threatening behaviour

[Andy008]

A friend of mine was arrested last year, while I was with him on a night out. Charges against him were dropped, and he is subsequently in the process of filing a complaint. He says (and I can only go on what he tells me) that in the corridor leading to the cells, one officer said to him:

"get in the cell or you'll be on the ******* floor"

should he report this as threatening behaviour?

[tetherend]

I suppose he could try to report it if he can prove it.

[Tim Baxter]

If your friend is serious and not showing bravado then yes, he should report it, not only as threatening behaviour but because it's an abuse of his prisoner's rights.  If it gets logged as an official complaint then the officer is identified and the report will go on his record.  How much further it will go remains to be seen as it is 'word agains word'.  But, if the officer makes a practice of it and enough people complain then the powers that be will eventually have to do something about it.  It will also make future complaints more credible.

[MargeB]

It is your word against his, but think about it from the perspective of someone investigating the complaint....no one likes to be shoved behind bars, but who is really going to be bothered enough to file a complaint except...someone who really has good cause to?

[mycatis]

My mate got kicked around in the back of a police van and his lawyer said to let it go.  Sadly this will go no-where and he has no proof, he will be wasting his time. These things happen and  people have to realise that life's not fair

[WoWo]

I'm sure the floor of the cells must have just been washed and the kind police officer was just telling your friend to be carefull in case he slipped.

But seriously, sounds as if you friend innocent or not might have put up some resistance during his journey to the cell. The officer may well have put this in his report, if that was the case and your friend went to court the judge would be more inclined to believe the Police officer than your friend.

[gerry]

He could report the incident but i don't think much would come out of it.

Was your friend being mouthy when he was being lead to the cell?

It's his word against the Cop's.Unless your mate can prove what the cop said your mate is wasting his time.

[dmsjps]

I think if he reports it nothing will come of it: his word against the policeman's and you know who the courts will believe. It's wrong, but it's the way it is. What your friend experienced is by no means unusual.

Some policemen abuse their power, this was obviously one of them.

[gerry]

If the incident happened last year why is he thinking of reporting the incident now?

Your friend should have reported the incident as soon as he was released.

[Lillabet]

Not to condone the police officer's behaviour but 'putting someone on the floor' is commonly used as a form of acceptable restraint. If someone in custody is struggling or resisting s/he will be put on the floor and restrained until they stop resisting.

Yesterday lunchtime I was in a shop and a clearly drunk / drugged man came in. He was smoking and the sales assistant asked him to put out the cigarette. He reacted very badly to this request and started trying to set fire to the stock with his lighter. The staff called the police. The police came very quickly, arrested him and when he struggled they told him to 'stop struggling or you'll be put on the floor' He was restrained this way but not hurt.

At no point did they swear at him or use abusive language which differentiates this from your friend's case. The restraint was appropriate as he was a danger not only to others but also himself. If someone is struggling the police are meant to restrain them.

It would seem that the words 'I'll put you on the floor' are commonly used by the police and are not deemed to be a threat. As such he might get further complaining about the abusive language than about the mention of being put on the floor...

[bexbex78]

My friend has nearly had his arm broken by a police officer before...for trying to calm down his brother!. - he didn't even try to complain c'os its his word against theirs
It would be a complete and utter waste of time to pursue this further...