• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Man sues West Jordan police; K-9 cop attacked his face (video)

Verax

Verax

Disappointed in Trump
DP Veteran
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Messages
12,240
Reaction score
4,519
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Progressive
Man sues West Jordan police; K-9 cop attacked his face during tree-burning incident (with video) | The Salt Lake Tribune

A West Jordan man is suing the city's police department after one of its dogs chewed on his face — several seconds after he put up his hands in surrender, the complaint alleges.
Martin Lee Hoogveldt, 33, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Wednesday against the department, and specifically one of its officers, Ian Adams, alleging illegal entry and excessive force.
Click to expand...

"I was just in shock the whole time," Hoogveldt said Thursday. "I did nothing but try to make it easy for them. I thought I would not be a threat sitting down."
Click to expand...

When Adams ordered Hoogveldt to put up his hands, he complied. Adams then told him to get off the couch, but according to the complaint, Hoogveldt would have had to put his hands down to get off the deep, overstuffed couch.
Several seconds passed. After Hoogveldt didn't get up, Adams commanded his dog to attack Hoogveldt, who still had his hands up.


The German shepherd, Pyro, grabbed Hoogveldt's face with his jaws, and ripped and tore at his face for several seconds, the complaint reads.


"The canine pulled Hoogveldt off the couch by his face, with Hoogveldt screaming in pain," according to the complaint. "... Adams came over after a few seconds, and with some difficulty caused the canine to release his grip of the face."
The other officers then used Tasers on Hoogveldt.


Sykes estimated they used Tasers on him three to four times. One to two minutes later, Pyro bit Hoogveldt severely on his buttocks at Adams' direction, the complaint adds.
Click to expand...

Something is wrong with the police or how they are being trained. It seems that if you don't do what they tell you that they then have the right to hurt or kill you. In these situations where the person is clearly not a threat and simply not moving (possibly out of fear), how is this an appropriate response? They had guns on him and he was afraid to move or that he would be shot. Is that unreasonable to think such a thing when it seems every week there's a new video where the cops seriously injure or kill somebody over nothing? They even tasered him a few times after the canine assault... what kind of sadistic reasoning is going on in their head? All this over burning a christmas tree and not answering the door or standing up?

Cops are out of control and we need to change status quo. It is not okay to hurt somebody who is passive or not a threat.
 
Verax said:
Man sues West Jordan police; K-9 cop attacked his face during tree-burning incident (with video) | The Salt Lake Tribune







Something is wrong with the police or how they are being trained. It seems that if you don't do what they tell you that they then have the right to hurt or kill you. In these situations where the person is clearly not a threat and simply not moving (possibly out of fear), how is this an appropriate response? They had guns on him and he was afraid to move or that he would be shot. Is that unreasonable to think such a thing when it seems every week there's a new video where the cops seriously injure or kill somebody over nothing? They even tasered him a few times after the canine assault... what kind of sadistic reasoning is going on in their head? All this over burning a christmas tree and not answering the door or standing up?

Cops are out of control and we need to change status quo. It is not okay to hurt somebody who is passive or not a threat.
Click to expand...

They're " out of control " ??

Really ? There's legitimate police abuse and then there's BS and made up narratives.

Police are human beings and no Police force is or has ever been perfect. There is no way to make the very small amount of legitimate brutality incidences go away without completely neutering the Police.

I think Michael Moore tweeted out that they should have their guns taken away......( What a idiot.)

Mike Brown was BS and most likely Freddie Gray is BS.

What false narratives wind up doing is making Communities and the people that live in them less safe by making it harder for Police Officers to do their jobs effectively and safely.

They deserve to go home every night too.
 
Fenton said:
They're " out of control " ??

Really ? There's legitimate police abuse and then there's BS and made up narratives.

Police are human beings and no Police force is or has ever been perfect. There is no way to make the very small amount of legitimate brutality incidences go away without completely neutering the Police.

I think Michael Moore tweeted out that they should have their guns taken away......( What a idiot.)

Mike Brown was BS and most likely Freddie Gray is BS.

What false narratives wind up doing is making Communities and the people that live in them less safe by making it harder for Police Officers to do their jobs effectively and safely.

They deserve to go home every night too.
Click to expand...

There is legitimate police abuse, but sadly you make excuses for it every time.
 
Fenton said:
..
Click to expand...

So what's your argument specific to this case? Cops shouldn't be held accountable for anything because their job is too hard?
 
Verax said:
So what's your argument specific to this case? Cops shouldn't be held accountable for anything because their job is too hard?
Click to expand...

Not what I said.

Being held accountable and being judged guilty by Public sentiment based on false narratives and misinformation are two separate issues.
 
Fenton said:
Not what I said.

Being held accountable and being judged guilty by Public sentiment based on false narratives and misinformation are two separate issues.
Click to expand...

What is the false narrative and misinformation in this case?
 
I think the bigger problem here (and I know I've been redundant in previous posts) is not just cultural, but structural - and they are both intertwined.

There are procedures & law in-place allowing more problematic gray areas than ever. One might be the Taser, which seems to now be employed (often enough) as a torture device in actuality or threat, or to capture a non-threatening fleeing individual, rather than the life-saving alternative for those situations that would otherwise require the use of lethal-force that it was initially sold as.

It's introduction and use is now part of the 'structure' of U.S. police work so-to-speak, and seems to have become interwoven into it's fabric.

The military gear available to the local cop-in-the-street is another example - there's more going on here than individual problematic officers, IMO.
 
Last edited:
Nope, completely justified in using the dog. If you look carefully he has one hand raised and not the other. He kept getting told to get up slowly but he just sat there. He was warned the dog was going to be used and he was warned to open the door when he got caught. He was higher than a kite and refused to respond to commands.

I would like to commend the state of Utah. In this case and in the Matt Dillon shooting; both used police video to prove that the force used was justified.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom