"After Watching these Cops Bully an Innocent Combat Vet, You'll Understand Why Americans are Upset"

2015-09-25T14:45:33-04:00

From: Alternet

Apopka, FL – Six Apopka police officers are under investigation after video was posted online showing cops roughing up and berating two men who were simply waiting for a ride to work.

A video of the incident shows extremely aggressive and unnecessary actions by the officers involved, which are indicative of the increased calls for police oversight and accountability by the American public.

The two men said they were simply sitting on a curb outside of a cellphone store after business hours, waiting for a ride, when approached by the overly aggressive officer. Now one of the men has spoken out, claiming that he feels he was racially profiled.

“If you’re African-American, you’re going to be profiled,” Niblak said.

Initially, one of the men can be heard politely explaining to the officer that he is waiting for a ride, stating,

“I understand that ma’ am. I’m just sitting here waiting for my boss. I just wanna go to work. That’s it.”

When one of the men tells the cop that she needs to “follow the law.” The officer seemingly takes this comment as a personal affront.

Considering that at that instant she has already ascertained that these men were sitting on the curb as they waited for a ride, there should be no reason to continue with the investigative stop. But, as is all too common the case, this officer’s ego has taken over, and she has decided to show theses men who has the “authority.”

While the officer’s initial reasoning for the contact is valid, once ascertaining that the men were simply waiting to be picked up, the situation should have been a non-incident.

The video, recorded by one of the men, begins only minutes after the initial contact by the officer and runs for a few minutes after.

“Whoa, I’m just trying to go to work,” one of the men can be heard saying as a number of officers pull up and get out of their vehicles.

Keith Niblak, a U.S. combat veteran who served two tours in Iraq and a tour in Afghanistan, said he was treated extremely unprofessionally by a ranking officer at the scene.

“He was like, ‘No, you’re not a vet. You’re a punk. You’re a (expletive), you’re a coward,'” Niblak said.

The video shows Niblak being thrown to the ground and cuffed by cops after complaining that he felt he was being racially profiled.

“The police are paranoid of us because we are terrified of them,” Niblak said.

The video ends as one of the cops violates the civil rights of the men by taking and throwing his camera, effectively forcing the man to stop exercising his First Amendment right to film.

“They grabbed his phone and threw it. “He was like, ‘No, you’re not a vet. You’re a punk. You’re a (expletive), you’re a coward,'” Niblak said.

The video shows Niblak being thrown to the ground and cuffed by cops after complaining that he felt he was being racially profiled.

“The police are paranoid of us because we are terrified of them,” Niblak said.

The video ends as one of the cops violates the civil rights of the men by taking and throwing his camera, effectively forcing the man to stop exercising his First Amendment right to film.

“They grabbed his phone and threw it,” Niblak said, “I would love for them to just train better."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FIzpqC3tUo

After Watching these Cops Bully an Innocent Combat Vet, You'll Understand Why Americans are Upset...

Read the full story here: http://thefreethoughtproject.com/bully-cops-slam-u-s-combat-vet-sitting-waiting-ride/

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2015 3:08 PM

2015-09-25T15:08:54-04:00

smh

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Sep 25 at 2015 3:42 PM

2015-09-25T15:42:19-04:00

Yet again, another example of a situation that was taken way out control because of the action of both parties. Both the police and the men sitting in front of the store are in the wrong and could have handled this situation totally differently. I agree that what the police did was out of line but all the men had to do was to move when asked. From the sound of it, one of the men's mother lived really close to the scene. Why not just wait for your ride outside her home? I understand why the cop pulled over to investigate why two people were sitting outside of a closed business. If she didn't, and something happened she would be taken to the carpet. It doesn't matter if the men were combat Veterans or not, they should have complied with the directions of the officer and then laughed about it later.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 25 at 2015 4:10 PM

2015-09-25T16:10:02-04:00

People need to use common sense...Police need to remain calm under all circumstances. Citizens need to remember that police will often have an Adrenalin rush and do everything they can to de escalate situations as well

Response by SSG Ricardo Marcial made Sep 25 at 2015 4:12 PM

2015-09-25T16:12:03-04:00

Single officer, two individuals = backup request = officers with only partial knowledge of situation, officer on site can't communicate complete story.

Vet or whatever, police ask you what you're doing there, answer their question, and explain it and move along if they are satisfied

no fuss, no charges, no civil rights violated, no beating, no video posted of the officer that was just doing her job, policing the area she is responsible for.

Any questions?

Response by 1SG Adais Garcia made Sep 27 at 2015 9:23 PM

2015-09-27T21:23:54-04:00

The police Officers could and should have exercised the Spirit of law instead they Used the Letter of the Law and made it worse either way of who is right and wrong. The Police Officer should and could have handled this situation alot Better The other party said he was waiting for a ride and was heading to work. The officer could have just asked for some ID and wrote the info on a Field investigation Card and followed through with it in case anything was missing or destroyed either way she handled it inappropriate That is why the people are getting 1st hand of every Police officer out there that they are all bad because of one Officers action

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 28 at 2015 8:57 AM

2015-09-28T08:57:50-04:00

This is why I have a dash cam.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Sep 28 at 2015 9:02 AM

2015-09-28T09:02:24-04:00

I watched the video but of course there is no mention of either men being a veteran, so I cannot verify that part of their story, all I know is their claims against police.

I also know that filming police is 100% LEGAL as per the SCOTUS, who have reiterated that filming and photographing police is within the bounds of the First Amendment.

Were the police wrong? Absolutely. Should the men have left the area after they explained they were waiting for a ride? No.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 28 at 2015 1:24 PM

2015-09-28T13:24:12-04:00

They were attacked by the police bent on escalating a harmless situation. Disgusting.