he had a shingle on his wall so he is smarter than most of the commenters. He took that one down. Maybe he enjoys the challenge of defending the indefensible. Anyway, if the frog marching is not an option then maybe the “good cops” should start reining in the bad ones. That would be a pleasant surprise.
The police work for the elites not average citizens. That is true in any society. The elites who run this country have decided that half the country, if not more, are the enemy and they are acting accordingly. They are also making sure their security apparatus follows along as well.
On March 29, 2021 at 9:14 am, Ned2 said:
George 1, I think NC Scout made a big mistake in taking down several of the comments (and commenters) on that article. Many won’t read that site again.
Rational discourse. What’s so difficult?
It’s not just the left that has a problem with “modern policing”. It’s the elephant in the room for all political persuasions, and until we all start trying to fix it it’ll only get worse. I have family in law enforcement and wish they would get out of it. They could make so much more in the private sector! enough to offset the loss of that pension.
This article is a perfect example of just how far “public safety” employees have strayed from their original purpose. This has been a gradual shift over about three generations.
I moved to this country from a virtual police state back in the early 80’s, and was amazed at the civility of law enforcement back then in this country, even in NYC!
Ron Paul and many others have been writing and warning about the growing police state for decades, but no one has been paying attention and very few seem concerned about it.
I believe the problem is mostly with qualified immunity. There’s no reason one member of society should be held less responsible for their actions than another.
“But I won’t be able to do my job” is the boiler plate response from all law enforcement when we mention it or question it. Why, do you need to break the law in order to preserve it?
On March 29, 2021 at 9:27 am, Chris Mallory said:
Replace “stocks” with “gallows” and you will be on the money. I have watched quite a few “police behaving badly” videos. But I could not finish watching these thugs accost that old man. It made me sick to my stomach. It is a shame that we have fallen so far, We need to return to where the police feared putting a citizen in chains.
Acts 22
24 The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
On March 29, 2021 at 11:29 am, I R A Darth Aggie said:
I want the concession for the rotted fruit & veggies stand.
On March 29, 2021 at 2:07 pm, The Old Freedom Fighter said:
I remember having a real heated discussion about the US becoming more of police state with some family members circa 1976. Some 45 years later, all I can say is, it’s far, far, worse now than it ever was back then.
On March 29, 2021 at 3:29 pm, Paul B said:
Millions. I would be worth millions after something like that.
Millions
On March 29, 2021 at 3:52 pm, Sisu said:
There is no legitimate LE authority when they enter a home without permission; even in the circumstances described in the news article. That said investigating a potential crime – fine; but on encountering the 74 year old, frail man, who is on the phone with 911 – drop the stupid protocol, “power/control trip” and use the brain G-d gave you. … Guilty until proven innocent, qualified immunity, under educated, immature young men given carte blanche authority over all others … this is no longer the United States of America. … Each of those officers should have one of their shoulders smashed and tattooed: “Replacement requires court order and written consent from 74 yr old and his next of kin”.
On March 30, 2021 at 2:57 pm, Okanogan Offgrid said:
At least the old man lives in a district where the enforcers have body cams to document this abuse. In Okanogan County, Washington, we are not so lucky, with a Sheriff who refuses to issue that inexpensive and readily available technology that would prove how his deputies treat people.
On March 31, 2021 at 8:52 am, Roger J said:
The Seattle man was an “easy mark.” A few days ago in Oregon, Antifa thugs vandalize an old man’s truck, surround him and pepper spray him. He quite reasonably fears for his life, and pulls out a legally carried pistol. Antifa thugs call the police, who were nowhere to be found while the truck was being vandalized, and the coppers come running. Old man is forced to kneel and handcuffed while the Antifa thugs taunt him. I heard, released without charges…for now. I’m sure the DA will dream something up. “We can’t have people threatening to shoot our collectivist collaborators!” Nah, the authorities didn’t say that – but they thought it. The Pacific Northwest has turned into a Collectivist Hell.
On March 31, 2021 at 1:04 pm, George 1 said:
@Roger J. I saw the video of that. Someone should send it to NC Scout. He needs to see that it is not only the feds who are actively siding with ANTIFA but his beloved local cops as well.