How rough is too rough?

**Country_boy396** · 10-09-04 11:12 AM

I have a question about unnecessary roughness. How rough is considered too rough, and leaves the dept. open to lawsuit? I have seen (in real life) some guys really take a hard takedown shot, better than the high school football team. I must admit the guy was so drunk he would have had to hold on to the ground if he fell, but he was harmless. The officer arresting him had been on the force less than 48 hours. I am curious what the law considers to rough.

**acreature** · 10-09-04 11:17 AM

Dunno, need more details.

**Nuklhed** · 10-09-04 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Country_boy396

I must admit the guy was so drunk he would have had to hold on to the ground if he fell, but he was harmless.

Have you ever dealt with a drunk? I am not saying anything bad, as I was not there. But did you hear what transpired prior to the drunk being taken down? There are a lot of factors to using force. It can be as small as the drunk clinching his fist. The Officer is not going to let the person strike him. I am not saying this stuff to be condisending, just wanted to let you know that there are things that lead up to force.

Now how much force is too much? People complain about handcuffing. They will complain about anything.

**FloridaLEO** · 10-09-04 11:51 AM

The last drunk I had to work with a little rough took five of us to hold him down. The little jerk was just stupid strong and wouldnt shut up at the jail either.

**JD45** · 10-09-04 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Country_boy396

I have a question about unnecessary roughness. How rough is considered too rough, and leaves the dept. open to lawsuit?

Usually when someone is detained and they stop resisting and the use of force continues. Keep in mind, there are people that have been in handcuffs and still manage to kick, fight, spit etc. so there is always a an exemption to the rule.

**steelcityk9cop** · 10-09-04 03:43 PM

The key question is one of reasonability when it comes to police use of force.....that is that officers shall use only that amount of force that reasonably appears necessary, given the facts and circumstances perceived by the officer at the time of the event, to effectively bring an incident under control. “Reasonableness” of the force used must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene at the time of the incident. Any interpretation of “reasonableness” must allow for the fact that police officers are often forced to make split-second decisions – in circumstances that are tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving – about the amount of force that is necessary in a particular situation.

**mcsap** · 10-09-04 10:35 PM

The MOST likely person to hurt/ assault a cop is a drunk. You have to be CAREFUL around them. Even handcuffed as was mentioned.

**Country_boy396** · 10-10-04 05:03 AM

The guy was ordered to put his hands up. He hesitated, then sat his drink down. The arresting officer then drove him down to the ground, the drunk probably weighed right around 140 pounds, he went down like a ton of bricks. From the time the officer demanded he put his hands up to the moment he knocked him down was less than 5 seconds. The officer jerked his left hand up behind his back, to a point that I was sure his elbow was probably dislocated. The officer picked the guy up by the cuffs alone, not by his arms. once the guy was back to his feet the officer told him "When I tell you to put your hands up, you put them up, right then."

I am not accusing, and I don't want it to sound like I disrespect authority, but the rookie officer seems way too happy with the power he has.

My apologies if any are offended by my opinion.

**Country_boy396** · 10-10-04 05:06 AM

Oh, additionally, only one complaint about the guy was made before the officer arrived. As soon as he walked up he asked the lady that called who was the problem, she told him and he immediatly ordered him to put his hands up. The only way he could have put his hands up as quick as the officer wanted him to would have been to dump his drink over his own head.

**codered** · 10-10-04 05:12 AM

I for one have many chipped teeth, and one finger with a snapped tendon in it( that will never be straight again, thanks to a drunk).
No disrespect to 'you' Cb, but you have obviously not been involved in many fights with drunks.

**Country_boy396** · 10-10-04 05:47 AM

codered, no disrespect to you, but judgements made only by a persons typing abilities are sometimes wrong. I have fought a few drunks in my life, one of which was my former step father. One in particular pulled a switchblade and cut across my shoulder, and my ear. I have half an ear lobe on the left side.

I am sorry that I didn't know if a police department could be sued for being too rough. Please excuse my ignorance on this matter. I thank you all for your reponses.

**steelcityk9cop** · 10-10-04 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by Country_boy396

The guy was ordered to put his hands up. He hesitated, then sat his drink down. The arresting officer then drove him down to the ground.

That's my kind of rookie!

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