Apparently so, according to the medical community.... here's a C&P of the original article, as found on Yahoo.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – In a survey of a random sample of U.S. emergency physicians, virtually all said they believed that law enforcement officers use excessive force to arrest and detain suspects.

The sample included 315 respondents. While 99.8 percent believed excessive force is used, almost as many (97.8 percent) reported that they had managed cases that they suspected or that the patient stated had involved excessive use of force by law enforcement officers.

Nearly two thirds (65.3 percent) estimated that they had treated two or more cases of suspected excessive use of force per year among their patients, according to a report of the survey published in the January 2009 issue of the Emergency Medicine Journal.

Dr. Jared Strote of the University of Washington, Seattle, and a multicenter team also found that emergency physicians at public teaching hospitals were roughly four times more likely to report managing cases of suspected use of excessive force than those at university or community teaching emergency departments.

Blunt trauma inflicted by fists or feet was the most common type of injury cited in cases of suspected use of excessive force, followed by "overly tight" handcuffs.

Most emergency physicians (71.2 percent) admitted that they did not report cases of suspected use of excessive force by law enforcement officers.

A large majority (96.5 percent) reported that they had no departmental policies on reporting their suspicions or they did not know of a policy to guide their actions, and 93.7 percent said they had received no education or training in dealing with these situations.

However, most emergency physicians (69.5 percent) felt that it was within their scope of practice to refer cases of suspected use of excessive force for investigation and almost half (47.9 percent) felt that emergency physicians should be legally required to report cases of suspected use of excessive force by law enforcement officers.

These findings, Strote and colleagues conclude, "suggest that national emergency medicine organizations in the USA should become involved, jointly developing and advocating for guidelines to manage this complex issue."

My issue is this.... The only time the people I arrest have to go the hospital is if THEY have done something WORTHY of going to the hospital. That is, they resisted a lawful arrest and I had to take action to effect the arrest, or they took off on foot and got caught, or they got bit by the K-9. Of course, given these situations, a person under arrest will appear to have been arrested by an officer using "excessive force."

What I would like to know from this article is what the arrested individual was arrested for and why they were brought to the hospital.

Just found this article to be a little one sided, but that's the media for you.

Its clearly one-sided, as "excessive force" requires you know exactly how much force actually would be required to detain the subject.

Unless their patient is an 80 year old lady, i can't imagine the doctor would know what the suspect was doing at the time of arrest.

Doctors kill a lot of people every year. I don't think those docs have any idea how some of those so called victims act when arrested. If the police are too easy, they will be the ones getting hurt.

IMO, if the person being arrested resists they don't deserve an a$$ shipping, but have to know they are highly likely to get one. I am all for protecting our law enforcement officers. Pepper spray or taser them if you have to ask more than once.

thats why I wouldn't make a good cop...

all my suspects would need some type of medical treatment

Rapists & pedifilers... just need toe tags..

BS! Whatever it takes to get 'em under control!

Why does it seem that the doctors would side with the people who have taken no responsibility for their actions?

It's important in all situations to follow your department's Use of Force policy. Ours reads something like this.....

Officer Presence

Verbal Commands

Spray

Ass-kicking

Death

In other words, if you don't respect me, listen to me and do what I tell you to do.... then you're getting sprayed. If that doesn't work, I'll physically hurt you. If I can't physically hurt you and make you do what I want.... then sorry, you get shot.

I haven't had to shoot anyone yet, but I've been in plenty of good fights. Proud to say, I haven't been hurt too bad myself and have been able to detain everyone.

But Hog, I agree with you..... toe tags cost a LOT less taxpayer dollars than housing someone in jail for 30 years.

^ 'cause the docs only seeing a bloody person needing attention, not the dangerous a$$hole wanting to resist the police?

When I was a Police Officer, I had Three Rules I pretty much lived by.

1. WWAD - What Would Andy Do. If Andy Griffith wold Arrest you for what you were doing, so would I.

2. Three F@ck You Rule - If I told you to turn around and put your hands behind your back, and you said F@ck You. I would ask you again. If you still said F@ck You, I would ask a Third time. The Third Time you Said F@ck You. You did a Face Plant on the Ground.

3. Sir and Maam - Everyone was called Sir or Maam. Not Maggot, Not Toad, Not ****head, ....etc. Everyone was Called Sir or Maam. That way when they have to do that Face Plant on the Ground, and I am trying to Cuff them, I say over and over " Sir, please stop Resisting". Then if they Complain about the Road Rash on their face, and IA talks to the witnesses. The Witnesses will all be saying "The Officer kept saying Sir, Please stop Resisting". Everytime I had to Fight someone to Cuff them, I also treated it like a Rodeo. As soon as I got those Cuffs on, the Fight was over. I didn't try and take any cheap shots while they were cuffed.

Not doubting anything said. Just making the point that the guy that gets the a$$whooping all the sudden doesn't deserve it because he didn't do anything wrong.

My question, if I was a doctor, would be "Then why are you all busted up, numbnuts?"

Policemen don't beat the hell out of someone just for fun.

Officer Presence

Verbal Commands

Spray

Ass-kicking

Death

Ours was

Omni Presence

Verbal Command

Hands On

Pepper Spray

Taser

Baton

Death

"Policemen don't beat the hell out of someone just for fun."

They try to off duty around these parts.. LOL

#9.... LMFAO

We've got AWESOME in-car digital video recording systems.... one camera shoots through the front windshield and can swivel 360 degrees if necessary. The other camera is fixed over one of the rear doors on the inside, with a wide angle lens, to capture anything that happens in the back of the patrol car (like someone trying to kick out a window, or a guy managing to get his hands around his feet and jerking off the whole way to the jail.... true thing that happened to a female officer in our department). The rear camera also has infrared lights, that "light up" the whole back seat area when it gets dark.

Anyway, we also carry a wireless microphone on our duty belt that records in-sync with the camera, up to about 300 feet away. Anytime I step out on a call, especially if it's outside (like on the sidewalk dealing with a drunk person or something) I face the camera towards the action and hit record. Then, the ENTIRE incident is captured on the hard drive in the car. That way, if a fight breaks out or something really bad happens (if I were to get injured or shot) there is evidence of the whole thing. It also is a great reminder for me to be very professional and cordial, because even if nothing happens, my ass can still get hemmed up for being less than professional.

This is also allowed as evidence in court proceedings (after granting discovery of course, pacman and rfenst) and I usually always bring it to court with me. Never know what kinda lies someone will start telling on the stand, and it's great to say "Uhhh, I've got this video here that shows otherwise."

Once the incident is recorded, you can list dispositions in the car on the computer, such as arrest, citation, DUI, search, no citation, etc. Then it downloads wirelessly to our server at city hall where we can pull it up on computer, enter an endless amount of details (case number, incident location, parties involved, citation number, etc), burn it to DVD and enter it in to evidence.

This has saved me many days of suspension when people say I was rude.... yay for technology!

#2, Victor and #3, Gene make good observations.

Only times I've been aware of any police force used was when it was necessary.

'Excessive' is a subjective term

re 9

Video sounds like excellent insurance against frivolous excessive force claims.

"suggest that national emergency medicine organizations in the USA should become involved, jointly developing and advocating for guidelines to manage this complex issue."

Give me a break, they're suggesting to have medical community develop guidelines for police use of force? That is some funny stuff right there. Take care of yourself Tbrochin; you have a responsibility to go home to your wife and baby each day. If that means using force to make sure that happens, so be it.

It should be like the old days, before ACLU and other whining groups such as them, got involved with "police brutality" charges etc.

Police should be able to interrogate using force if needed.

Charlie

The problem with these type of surveys and follow up "reporting" is that unless you actually know what was asked in the survey, the answers can be manipulated very easily, based on choices provided.

I find it hard to believe that 98.8% of ED docs think police use excessive force - I know many ED docs and they are very appreciative of the work that the Police do and the challenges they face.

That (98.2%) ranks right up there with the false habanos ........

I have had several relatives in law enforcement and have nothing but the utmost respect for all.

Just my 3 cents.

c3s

These findings, Strote and colleagues conclude, "suggest that national emergency medicine organizations in the USA should become involved, jointly developing and advocating for guidelines to manage this complex issue."

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I have a real hard time with anyone *cough...congress...cough* thinking they can dictate guidlines for others to work by, when they wouldn't even think of doing the job that they wan't to control.

Police using excessive force is a good thing!

Rodney King