“It’s still only one side of the story. And according to the article the existence of the video is only alleged.”
Alleged is a legalize term to protect oneself. They clearly have A video, and are refusing to release it. You are reaching for a reason to side with cops here.
As for one side? Seriously, all that violence just to protect user levels of dope as evidence? I’m reminded very much of the New Mexico incidents of anal probing over possible drugs.
Here is a concept. We all know the phase “Let the punishment fit the crime.”
How about adding the concept of “Let the investigative practices fit the crime.”
Like in the NM anal cases. Was it really appropriate to do that to people over very minor amounts of drugs? I’m plenty anti-drug. I know people who’ve fought addictions, and the harm it can do.
But even if such tactics worked to ‘get their man’, did the violent effort required do anything to change the world? No, it is just one minor drug case.
And that even assumes guilt. In those cases, they were INNOCENT, and violated in an extreme way. For what?
Same in this case. All that over simple possession charges? Are we that far gone that all the System cares about is getting the criminal, and not HOW we get them?
The mission isn’t all that matters. There has to be lines drawn on how the mission is accomplished. First, we have very likely BS stop as an excuse to search. Police have a long practice of ‘Fishing’, just hopping to get lucky.
Now include this reaction to protect evidence. Is evidence of a BS crime worth permanent injuries and even death?
There was a recent story about a woman that had gone in voluntarily to some hearing or something, sitting in a waiting room, and she was seen taking what turned out to be Tylenol prescribed to her for a tooth problem and she was taken down and injured by several policemen.