> in the last year or decade

> what those perps and officers have experienced

Both totally irrelevant to whether or not it's appropriate to punch a handcuffed prisoner in the face while they're not resisting.

If a cop is suffering from PTSD or stress to the point where they can't keep themselves from assaulting a handcuffed prisoner, then I am genuinely very sorry for them, but they're still in the wrong job and they still need to be let go.

If the police officer is suffering from PTSD, a mental illness, and it originated at work, the police department as their employer should look into other options first before firing the unfit officer.

Treatment combined with appropriate work should be the first option. Treatment combined with sick leave should obviously be the second.

I'm willing to compromise on how treatment/employment is handled, especially if the problem originated at work, but I assume we're still in agreement that the officer shouldn't be on the street making arrests?

In the course of one thread, there's now a series of sequential arguments from several different commenters progressing from:

"A lot of these videos don't show anything wrong", to

"Well, here's at least two videos that show nothing wrong", to

"Okay, the video looks bad, but the full context probably justifies it", to

"Sure it was wrong, but keep in mind that in a stressful situation everybody makes mistakes".

I'm eager to see how these arguments continue to evolve once comments move away from isolated video clips and into the territory of police departments lying about video footage[0], or 57 other officers resigning in protest over basic disciplinary actions[1].

[0]: https://www.newsweek.com/buffalo-mayor-acknowledges-mistake-...

[1]: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/05/us/buffalo-police-suspension-...

The union said the officers resigned in support of their peers. Two officers have said they actually resigned because the union refused any legal aid. Further the same officers said that many of those who resigned do not in fact support the suspended officers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_police_shoving_inciden...

https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/exclusive-two-buffalo-p...

But, not really resigning in the sense of no longer an employee, just, not responsible for that role.

So, still getting paid.

Most of the MA I have attended that had a serious focus on self defense, were focused on deescalation, safety and dealing with the stress of the moment. There is a place for the use of violence to educate someone that it's in their best interest to change their behavior, but prolonged choke holds or grappling aren't helping keep anyone safe in most on the street situations.

You're making this argument in a thread where police have been found brutally beating people who are already restrained and/or not resisting arrest. People without firearms. Or people that are protesting peacefully. Or a 75 year old man who was entirely harmless.

Come on.

The last year or decade are irrelevant in terms of the law.