Early this morning, a friend of mine went for a walk around 5:10 a.m. to get some fresh air and pick up a morning paper, when he was accosted by a police officer and subjected to abuse.
The friend was on his way down the street when the officer in question cruised by, spied him, then proceeded to halt his squad car and bark out a question from the open window.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting some fresh air," my friend responded politely.
I guess that was not good enough for officer.
God forbid, a citizen should be under the false impression that they are entitled to stroll down a city street at dawn, and exercise their constitutional right to enjoy a bit of nature along the way!
At this juncture - the officer jumped out of his vehicle, strode up to my friend - and proceeded to drag him over to the police car.
"Is anything wrong?" my friend asked, who was quite distressed now by the turn of the events going down.
Before the cop had the opportunity to reply, a description of a suspect squawked over the radio of the squad car.
It was evident now that the pig-headed officer was apprehending the wrong person!
"Obviously, that is not me," the middle-aged man protested.
Without skipping a beat, the cocky cop replied,
"But, you do look familiar. Do you have a two-hundred pound parrot?"
What kind of a sick joke was that?
At the car, the officer twirled my friend around towards the vehicle.
Then, he yanked his arms and hands behind his back, without warning.
"What are you doing?" my friend asked (somewhat alarmed now) as the officer proceeded to empty his pockets and toss the contents onto the hood of the vehicle with little regard or respect for his personal belongings.
When the cavalier cop noticed my friend's car keys, he asked where the vehicle was parked.
Then, the officer proceeded to enter the SUV, and conduct a warrantless search, as my friend sat in the back seat of the police car in a state of shock.
A few minutes later, the officer returned from his wild illegal activities, and gruffly advised the law-abiding citizen that he could collect up his "things" and go.
Throughout the rogue encounter, the officer kept his identity secret, and gave no explanation as to why the resident was stopped.
My friend wanted to ask the officer for his name and badge number (since it was not in plain sight) - but was concerned that if he took that action - it might tip off the cop that he intended to file a complaint with the Police Commission.
Afraid that the officer might plant drugs on his person or in his car to retaliate, my friend was forced to struggle through the ordeal as peaceably as possible, until the wacko officer let him go.
In this instant case, it should be noted that my friend has a serious medical condition, which is aggravated by stress and anxiety.
During the course of the wrongful interruption of his "liberty", he - in fact - experienced sharp pains at the base of his spine and the crown of his head which indicated his normally high blood pressure must have literally gone through the roof.
It is wholly conceivable that the disturbing unjust action taken by the officer, could have easily triggered a stroke or a heart attack, in view of the circumstances.
In sum, the wrongful acts of the officer were not only abusive, but constituted a gross violation of rights.
Understandably, my friend intends to locate an attorney in the near future, to bring legal action against the appropriate Law Enforcement Agency.
A civilized society should never tolerate the reprehensible acts of those who would wear the "shield" - and under the color of authority - abuse their power and privilege in a bold-faced mean-spirited effort to demean a citizen unjustly.
The officer's perverse and deliberate refusal to obey the upright - "law of the land" - was wrongful, despicable, and in violation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
For this reason, the officer should be punished within the full extent of the law, and held accountable for his heinous acts which are a disgrace to law enforcement.
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