I like to think of the words Pride, Integrity and Guts when I hear the term PIG used to describe cops. The sad truth though is that it is more often meant in the derogatory fashion and all too often it is deserved by the cop(s) at which the epithet is aimed.
For example, take the cops in the embedded video. I think a few of them could be referred to as pigs and certainly not in a nice way. When an officer goes out on an operation, like the execution of search and or arrest warrants, they are required to follow the rule of law and to follow departmental policies, procedures, rules and regulations. I strongly doubt that walking on a fully compliant arrest subject is within an officers realm of authority unless under the most unusual of circumstances. Those circumstances surely seem lacking in this example. I know I would have been severely disciplined had I ever done likewise when I was a LEO.
The same thing goes for destruction of property. It appears, to me, that two different men (reportedly thought to be police officers) in the embedded video decided to destroy video surveillance cameras that were set up, operating and recording (to an off site location) the raid while in progress. I can understand that the officers did not want to be recorded on video. This is often due to issues such as one or more being undercover operatives but again is something that is all to often due to the fact that the officers are doing something they should not be doing and they do not want it recorded. In fact, photographing or making videos of law enforcement officers is illegal in many locations (something I find preposterous) but even if illegal, it does not give law enforcement officers the right to destroy private property. All they had to do was cover the cameras which probably would have taken much less effort than at least one supposed officer seemed to exert while apparently destroying the camera.
Take a look and see what you think but make sure to keep your mouse pointer away from the video box so you will be able to see the full bottom of the video without the YouTube control panel blocking some of the view:
I think it would have been easy for the one officer to not have stepped on the evidently very compliant suspect. The next officer into the picture certainly makes what appears to be a successful effort not to step on the suspect and it looked pretty easy to accomplish. I think that the guy who appears to, and was alleged to, have walked on the suspect should lose his job, be prosecuted and be sued - but that is just my feeling not yet knowing all of the facts. I imagine there could be some logical and legitimate reason he had to walk on the suspect like that but I have to admit that reason is not coming to my mind right now and I have a hard time imagining that it ever will come to my mind after seeing that video.
As for the guys breaking the cameras, if they are police officers, I think they need much of the same as the cop who appears to have walked on the suspect. Job loss, prosecution for both destruction of property and abuse of power and a good stiff tort claim against them.
All the best,
Glenn B
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