Seattle Officer Punches Teen Girl

This is very disturbing. A Seattle police officer punches a female teen in the face while trying to cite for jaywalking. He is supposed to be a trained professional and his first response is to punch a kid, a female nonetheless, in the face. Totally uncalled for IMO. There had to be a better way to handle that.

We need to teach our young people how to handle themselves with law enforcement (especially our young Black men). This is how things get out of hand and innocent people get killed.

Here is a helpful guide. http://www.naacp.org/legal/resources/411onfiveo/

Yea, that cop should not have punched her but should have restrained her a better way. I remember seeing on tv a couple of years ago when I police officer tazed a student. I have taught in high schools. I am only 5'1 and 115 pounds. If a 5'9 275 girl is tryign to rough me up for whatever reason, I say use whatever force you can to protect yourself.

These kids need to be taught respect. Again, she should not have been puched like that. She did tkae a good punch and stayed standing. It is sad though.

Dva, I saw that on my local news and was floored!

I was surprised by the entire video. I didn't understand why there was any pushing and shoving going on at all....over jaywalking? If that were another officer I'm pretty sure they would have been handcuffed as soon as they put their hands on the officer, which leads me to believe that he was possibly a rookie.

I don't feel like his punch was justified but I also don't feel like they should have been resisting/pushing him either. At the same time, if I feel like I have done nothing wrong then I probably would too. Probably not like that though.

I do feel like some officers use way too use force. (I think we all know that.)

These girls were teenagers...I have been there and done that. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

My husband and I had this very long conversation about this whole topic and you know, yes it centers around
1. they are teens
2. they are women
3. they were only jaywalking
4. he punched her
Now we have to understand the culture of the police (i am not taking sides but listen), they are taught first and foremost SELF PRESERVATION!, he was the only cop there and it could have been a mob scene.
My husband says she got what she deserves adn if it were him he would have punched her lights out, now i dont agree with him but he has a point, YOU NEVER TOUCH A COP EVER EVER...THIS WAS TOLD TO HIM BY A COP, HE LIGHTLY PATTED THE COPS HAND AND THE COP INSTINCTIVELY REACHED FOR HIS WEAPON....
This is how people get shot and maimed for less, watch d whole video: the first thing she tells the cop who is trying to apprehend her is GET THE F AWAY FROM ME! Ok even i know that is not right, like someone said we HAVE to teach these youngsters how to dialogue and talk to the police, please read up on your rights there is nothing that scares a cop worse than an educated or well informed pull over suspect/citizen. I am always polite but puhleexe believe that I am well informed.
The law is NOT I repeat NOT on our side so fighting the police is only going to get u arrested, whooped (look up beatings) or even killed....
We need to educate ourselves and our children on what to do when accosted by the police, if the police asks you can I ask you a question you can say no and keep it moving the moment you say yes then you have invited him just like into ur home.....beware....
I think he could have handled it better but then he HAD to stun her as a form of self defense and preservation (From a cop)......
I also read that they have been in trouble before and arrested, so I think they overreacted they were waiting to boil over IMHO...It was a nasty all around scenario, but as black people we have lived offensively all our lives, we have to learn not to bow but to be enlightened about law enforcement and the likes like i said the law is not made for our benefit!!!!!

A Issie, very good point. I think that both sides involved were wrong but sometimes police have to protect themselves when they feel that they are in danger. I don't agree that he should have punched that girl but at least he didn't shoot, beat, stab, etc to her and the friend. Just remember that things could have always gone VERY wrong in a situation like that.

I still can't believe that all of this was over jaywalking..really? Why? Was it that bad? I have to admit, I do that sometimes when I'm in a hurry but damn really? Hopefully justice will be served!

Issie wrote:My husband and I had this very long conversation about this whole topic and you know, yes it centers around
1. they are teens
2. they are women
3. they were only jaywalking
4. he punched her
Now we have to understand the culture of the police (i am not taking sides but listen), they are taught first and foremost SELF PRESERVATION!, he was the only cop there and it could have been a mob scene.
My husband says she got what she deserves adn if it were him he would have punched her lights out, now i dont agree with him but he has a point, YOU NEVER TOUCH A COP EVER EVER...THIS WAS TOLD TO HIM BY A COP, HE LIGHTLY PATTED THE COPS HAND AND THE COP INSTINCTIVELY REACHED FOR HIS WEAPON....
This is how people get shot and maimed for less, watch d whole video: the first thing she tells the cop who is trying to apprehend her is GET THE F AWAY FROM ME! Ok even i know that is not right, like someone said we HAVE to teach these youngsters how to dialogue and talk to the police, please read up on your rights there is nothing that scares a cop worse than an educated or well informed pull over suspect/citizen. I am always polite but puhleexe believe that I am well informed.
The law is NOT I repeat NOT on our side so fighting the police is only going to get u arrested, whooped (look up beatings) or even killed....
We need to educate ourselves and our children on what to do when accosted by the police, if the police asks you can I ask you a question you can say no and keep it moving the moment you say yes then you have invited him just like into ur home.....beware....
I think he could have handled it better but then he HAD to stun her as a form of self defense and preservation (From a cop)......
I also read that they have been in trouble before and arrested, so I think they overreacted they were waiting to boil over IMHO...It was a nasty all around scenario, but as black people we have lived offensively all our lives, we have to learn not to bow but to be enlightened about law enforcement and the likes like i said the law is not made for our benefit!!!!!

Very good points and I actualy agree with everyting you said. That's why I posted the link too about how to interact with the police.

I learned A LOT while doing some community activism involving a police brutality case. You CANNOT act out with the police and you need to know your rights or you might just end up dead.

true true I agree with everyone and I know like Napp_Napp_Cat said it could ahve been worse very very quickly, its amazing he did not taser her or even give her a beat down, we have to teach these children men we really do! thanks everyone....I still think both sides went overboard tho!

Curly_Aquarius wrote:Dva, I saw that on my local news and was floored! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

LOL! at the word "floored", girl..my thoughts exactly. Took the word right out of my mouth. smh!

I agree 100% with Issie. If you feel like a ticket was issued falsely, you have all right to go to court and fight your case, but fighting with the cop is going to possibly land you a few days in jail, your ORIGINAL ticket, and ANOTHER ticket for assaulting a police officer. Not to mention a MAN was jaywalking, where did these two women come from to defend him? What were they expecting to solve? They should've kept their mouths out of it because it didn't even involve them according to the newscasters.

Now, I do believe cops overreact about 85% of the time, but if my boyfriend were a cop, I would want him to do everything in his power to survive because you never know what goes on in the head of the person you're trying to deal with. She could've reached for his gun, and used it against him.

Issie also has it right that the law is a little screwy. Just like in Arizona with the new immigration law. I bet a bunch of harmless Hispanics are being targeted right now for ID of citizenship.

So unfortunately to say, they're both in the wrong. Over jaywalking? Seriously? Like, learn to walk away please.