Hello! Turn around and put your hands on your head. How hard is that? THEN the officer will tell you what he pulled you over for. Any idiot knows you stay in your car.

yeah, this guy asked for it by being defiant. what else where they supposed to do after telling him to turn around and put your hands on your head about 100 times? anybody count how many times le told him to do that? my guess is he'd register on dui somehow!

i'll never forget being pulled over for a headlight out. i thought dude was going to write a warning...no, he wanted to write a ticket. i called him a rookie sob and every other name under the sun. he asked if i wanted a trip downtown i said sure, let's let a judge decide that you're a worthless rookie sob that should be out catching criminals instead of pulling over old ladies and harrassing them about a headlight. sometimes they do let their badges get the better of em.

No you're both wrong. The guy did nothing wrong. This is the United States of America. We have a constitutional right against unreasonable search and seizure. The guy had a crooked license plate. This guys liberty is being deprived. If the officer had said "You have a crooked license plate, get back in the car", used a minute amount of common courtesy, and treated this guy like a citizen, not a criminal (which he wasn't), this incident would have been avoided.

We live in a free country. Some jerk who thinks his badge allows him to act like an ass needs to be fired.

You have the right to refute any claim against you, but the way this asshat did it was confrontational. To a cop, confrontation is a bad thing...it's how they killed.

I'm with the cop on this one.

Get on your knees!

I was a bully in highschool with big insecurity problems. When I graduated with my 2.8 GPA, I knew I wanted a job that granted me power so I could keep being myself.

Now I'm a police officer and you must OBEY me! I am the law.

A minute ago, you were just a law abiding citizen driving home to go to sleep, but now I am yelling at you, ORDERING you to turn your back to my aimed gun and get on your knees! The pavement is hard and you have old knee injuries, but I wouldn't know or care. Your license plate was crooked so there is no room for talking, only obedience.

I love my job.

WAKE UP!!!
"Because I said so" is only enough to put a coward on his knees. Let them walk over you now and your children will pay the real price.

Politicians = people
Police = people
Judges = people
Doctors = people
YOU = people

We're all just people, have some self respect and think for yourselves. Here's how in case you forgot: "Is it reasonable for me to be put on my knees at gunpoint?"
Yes: kneel down
No: stand tall
I'm scared: ok, kneel down

It's as simple as that. You're free to comply out of fear when you're being harassed, but it's not the guy's "fault" for demanding a basic level of human respect. Shame on you short-sighted cowards.

The problem here is that we train police officers in conflict escalation, not conflict resolution.

The driver didn't follow directions. The police officer didn't answer the very reasonable question the driver asked. The driver didn't pose a threat to the officer. He kept his distance, kept his hands visible, and repeated his single, reasonable question. Unfortunately, he should have done it from inside his car, because he's not the one holding a taser.

The driver was being stupid, the police officer was being an asshole. Everyone loses.

If someone, at some point, had trained the officer in common sense instead of how to be a broken record, this is an encounter that could have easily turned back into a routine traffic stop.

Bottom line: If I'm being questioned by a police officer, I have every right to know why. An officer that refuses to inform a citizen of the reason for a traffic stop ought to be fired.

I absolutely agree with all previous comments, let's kill both of these guys.

::applause:: Aaron! ITA!

The purpose of stopping Harper was unreasonable. A notation by the officer and a letter from the Dept. of Motor Vehicle is all that was needed.
Harper was a complete Ass for getting out of his car & making the officer feel threatened by not getting back in the car when requested.
(This was at night, low visibility, the officer was alone, and the guy was not complying with a simple request. That is threatening to cops. Many are killed this way.
Harper had every right to know why he was being stopped; just as soon as the officer no long felt threatened.
Both parties escalated the exchange.
When the officer's backup arrived the tasers were used un-necessarily to subdue the suspect. It is not necessary to taser an individual when their are 5 cops on the scene and at least 1 has his gun on the suspect. A suspect cannot comply with orders after being tasered the first time, so to taser a writhing person more than once is abuse of power.
The only thing that went right in this incident was that nobody died.

Wow. Cops are such fags now. Maybe in these police departments would fire real mean instead of pussies like this people would respect them more.

The fact is the driver DID NOT KEEP HIS DISTANCE and did not comply with orders. This is how drivers go from being defiant to atruggling with the officer and getting his gun. The officer did everything by the book. And no you do not have the constitutional right to demand answers from the police. This situaton was not calm or controlled and therefor the driver did not have the right to have a conversation with the police. He was an idiot and got what he deserved.

Pete Kotz said:

You're right, Stella. He played everything perfectly by the book. But he also could have easily defused the situation by treating the guy like a man. It's what a good cop -- rather than a by-the-book cop -- would have done. If he did, he wouldn't now find himself the subject of investigations and lawsuits.

It wasn't the cop who went "sphincter" it was the driver who REFUSED AND REFUSED AND REFUSED to comply. Jeebus Flippin' KRISTE just do what the cop tells you, stop making him nervous, stop being confrontational and sooner than you think you'll be released and on your way.

But no.

Head With Sweater Without Brain just *had* to know why he was being pulled over and ordered about before he'd cooperate. WRONG. He should have treated the officer like a man and been patient.

But noooo.

The police officer clearly pulled the guy over for something. Maybe something small, maybe no. OF COURSE they'll use a broken tail-light or a dangling plate as an opener to ask you further questions. To see if you have a valid license, current insurance, if the car really is yours, if you have any open warrants.

You know, trying to prevent crime, doing the stuff we constantly cry that cops are not doing.

Had the fool merely GOTTEN BACK IN THE CAR, *THAT* would have de-escalated the situation pretty fast. But more and more we train children to be defiant and disrespectful of their fellow citizens who are trying to protect them.

Contemptuous, defiant, non-compliant. Is any of that diplomatic, peace-inducing or free-love-ish? So let me get this straight: only the police are supposed to be diplomatic, not the other human in the equation?

And let me get this additionally straight: the fool couldn't think past his smelly beard to wonder, hey, I'm wearing loose fitting clothing, it's dark, I haven't been told yet what the issue is because perhaps the cops are looking for someone who did something violent and I may match the description. Perhaps I should stop making the cop nervous so he can determine more quickly that I am *not* who he thinks I might be.

And let me get this further additionally straight: the driver completely forgot that driving is a privilege, that the license includes a contract with the state to comply with police commands, and that the police get to direct what happens during a stop, not them, but it is the cop who is being investigated and sued?

I really think the police should counter-sue and COLLECT.

If we keep this bullcrap up, fewer and fewer qualified citizens will bother to consider being a police officer. Why put yourself in a position to be attacked by not only the bad guys, but by the ungrateful and arrogant public too?

We keep this up, soon cruiser cams will mysteriously stop working when a truly bad cop does something truly worth investigating.

(Actually, I think you're just yanking our chains. I find it really hard to believe you think the cop was in the wrong in this case.)

“Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.”

-Edmund Burke

"The ideal tyranny is that which is ignorantly self-administered by its victims. The most perfect slaves are, therefore, those which blissfully and unawaredly enslave themselves."

- Dresden James

“There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.”

- Charles de Montesquieu

“A great wave of oppressive tyranny isn't going to strike, but rather a slow seepage of oppressive laws and regulations from within will sink the American dream of liberty”

-George Baumler

“Necessity, the tyrant's plea”

-John Milton

F&#king pigs. The licence plate thing was a ruse to hastle the guy. Then they use excessive force on the suspect. Typical brownshirt tactic. F#@k the police.

Harper gets out the car to find out why he was stopped. He doesn't initially hear the officer say get back in the car until he shut his door and turned around to face the officer. the first thing he sees is a gun pointed at him. how about he is scared and confused at this point. he doen't know why he was stopped or why this police officer has a gun pointed at him. thinking the officer has him confused with maybe a real criminal he ask why he was pulled over but officer refuses to tell him. he ask again thinking if the tells me why I was pulled over I can tell him you got the wrong guy. The police officer response is to yell lounder and louder at Harper. When Harper, who has not threatened the officer, or displayed a weapon, and who has kept his hands in the open, finally trys to comply with the officers request, he puts his hands behind his head, turns his back on the officer as the officer requested, and what does the officer do, he escalates the situation by now telling Harper to get on his knees.
From Harper's perspective, your afraid, this guy you think is a police officer is screaming at you like a crazed idiot, he has a gun pulled on you, you still don't have any idea why you were pulled over or what this officers intentions are, you relunctly turn your back and he says "get on your knees." Harper is supposed to trust this guy enough to turn his back and get down on his knees execution style, when he doesn't even know why this cop has stopped him or pulled his gun.

How vulneable do you have to make yourself before this officer is satisfied. the problem with this officer is he is too scared to due his job without endangering innocent drivers. A peson has no obigation to stay in his car. People say common sense tells you to stay in car so you don't scare the officer. what they are really saying is you can't trust an officer not to freak out and shoot you if you get out of your car. At its essence we are staying in our cars because you can't trust the police not to over react like this guy. A traffic stop is a danger thing, that is why police as often as not ask drivers to get out of the car so they don't have access to weapons inside the vehicle. Once Harper got out and did not have a weapon this officer was indeed safer than when Harper was in the car. this police officer was too focused on his need to demonsrate his power to realize he was actually safer.

I think Harper had just enough knowledge to be dangerous. He seemed to know that he has the Constitutional right to demand why he is pulled over, but he didn't have enough knowledge to know what to do when the situation got out of hand.

Officers provide a wonderful SERVICE to our countries, but when the power goes to their head, they are more dangerous than everyday citizens. They are here to SERVE the public good.

If this kinda thing happens to you, follow the fanatical orders from the terrified police officer. But make sure you tell him, and make them document it, that you are under "PROTEST AND DURESS".

"If you answer to an action taken under 'PROTEST AND DURESS', it means that you are under protest because you do not agree to what is being said and do not wish to make a contract and duress means that someone if forcing you to do it against your will which makes the document void on its face , or not valid if you use that in connection with your signature."
This will give you future remedy, knowing that you understand that you need not follow blatant demands from another HUMAN, I understand hes a policeman, but before that, he is HUMAN, that are not justified. If we did blind obedience daily, whats to stop a police state?

Any time I have interaction with the police:
1. Tell them "I am here in peace, you will get no aggression from me"
2. Demand three pieces of ID, Badge, License, and Business card. (All numbers corresponding to each other. If they can't produce three matching pieces I would assume they are impersonating an officer and avoid them)
3. Reason for their interaction with me. (as Harper attempted)
4. Ask if hes acting 'Lawfully' or 'Legally'
5. Ask where he gets his authority (What Act or Statute)
6. If they are acting as a 'Peace officer' or a 'law enforcement officer'

This makes them, at least a little bit, be true to engaging with the public.

Do some research.

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-7040453665540929835&ei=N7b4SojrCYfYqAPhwNTeCQ&q=bursting+bubbles&hl=en#

www.thinkfree.ca

Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.

-Albert Einstein

Caspersim

Welcome to America! Where might makes right and the guys with the badges and the guns can do whatever the fuck they want to you, for any reason, at any time whatsoever.

Carpersim, that's a nice thought and all, but you wouldn't get past #3 without a nightstick in the face. At least not in Chicago. You are not allowed to ask a cop a single question. That's called "resisting."

Does anyone notice how, in all of these police brutality videos, the cops scream "Stop resisting!" over and over. As if that automatically makes them right.

This is frightening.

Gaddy, you might be right on the 'resisting' comment. I'm in Canada, we are one giant step behind the USA police state.
But most of what I was saying, theoretically, works in America too. There has to be some 'protection' FROM the law too.
We are both 'Common-Law' countries and that's where our remedy (rights) comes from.

This IS frighting.

Caspersim

A "MAN" would have done what he was told

Oh, whatever..that cop should have just told him why he was pulled over. Obviously he wasn't going to hurt him or anything. Why the hell should he have to turn his back on a guy pointing a gun at him? Why should he have to get on his knees without knowing why? He should have stayed in the car, yes, but that cop was being a little ridiculous. And I don't think there was any need for the tasers. Especially six fucking times. I hope they all get the shit sued out of them. Did you hear that guy yelling? That was fucked up.

During the incredibly long confrontation, the police officer could have simply said, "Your license plate is crooked, and we are bored so we decided to harass you." (THE TRUTH) Cops are meatheads on power trips, this video is proof.

The cop was just mad because they guy wouldn't follow his commands, so he used his (undeserved) authority to belittle a tax paying citizen. The situation could have EASY been defused by talking to the man like a person and not just shouting orders. POLICE ARE NOT GODS!

The idiot had it coming. It's a simple fucking request - "get back in the car". What's so hard about that? Obviously too hard for an uneducated yokel.

The cop must have asked him 100 times to turn around and he still didn't comply - what a fricking moron.

It's pretty basic - cop asks you to do something that isn't at all unreasonable, then you do it - because they carry guns and tasers. If you don't listen, expect a world of pain.

Why? Because this is how cops get killed. By morons who refuse to do something as simple as get back on the car or turn around. The cop isn't stupid and he knows confrontational idiots can get you killed.

The cop though - is also a dickhead for excessive use of the taser and he deserves to be punished. Once would have been enough but obviously he went a bit crazy.

This tool was given about 1000 more chances than he should have had to comply with simple directions, that if followed would have prevented the unpleasant little taser experience. For any of you "sympathizers", put yourself in the officers shoes, whose safety is always in question, and try not to shoot the prick. I dare ya.

This driver was a freakin asshole. He deserved to be tased.

To whoever is defending the guy being pulled over:

I don't understand why you all are so quick to hold the cop to higher standards, but not the guy getting pulled over. Why does the cop have to follow proceadure, and resolve the issue, and take one on the chin, but the guy who pulled over, jumped out of his car, and started walking toward the officer is overlooked as the person at fault because he has rights? What, the cop doesn't have the right to protect himself, just because hes a cop?

You people make no sense.

The guy was obviously on some kind of drugs or the first taze would have taken him down. Also, when the police officers make a traffic stop they will often find that the person has a warrant or something illegal and if not the man more than likely would have just been issued a citation to straighten out the license plate but this guy had to act like an idiot and he deserved to get tazed!! So for all you cop haters out there call your local crack dealer the next time you are in a bind. Obviously something was wrong or the guy would not have behaved like a fool.

Everyone should know that all law enforcement aren't like this officer. We do work hard to help people understand their rights and their obligations--all for the good of the order. The officer followed protocol, but did not solve the problem. Just rmember, the blue on the street are trained first to protect themselves and then innocent bystanders. That's all this officer could handle at the time. You may loathe him now, but he may be the guy that pulls your kids out of a burning wreck of a car.