Wow, I honestly did not expect a half-decent response, so thanks!
My tone was indeed a bit snarky and sarcastic, but that had more to do with all the other police bashing replies than yours specifically.
In Flanders we have a saying "de beste stuurlui staan aan wal". I don't know the English equivalent for it, but it literally means "The best helmsmen are ashore".
It's a phenomenon we as LEO deal with every day and it's pretty fucking frustrating.
While you are obviously a LOT better informed than most people, I highly doubt that you fight people with a drug-induced superhuman pain tolerance on a regular basis.
This would be the most logical explanation as to why the cops in the video go in hard and fast from the get go. One thing you NEVER know when watching a video like this is whether or not the subject is known by the police for acting violently. Because if they are, then this will undoubtedly play into their decision on tactics.
The guy could be someone they know quite well for having a habit of resisting and fighting police.
Are you going to try to negotiate then? Especially if he/she is drugged up?
You mention EDS is not even recognised by governing bodies in the medical world. Then how the fuck is law enforcement supposed to have an SOP regarding dealing with EDS cases?
I also have questions about the autopsy report conclusion. Physical restraint alone will NOT kill you. I even doubt it would be a contributing factor in itself and would go as far as to suggest that the agitation and resistance against the restraint could be a contributing factor. Which is a HUGE difference for everyone involved.
So anyone dismissing the cops here as killers are pretty short sighted. What are they supposed to do? Someone who is handcuffed (2 pairs shackled together mind you, in order to make it easier for him to breathe) can still very well be dangerous if you don't take his mobility away.
The police find themselves very often in a catch-22. Take the threat away by force and be tried and executed for doing their job in keeping granny safe. Or do nothing to avoid being tried and executed and then be tried and executing for doing nothing.
In the end all we want is to go home to our families come end shift, and preferably without killing someone - even if the general public thinks otherwise.
The problem today is you have a lot of self proclaimed 'police experts' on social media who's only credit is their huge audience, going on about how police should handle this or that 'differently' but offering no true solutions as to how exactly.
God forbid they have ANY hands-on experience on the matter.
Real world violence never looks cool or flashy. It's ugly and most snowflakes are not ready to see what it really looks like.
Police work is not an exact science. Things can go wrong and will go wrong. It has always been like that and it always will be, that's the nature of dealing with people.
But when a society starts to call the very people they are asking to protect it murderers, who are they going to have left?
On this side of the pond it is just as difficult to find decent people who actually want this shit job to begin with as in the US. And then then send you out in a patrol car after 1 year of meager 'training' and you are left to fend for yourself.
So you adapt and try the best you can, but if something goes wrong they will hang you out to dry without thinking twice.
No wonder agencies are not able to attract the right profiles, because anyone in their right mind would steer away fast...
Which probably makes me an idiot for staying for nearly ten years up till now :D
after reading your post I am in the middle now ....
the situation is just sad all the way around...
