Dear onthebeach,

Yes I had seen that footage.

I would like to see what occurred before it was taken. The person who filmed the original clip focussed on some blood on the ground. Was the young man slammed to the ground in the first instance? I don't know that either.

All of it doesn't take away from what happened after he was handcuffed. Being flung to the ground without the means to protect himself ran the very real risk that this could have had tragic consequences. People die all the time from their heads striking the footpath or the curb.

It could have taken a young man's life and ruined a copper's career. His superiors have a duty of care to both and I hope they will be proactive in addressing either the training or discipline issues raised by the incident.

csteele,

What about the alleged interference with the woman? If a complaint was made, what then? You can't just go around handling women.

As for the concerns about the restraint of the man, why do you dismiss out of hand the report that there was a struggle leading up to more forcible restraint? Go back to the article and video.

You say that a 60kg man does not pose a credible threat. How patronising! If we just reverse the argument for a moment, where does that leave lighter weight men and women who want to join the police, army, ambos and firefighting to take some examples. If a weight hurdle was imposed in those cases you would doubtless claim discrimination. Of course if it was a 60 kg gay who was being refused job opportunity you would be outraged.

But then there is also the problem of bodily fluids and it is not uncommon for activists and people resisting arrest to spit on people, including police.

Police directions are to be obeyed immediately. That is law in this democracy. Police are not punching bags. They are not there to grapple with, kick, or spit on. Where there is reason to believe that an offence has been committed and the offender doesn't comply with the police directions and struggles instead, what do you suggest should happen? Because I would oppose the police putting themselves further in harms way under those circumstances. A quick take down and cuffing is the minimum response.

What we have to do is get rid of all these silly little girls in the police force.

Back in my day, of big tough coppers, if one of them dropped on you, it would be at least a couple of weeks before you had enough breath back to be able to complain. Just as it should be.

Of course we could issue the girls with a steele. They could just drop his thick head on these rat bags, that should stop them, & it would actually make some use of the twit.

I bet that Police officer won't get any recognition for having to touch 60kg of crap ?

Hi there Folks...

Yes there's some merit in what you say HASBEEN about the ol' style, big coppers. Trouble is today, they'd not be accepted, nor their practices either, particualarly in our highly litigious society.

Years ago, I worked for Insp. Frank 'Bumper' Farrell for a year or two at Darlinghurst. An amazing bloke as well as a terrific footballer. Despite his 'nickname' he was a genuine good bloke, but today he and his ilk wouldn't and couldn't survive ? Though now we've experienced the feminization of the police.

The public only get the police force they deserve. The public can be inordinately hard, and totally unforgiving taskmasters. Both polititians and Police Command, are always wary, even scared of public opinion, and more often then not, will respond in accordance with that public opinion.

It's the guys and gals at the coalface, that have to judge exactly what their bosses and government demand of them, in any given situation. In my earlier days, if I copped a kickin' on the job, I gave one back, times two.

However, once I'd been amongst the 'suits' for awhile I rapidly learnt, when a floggin' came my way, and it did, I simple went down, and contemporaneously with 'going down' - I agonized and wailed very very loudly, all the while, my 'little' mind was operating like a modest cash register, calculating the amount of criminal compensation I'd receive ?

Thus, when my grandchildren were much younger, they'd ask how many fights had I won as a policeman ? My answer was always one of Dollars and Cents, which usually produced puzzled looks !

I used to tell probationers, you're not paid enough to fight. If you're that good, enter the ring and give 'coppering' away.

I often thought of 'trying' to pen a book or something ? There've been so many funny things...? The day while I was stopped at lights, this dishevelled older women jumped into the front saet of the police vehicle - it was dear ol' Bea Miles ! Do any of you good peaple remember her ?

Bea was quite an eccentric but before my time.

I wonder though how many understood the 'Eternity' writ in fireworks New years Eve?

We need eccentrics to remind us that we are all just tiny specks in a very large universe and we take ourselves far too seriously.

Where have the entertaining eccentrics gone, like Rock'n'Roll George? George died, but who replaces him?

Brisbane has an eccentric who collects plastic bags. Boring behaviour, but interesting to talk with I believe.