Here is a video of the Evanston police arresting Civil Engineering graduate student Lawrence Crosby:
Here is a much longer (40 minutes) video of the events, as released by the Evanston police department, beginning with an introduction by a police officer, and including both initial 911 call and all of the subsequent radio transmissions (which comprise roughly the last 20 minutes).
Here is a Washington Post story with more details of the encounter.
Seeing this footage and hearing the transmissions makes my blood boil. What indicia of criminality was displayed that justified physical force?
After nearly 30 years of criminal practice, I believe the answer to more effective policing is three fold. 1. Policing is just like a criminal law practice. It involves folks with mental health, substance abuse and literacy issues. It involves domestic violence and driving with a suspended license. Nothing fancy, just garden variety human issues. To this extent, 2. Police should be trained to be "street corner bureaucrats" rabbis, ministers, social workers, politicians, negotiators. Not militarized. And this leads me to my third point. All police officers should be middle aged or older. Seasoned old people with life experience…folks who would see a kid and just roll their eyes instead of shooting a gun. The police hired today are too young, just a few years older than their arrestees.
Lastly, being a police officer is oversold as a profession of powerful cars, slick uniforms and guns. Lots of guns. Check out any police magazine and it is all about the equipment and "cool stuff." It's really about dealing with mental illness, noting cool about that.
"In Evanston, police say the officers who tackled Crosby were 'in compliance with our procedures as it pertains to this type of situation,' according to Sgt. Dennis Leaks, who speaks before the video."
That statement is a gift to Crosby's lawyer in the civil suit when he goes to explain why very substantial damages should be awarded – "you need to send them a message that beating up a man for driving his own car, for 'driving while black' is not an acceptable procedure…." Seriously, that no disciplinary consequences at all fell on these officers cannot help Evanston in the civil case.
Carswell, thank you for – for once – a normal and constructive reaction to a post. Shocking to read and truly welcome.