Brickbat: Better Relations

Martin Brayley / Dreamstime.com

Two police officers in Bristol, England, are under investigation for Tasering Judah Adunbi just outside his home after mistaking him for a criminal. Adunbi is a member of a police advisory group that tries to build better relations between the community and police.

Comments

[thrakkorzog]

Obviously, the police acted stupidly. Nothing a pint of Lager or two with the Queen can't fix.

[The Hyperbole]

"Taser, Taser, Taser. You've been Tasered. All right?"

That's some fine taunting there, Lou.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A Taser is then discharged and one of the officers says: "Taser, Taser, Taser. You've been Tasered. All right?"

You left out the preceding sentence. Apparently the shooter was a woman. It's interesting the different seeming types of law enforcement professionals who enjoy the use of this compliance device and why. Women, through fear because of the power differential with men, obese officers because they lack the conditioning to do much else, and roiders who enjoy inflicting absolute authority through pain.

Anyway, at least they didn't shoot the dog.

[Radioactive]

did you get to the post script? must have gone back the next day to clear up that little detail...

[(((Renegade)))]

"Don't tase me, guv'na!"

[Fist of Etiquette]

...officers Tasered a race relations adviser who has worked to improve links between the force and the black community in Bristol.

Looks like he should have been tased for being a failure.

[Flemur]

Apparently Adunbi was too dumb to remember his own name.

[Radioactive]

Tasered a race relations adviser...well what the hell are you supposed to do to them? a couple of stiff baton whacks to the knee?

[Jerryskids]

Compare these two passages:

Ch Supt Jon Reilly, of Avon and Somerset police, said: "I understand the community are going to have concerns. And we'd really like to answer those. But as there's an ongoing investigation that's very difficult for us to do.
"I want to reassure the community the whole incident was captured on body-worn camera. Both officers were wearing it. And we're determined to understand what happened. That's why we've referred it, voluntarily, to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for them to assess whether an independent review is necessary.

And then later:

The IPCC commissioner, Cindy Butts, said: "We would like to reassure the community that we will conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances of this incident and whether the use of Taser by officers was appropriate in these circumstances.

So does the IPCC conduct an investigation or just an investigation to see if an investigation is necessary? My guess is it doesn't matter, the conclusion is going to be that this unfortunate incident was just an unfortunate incident and the officers involved - not at all representative of 99.9% of the force, all fine men and women who would never do anything like this - just need a training seminar on how not to assault the citizenry.

[Jerryskids]

And of course you've got the obligatory Adunbi was initially charged with assaulting a constable in the execution of their duty and using threatening or abusing behaviour or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harrassment, alarm or distress. The charges have since been dropped.

Well, if the cops are only allowed to deploy their weapons when they're sufficiently "alarmed", the fact that they deployed their weapons proved they were alarmed, doesn't it? Seems to me that's a slam-dunk case right there.

[Trigger Hippie]

I guess a relationship with the Bristol PD doesn't come *dons sunglasses* free of charge.

[Scarecrow Repair & Chippering]

+ umpteen volts

[Vernon Depner]

Since the British cops don't carry pistols, tasering is their only option when a black guy might be reaching for his waistband.

[Radioactive]

assault belt? high capacity underpants?

[Crowster]

Sometimes synergy is pretty ironic.