Arrest Of Unruly Teen Caught On Tape
- Date: 2007-10-09 - Word Count: 576
Share This!
Have you seen the video of the teenager who was arrested in Ft. Pierce for curfew violations? If not, please take time to view it now: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/oct/04/dramatic-arrest-caught-camera-fort-pierce/
According to Officer Dan Gilroy's report, he stopped and detained the fifteen year old girl who was out past curfew and was carrying a bag of clothing, which the officer suspected may have been stolen. When the officer attempted to place the teenager under arrest for the curfew violation, the young lady resisted arrest while the officer attempted to place her in handcuffs.
At some point in the encounter Officer Gilroy decided he needed to record the arrest, so he walked the young lady to his patrol car and turned on the camera. The video tape of the remaining portion of this incident shows the teenager biting the hand of the officer. The officer is then seen striking the teenager and spraying her with pepper spray. He eventually gets the handcuffs on the teenager and completes the arrest.
The headline to this story has been incorrectly titled, "Dramatic arrest caught on camera in Ft. Pierce." After viewing the video of this incident, the correct title should have been: "Teenage curfew violator gets caught assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest." Can there be any question that this teenager was resisting arrest? After all, how many times did the officer tell her to place her hands behind her back before he used force (I counted ten)? And why would the officer make such an effort to get the camera rolling if he did not believe he needed to protect himself?
When a person assaults a police officer and then resists arrest, there will be force used by the officer in apprehending the suspect. The officer has to use reasonable force necessary to effectuate the arrest. As a former police officer, I can tell you that the biggest challenge any street cop has is using self restraint when encountering a person who refuses to be placed under arrest. At the academy officers are trained to protect themselves, but to use no more force than is necessary for the situation. The type of force a particular officer uses will always depend on that officer's physical skills and his perception of the force used against him.
In this case the force used by the officer may not look pretty (it never does), but it was entirely reasonable under the circumstances.
What other methods of force could the officer employed? He could have wrestled her to the ground or used a "come along hold" (a method of twisting the suspects arm to cause compliance), or he may have choked her out with his baton. In any case, the type of force would have caused pain and not have looked pretty.
My message to the teenager and her family: Do not violate curfew; and when you are stopped by the police, obey their commands and you won't have these problems.
If you believe you were wrongly accused of a crime, hire an attorney, and fight the charges. If you believe you were being picked on by the police, hire an attorney, and sue the department. There are plenty of us wily attorney's who are more than happy to take your case. However, the last thing you want to do is bite the hand of the officer who is attempting to coax you into submission. Unless, of course, you want to know what it feels like to have pepper spray poured in your face!
According to Officer Dan Gilroy's report, he stopped and detained the fifteen year old girl who was out past curfew and was carrying a bag of clothing, which the officer suspected may have been stolen. When the officer attempted to place the teenager under arrest for the curfew violation, the young lady resisted arrest while the officer attempted to place her in handcuffs.
At some point in the encounter Officer Gilroy decided he needed to record the arrest, so he walked the young lady to his patrol car and turned on the camera. The video tape of the remaining portion of this incident shows the teenager biting the hand of the officer. The officer is then seen striking the teenager and spraying her with pepper spray. He eventually gets the handcuffs on the teenager and completes the arrest.
The headline to this story has been incorrectly titled, "Dramatic arrest caught on camera in Ft. Pierce." After viewing the video of this incident, the correct title should have been: "Teenage curfew violator gets caught assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest." Can there be any question that this teenager was resisting arrest? After all, how many times did the officer tell her to place her hands behind her back before he used force (I counted ten)? And why would the officer make such an effort to get the camera rolling if he did not believe he needed to protect himself?
When a person assaults a police officer and then resists arrest, there will be force used by the officer in apprehending the suspect. The officer has to use reasonable force necessary to effectuate the arrest. As a former police officer, I can tell you that the biggest challenge any street cop has is using self restraint when encountering a person who refuses to be placed under arrest. At the academy officers are trained to protect themselves, but to use no more force than is necessary for the situation. The type of force a particular officer uses will always depend on that officer's physical skills and his perception of the force used against him.
In this case the force used by the officer may not look pretty (it never does), but it was entirely reasonable under the circumstances.
What other methods of force could the officer employed? He could have wrestled her to the ground or used a "come along hold" (a method of twisting the suspects arm to cause compliance), or he may have choked her out with his baton. In any case, the type of force would have caused pain and not have looked pretty.
My message to the teenager and her family: Do not violate curfew; and when you are stopped by the police, obey their commands and you won't have these problems.
If you believe you were wrongly accused of a crime, hire an attorney, and fight the charges. If you believe you were being picked on by the police, hire an attorney, and sue the department. There are plenty of us wily attorney's who are more than happy to take your case. However, the last thing you want to do is bite the hand of the officer who is attempting to coax you into submission. Unless, of course, you want to know what it feels like to have pepper spray poured in your face!
Related Tags: legal, law, attorney, police, don, officer, assault, criminal, arrest, violation, donald, schweitzer, ft pierce, curfew, gilroy
Donald P. SchweitzerLaw Offices of Donald P. Schweitzer201 South Lake Avenue, Suite 700Pasadena, California 91101(626) 683-8113http://www.PasadenaCriminalDefense.com Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Work Cover Lawyers Help Workers Favored In New Contingency Agreement
Were you ever given a small amount of compensation after having been injured on your job? Have exper - Florida Last Will And Testament Information
A person who is at least 18 years of age can complete a Florida Last Will and Testament and is refer - Florida Durable Power Of Attorney Information
A Florida durable power of attorney is a legal document that designates a person to act on behalf of - California Power Of Attorney Information
In California any adult person who has the ability to enter into an agreement can complete and sign - Criminal Lawyer
Sexual assaults are increasing with alarming frequency and everyday there are news reports about var - Fort Lauderdale Foreclosure Lawyer Explains, Foreclosure Is Not Your Only Option, You Have A Choice
Foreclosure has been one of the foremost topics within the real estate world in recent years, as eac - Should You Make A Personal Injury Claim?
Personal injury claims now gain wider exposure than ever before, yet many people are still unaware o - Mesa Bankruptcy- Regain Financial Stability
Are you drowning in overwhelming debt? Is it causing you mental, emotional and physical distress? Ta - How Bankruptcy Can Help You Financially Start Over With A Clean Slate
Fed up with debt? Desperately want to be free from the unbearable problem? If yes, then you should n - Major Yasmin Birth Control Side Effects
Yasmin is a popular form of hormonal birth control that has been heavily marketed, especially to you
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Be Aware of Single Owner LLC Tax Problems
One of the more popular business entity choices these days is the limited liability company. If - 14 Tips on How Parents Who Have a Child with a Disability Can Organize Their Estate
Copyright © 2007 L. Mark Russell As a general rule, parents should keep their original document - IF OUR PETS WERE REALY OUR "MINOR CHILDREN" MOST OF US "PARENTS" WOULD BE IN JAIL FOR CHILD NEGLECT
As a pet owner, do you need to have a pet trust or will in your estate plan? Well, maybe so, given - The Last Will And Testament - A Model NOT To Live By
The death of Anna Nicole Smith has at least one valuable outcome, even if it is simply serving as a - The British Constitutional Reform Act
The Constitutional Reform Act of 2005 changed the British hitherto unwritten constitution by in - Patented Drugs
While a drug or process is under patent, other companies are wary of working anything even remote - Divorce and Debt
As common sense and statistics tell us, the leading cause of marital discord is money. Therefore - The Misunderstood World of Corporate Minutes
The corporation is the most used form of business entity in the United States. While many people - Attorney for Legal Services
All of us hire lawyers at one point or the other. People get sued, arrested, charged for a crime, - Should Parents EVER Leave an Inheritance Outright to a Child who has a Disability?
Copyright © 2007 L. Mark Russell There are few absolutes in estate planning, but this is one. I