Trump Encourages Police to Brutalize Suspects

Law enforcement audience applauds Trump's suggestion that they rough up suspects.

President Trump encouraged police to rough up arrested suspects in a speech in Long Island, New York, Friday afternoon, prompting cheers and applause from the audience of cops.

"When you see these towns, and when you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just see them thrown in, rough," Trump said. "And I said, 'Please don't be too nice.'"

"Like when you guys put somebody in the car and you're protecting their head," Trump continued. "You know, the way you put their hand over, like, don't hit their head, and they've just killed somebody. Don't hit their head. I said, 'You can take the hand away, OK?'"

President urges officers to commit acts of brutality, officers laugh and cheer wildly. Beginning to think problem isn't a few bad apples. pic.twitter.com/o1sSgw6lGy

— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) July 28, 2017

This usually doesn't bear clarification, but since the president of the United States suggested otherwise during a nationally televised speech: It is illegal for law enforcement to beat or otherwise use excessive force on suspects, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

For example, in Suffolk County, New York, where Trump was speaking, a police chief was sentenced last year to four years in prison for orchestrating the cover-up of the beating of a handcuffed heroin addict who had stolen several items from the chief's SUV, including a bag full of sex toys and pornography.

The Huffington Post also reported that Trump said current laws "totally protect the criminal, not the officers."

"We're changing those laws," Trump said.