I call this police brutally and roadrage

[markjay]

Also... the way the OP was removed from the vehicle by the police officer in the dark uniform does not seem to me like a case of excessive use of force at all...

In fact he initially helps the driver out quite gently, and only towards the end gives him a slight tug to move him away from the vehicle. Seems perfectly raesonable to me under the circumstances .

 

[MOCAŠ]

However, when looking closely at the footage, I agree with what some of you said that the coppers go straight to the windows and start smashing them without even trying to pull the door handle first...

I suspect what they were aiming to do was break the side glass quickly and grab the keys so that he couldn't drive off again or retaliate. Clearly it took longer than expected to do this, no doubt due in some part to the illegal tinting film he'd chavved the car up with.

The door would probably have been locked anyway; most modern car doors lock automatically. Also, if they had opened the door, he could have kicked out, had a knife, etc. OK, I know he was 70 and, shall we say, not in the best of health, but the police use containment tactics in these situations.

 

[markjay]

I suspect what they were aiming to do was break the side glass quickly and grab the keys so that he couldn't drive off again or retaliate. Clearly it took longer than expected to do this, no doubt due in some part to the illegal tinting film he'd chavved the car up with.

The door would probably have been locked anyway; most modern car doors lock automatically. Also, if they had opened the door, he could have kicked out, had a knife, etc. OK, I know he was 70 and, shall we say, not in the best of health, but the police use containment tactics in these situations.

I see... but if that's standard procedure, why the suspension then?

 

[MOCAŠ]

I see... but if that's standard procedure, why the suspension then?

Isn't that standard practice too, once a complaint has been received and is being investigated?

 

[markjay]

Isn't that standard practice too, once a complaint has been received and is being investigated?

Ah, MOCAŠ, you seem to know more than I do....

 

[MOCAŠ]

Ah, MOCAŠ, you seem to know more than I do....

To be honest, I'm just guessing...

 

[davethemus]

Isn't that standard practice too, once a complaint has been received and is being investigated?

i think it is if the case has been given publicity or it has some teeth

 

[coupe deville]

its in the red tops today, " poor disabled pensioner abused by raging mad traffic cops "
odd that a 70 year old has illegal tints don't you think

 

[antonyw124]

I had a bad time by two Police officers some time ago near Usk Just in the Welsh border. They acqused me of doing 70mph whilst driving through a small winding village!! accused me of stealing the items in the boot of my car and were trying to get me to react to them all the while. I must admit it was not a positive experience and my respect for the police was knocked. I would not like to be a Police officer in todays world, However they have a duty to react in away that is correct for the situation.

 

[jasonyw]

Where are all the copper members?

Are they too busy or embarrassed?

 

[tambyrne]

I see... but if that's standard procedure, why the suspension then?

Not suspended, "Taken off operational duties". Office work until an investigation has been carried out.

 

[tambyrne]

I don't wear my seatbelt and die if I want to, it not the police business even though it written in the law surely I don't deserved this brutality. I hope the police pay for the damage the way one stood on the bonnet. Ouch where the fund comes from? The tax payers around south Wales.

I attended many road accidents in my previous career and seen the aftermath of someone not wearing a seatbelt, brains splattered over a windscreen, partially decapitated heads. When someone is stopped for not wearing a seatbelt they should be shown photographs of these accidents, I think it'll soon change their outlook.

 

[MPG]

Just by way of background you might also like to read this article published by the "South Wales Argus" back in 2004. Link here.

 

[Hi-Ho Silver]

That is no defence for beating up a 70 year old man or attacking his car like baboons.

This is going to turn into that argument about seatbelts being a personal choice. What has not wearing a seatbelt got to do with anybody else? ie other road users.

There are also incidents where people cannot leave their vehicles after a collision due to being belted in. Do they get to fine the Police for being trapped by the same reasoning? (It's not a 'Law' and therefore not a crime, it's statutory). I know this may at first appear to be a petty defence to those people who never considered this but it's still worth mentioning.

 

[Hi-Ho Silver]

Just so we all understand this.

NO 'Laws' were broken and therefore this man is not and was not committing any criminal act.

Window tinting is not a crime.
Not wearing a seatbelt is not a crime.

 

[Howard]

Is it not a crime if the tint doesn't allow X amount of light through ? ( as in against the law )

I thought it was illegal ( against the law , hence a crime ) to not wear a seatbelt ?

Seat Belt Regulations - No Penalty Points (UK)

 

[davethemus]

you don't get a criminal record for window tints or not wearing a seat-belt though.

 

[flango]

Just so we all understand this.

NO 'Laws' were broken and therefore this man is not and was not committing any criminal act.

Window tinting is not a crime.
Not wearing a seatbelt is not a crime.

Wrong 2 laws broken upon which he could / will be proscuted for

1. Failure to stop for Police (mandated in Law to do so)
2. Not wearing a seatbelt (yes it is a crime as it mandated in law to wear it)

Without measuring the window tint forward of the B pillar cant say if the tint was legal or not but if he would not stop the officers had no way of telling.

If he became abusive when he was stopped the shock and awe tatics seen would have been used as standard procedure and it would be normal procedure to suspend the officers concerned when it hit the media.

My bet no action will be taken but no one is privvy to the full information on the case so none of us are capable of calling it.

 

[jasonyw]

It gone to court as this happened almost a year ago.

This is unnecessary public spending, it came out of my pocket too.

This is what Osbourne had been screaming about waste of public money.

 

[neilrr]

I'm no apologist for the police but can't see they did much wrong here.

Being a 'pensioner' doesn't automatically make a man become a lovely, grandfatherly figure, pottering around the garden in slippers and cardigan, handing out Werther's to delighted grand kiddies.

It means you are over 65 years of age.

Charles Manson, next year Peter Sutcliffe &, were they still alive, Reggie & Ronnie & Adolf could accurately be described as 'pensioners'.

This bloke is a serial scofflaw scally known to the police with previous for run ins with plod & then for filing complaints. He is a chippy, vexatious litigant who certainly dreamt up his absurd & totally fabricated 'defense' with the help of his mouthpiece to paint the police badly & him well.

He was stopped, took off & ran for 8 miles & then he stopped once more. What's to stop him taking off again in a two ton 4x4?

He brought it on himself & got off lightly - a couple of broken windows & a few hundred quid fine. In other countries the police would have reacted in a much more heavy handed way to such a challenge to their authority.