Thank you for the discussion regarding the video that was has been circulated from a January 31, 2014 arrest.
As is often the case, the video does not show the totality of the circumstances.
Our officers were called by private security guards on a man who was trespassing in a private area. The guards reported that the man had on repeated occasions refused to leave a private "employees only" area in the First National Bank Building.
With no information on who the man was, what he might be doing or why he refused to leave the area, responding Saint Paul police officers tried to talk to him, asking him who he was. He refused to tell them or cooperate.
Our officers are called upon and required to respond to calls for assistance and to investigate the calls. At one point, the officers believed he might either run or fight with them. It was then that officers took steps to take him into custody. He pulled away and resisted officers' lawful orders. They then used the force necessary to safely take him into custody.
The man was charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct and obstruction of the legal process. Those charges were dismissed in July.
We have had a discussion with the man in the video and he was given information on how to file a formal complaint if that was his desire. At this time, no formal complaint has been filed.
We hope this helps to clear up some of the information our communities have been seeking.
This makes me even more mad. No this doesn't clear a damn thing up.
The private security guards didn't need assistance anymore because the man had left the so called damn trespassing area.
And I'm pretty sure if this had been a white woman going to pick her kids up from daycare they wouldn't have been so afraid that he was going to run or fight.
And the problem is there are a lot of black folks who are like, no. Fuck you. I have done nothing wrong and I am NOT going to bow my head and yes suh, yessum ma'am and all that shit because you are on some power trip Mr./Ms. Officer. They are not here for it.
How is this a problem?
Because they then end up arrested or dead like the guy in the video or the guy in NYC.
And now I have more anxiety someone thinking my kids aren't mine.
Sent from my EVO
At least yours have the same last name. I occasionally have mild panic attacks thinking I'm going some place where I have nothing that says she's mind. Her military ID has her father's name on it. I think about this way more than I should have to.
I don't see why he got tased. Calling someone a motherfucker (or whatever he said) is not resisting and it's not running. He's clearly ticked and that seems to be it.
I don't see why he got tased. Calling someone a motherfucker (or whatever he said) is not resisting and it's not running. He's clearly ticked and that seems to be it.
But angry black men are an immediate threat and should be subdued by any means at your disposal. Duh.
Post by downtoearth on Sept 11, 2014 6:05:04 GMT -5
I just got to watch this and the security camera video and it's so sickening. It's almost more sickening that both cops were immediately confrontational and aren't "peace officers" but bullies from the beginning. That is how almost every interaction with police has been for me also, and most are traffic stops. IMO police officers are not there to solve problems peacefully but to escalate the situation. I HATE that I feel like that. My rationale mind says not all can be like that and they are more cautious and rule-oriented than most of the population, but I have always felt like their whole involvement in ANY incidence adds a level of superiority that nobody can reason with (and my only involvement was with incidences in CO, MT, WY, and once in IL). I cannot imagine how pissed I would be if my reality was that I had to deal with this BS while waiting for my kids on the way to school or by walking through a business area.
ETA: The security view is terrible b/c people are just walking by as he is begging for help and being tazed?! I wish someone would have stopped and confronted the cops, but I'm sure they too would have been tazed.