[adam42381]

A UCLA student was in the computer lab on Tuesday evening (11/14), he was asked by police to produce student id since it was after 11pm (school policy). He didn't and refused to leave. He was tasered. And tasered again.

This is absolute abuse of power and cannot be tolerated. Sure the kid disobeyed policy but a simple police escort would have been sufficient. This really ticked me off when I watched the video.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5g7zlJx9u2E

If the link stops working, just Google it.

To contact the school:

Interim Chancellor Norman Abrams
Telephone: 310-825-2151
Fax: 310-206-6030
Email: chancellor@conet.ucla.edu

[thepostman]

well no matter what LUPD does or doesn't do, this makes them look like complete professionals

[PAmedic]

[PAmedic]

only watched the first 3 minutes of it.

HOWEVER: everyone under the age of 25 please listen to me- WHEN YOU ARE GIVEN AN ORDER BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, JUST OBEY IT.

1. in the first 20 seconds, I heard the cop quite clearly telling this kid "stand up". REPEATEDLY. He obviously was intent on making a statement, and judging by the attitudes of many on this board- I'm thinking its shared by much of this generation. (Renta-cop, "just" security, wanna-be-cops, etc)

2. all the crap about "abuse of power" and "rights" is typical college rehetoric, everyone is Sally Constitution or Johnny Lawyer all the sudden. DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD and you won't get in these predicaments. Contrary to popular belief, not everything an adult tells you is up for debate.

3. swearing at a LEO is, in itself, a misdeanor. All these constituional scholars demanding badge numbers should probably have been dispersed immediately or cited for DC (disorderly conduct).

HAVING SAID ALL THAT:

1. tasers are intended as DEFENSIVE, less-than-lethal weapons. I have personally never seen a situation where they were used in such an aggressive manner. I do NOT believe that was the intended use of this instrument when issued to these guys, and I'd really be surprised if that use was authorized in their protocols. I've only seen them deployed when an officer was threatened with an IMMEDIATE threat (though not LETHAL) to his/her safety, or the safety of others in the immediate vicinity. My impression was that this kid was just a flaming jerk - not a serious threat.

2. Not to mention the fact that research is showing these things are quite capable of producing a serious cardiac dysrhythmia- occasionally resulting in cardiac arrest. Not a good idea to be using propholactically just to get somebody to obey you.

3. It is very likely that some sort of disciplinary action will be forthcoming for those officers involved- unfortunately. Though likely warranted- it will only serve to undermine the campus PDs authority and further substantiate the mentality of your everyday 18 year old drama queens who just cannot fathom being told what to do without making every situation into a "Free Tibet" showdown.

MORAL OF THE STORY-

obey the police now and argue about it later.

[LUconn]

only watched the first 3 minutes of it.

HOWEVER: everyone under the age of 25 please listen to me- WHEN YOU ARE GIVEN AN ORDER BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, JUST OBEY IT.

1. in the first 20 seconds, I heard the cop quite clearly telling this kid "stand up". REPEATEDLY. He obviously was intent on making a statement, and judging by the attitudes of many on this board- I'm thinking its shared by much of this generation. (Renta-cop, "just" security, wanna-be-cops, etc)

2. all the crap about "abuse of power" and "rights" is typical college rehetoric, everyone is Sally Constitution or Johnny Lawyer all the sudden. DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD and you won't get in these predicaments. Contrary to popular belief, not everything an adult tells you is up for debate.

This is so funny because you could just substitute constitutional law for biblical law and sercurity for RAs and you're talking to all of the rule whiners at LU. I guess it's just the college mentality. You think you're at the age where you know a lot and are mature but neither are true.

[SuperJon]

It's kinda funny (and off subject), but I'm in bed by midnight most weeknights and I'm generally asleep by 12:30 or so. I've gotten used to the rules and I'm pretty cool with em now. Would I like to see some things change? Yes. But I'm ok with everything.

[TallyW]

And to think SJ... no one tasered you

As for this dude... I gave him a fair chance to impress upon me this 'abuse of power'. I even watched several other You Tube videos about it (local tv, college tv, etc.) and the fact remains that this dude was asked for his ID... he didn't give it... he was asked of his name... refused to give it... he was asked to leave... refused to leave... then when the officers tried to take him out he whaled around on the floor like a baby (prior to the taser). Then the officers kept telling him "Stand up, walk out of here... you're pulling us to the ground... stand up..." Obviously this guy was turning it into a circus on his own. He's lucky to be able to walk... I'm surprised he wasn't beat down. Besides before the first taser he said "F-off" to the officer. I smiled because after that it turned to "Here is your Patriot Act" and "I'm not fighting you" "Abuse of power" lol.... I'm with medic on this one... obey the dude in blue. Especially if you're out of place or if you refuse to show ID.... no one knows who he is... you don't get the benefit of being a student if you refuse to identify yourself to police.

According to the police report there was a civilian patrol person who walks the computer lab asking for ID's. Local security or something... The kid refused to identify himself to that person, then several police officers before they decided to take him into custody... he had so many opportunities to do the right thing... I don't feel bad for him... besides every cop gets tasered with one of those things so they know what it feels like... I have to trust at some level that they felt the situation was getting out of hand and they needed to do whatever it was they had to do to move him before that crowd turned into a mob. It looked bad...

The only thing I thought on the other hand was that they had several officers... they may have been able to hog-tie him and carry him out (one person on each limb) without using the taser more than twice but they were there and I wasn't so I have to defer to the guys with eyes on the situation.

Lesson for us all... listen to the cops....

[thepostman]

wow, i watched the whole thing and just can't believe it....there is no way that was right, but as Medic clearly said in his long statement there is an attitude people have towards campus cops where they don't listen...I for one always listen to LUPD if they ever tell me to do something...I have had some negative experiences with them when trying to tell them about a problem with certain students, I could go into detail but that isn't really the point, my beef with LUPD has nothing to do with not wanting to listen to authority because I will listen when told.

Now back to the topic, this student should have just listened to whatever these guys were saying then he would not have been subject to such crap. With that said there is no way in this world those cops had a right to do what they did. The kid was not violent in anyway, he just wouldn't listen, if he would have tried to strike one of the officers then maybe it would be needed. The cop that did this should be fired, no questions asked. People my age should respect cops more then they do that is for sure, but actions like this do not help the cause whatsoever...a terrible scene, a lot of anger...they are lucky something worse didn't come from this...

[thepostman]

also after being tasered doesn't that make it harder for a person to get up?? I don't see how this would help the situation...with all the cops there I don't see why they couldn't just carry him out

[PAmedic]

...a terrible scene, a lot of anger...they are lucky something worse didn't come from this...

excellent point. I had the same thought.

At the very least, these guys (PD) should've put the whole thing in perspective and realized that they were creating a mob mentality that could've gone very bad, very quickly.

Had 10 or so guys decided to rush them, they may well have been forced to draw down and/or use deadly force with tragic results.

just something that all of us in emergency services are trained to bear in mind- whatever you do, don't create an issue or escalate a situation. They really walked a fine line with that action.

But I stand by my earlier post about compliance and attitudes toward authority.

[thepostman]

oh i agree this kid was a complete idiot, but with 4 cops there they could've just picked the kid up and it would've been much much different, now this kid is going to get a huge payday and the cops will be fired, just stupid

[TallyW]

i doubt either will happen

[thepostman]

i doubt either will happen

are you kidding me?? this is california, the kid will get a pay day, it will be settled outside of court, but he will get a pay day...and those cops are as good as gone, and they should be they had no business doing that especially with there being 4 or 5 cops right there, it was not needed. As I have said over and over though, the kid was an idiot and in no way right...but with this happening in California I can not see him not getting a decent pay day out of this....If a woman can get money from Mcdonald's because coffee burned her lap then surely a kid can get money for being tasered 5 times when that is clearly not protocal....I am not saying the kid deserves the money, but that is the country we live in....and those cops will be fired, and if they aren't there is going to be a lot of angry people

[Brokeback Flamer]

Perhaps I am a bit more extreme than anyone on this board. I say they should have shot the fella!!!! You are REQUIRED to identify yourself to a peace officer. You are REQUIRED to comply with their requests (unless some type of livestock is involved) You are REQUIRED to behave in a civil manner in public. This fella has 3 strikes. How do you know he didn't have an explosive device? If he was trying to make a statement what better "patriot act" statement would be better then sacrificing himself and taking a few with him to make the point. I have NO PROBLEM with how many times they tazered him. Taz away baby!!!! Had they tried to Hog Tie him with out his 'consent" it would have gotten a lot more violent. Shoot a lot of electricity through him, body will either go rigid or limp, depending on stage, makes it much easier to corall a person. Things like this ALWAYS look ugly on tape. That is why they make good TV/YouTube. One bullet, back of the head, he falls forward, you secure the area and then roll him out on a stretcher. But that is just me. Even though I am a big fan of the prison system

[whmatthews]

Even though I am a big fan of the prison system

Of course he's a fan of a system we refer to as the penal system.

[mrmacphisto]

Wow... I have to agree that the actions of the cops were highly inappropriate. I mean, asking a guy to get up after repeatedly tasering him, and then tasering him for not doing it is a pretty good example of abuse. Sure, the guy probably had plenty of opportunity to avoid this, but the appropriate way to handle it would have been to arrest him for trespassing.

Was I correct in hearing a cop threatening to taser another guy if he didn't go back into the library?

[thepostman]

yes you heard right, the cops lost complete control of themselves and the situation, and once you start to lose control its hard to turn back...it is still hard to believe that not one of those cops thought to himself, "gee, this is wrong..." thats LA for you i suppose

as i have said in past post the kid was still a complete idiot and should've been arrested, not tasered

[RubberMallet]

was tasering a bit much? yes...but who knows...i can't really see the kid....he might be a beast....no way you are going pick up a built kid and take him anywhere....

his "eff authority" attitude got him