Hey All.. I am a 30yr. retired NYPD SGT...1981-2011..was always taught to use whatever force necessary to place handcuffs on arrestee...once accomplished ALL force STOPS.... if i,
a supervisor rolled upon that scene, as the supervisor on duty i am required to verify any arrest in my sector...... i would have immediately ordered mr. floyd to be placed in an RMP and the matter would most likely be over...EXCEPT for the Officer who had his knee on mr. floyd's neck..placing him in the back of a RMP would most have likely prevented him from hurting himself or anyone else....ankle cuffs are also available to prevent kicking out windows or kicking anyone else....a handcuffed arrestee on the ground with a knee on that arrestee's neck is excessive force to me...that would be included in my report to the desk officer of the precinct of arrest...along with my recommendation that the officer be IMMEDIATELY be removed
( Including removal of shield and all firearms) from ANY patrol duties pending an Internal investigation of said officer's actions...ONCE AGAIN....once the handcuffs go on...
ALL force STOPS....
That is what i was taught as a cop and as Supervisor & a Sergeant....
Pete in Texas

Sounds very reasonable to me. I don't understand why the four officers involved couldn't manage to get him in the cruiser and hauled off.

RMP?

thank you for that

Agree. That's the way it was at our P.D.

kwg

NYPD speak for police car. Radio Motor Patrol or something like that.

Pdman: Well you must have led an incredibly sheltered 30 year police career IF you have never been assaulted by a handcuffed perp or had an assault on yourself continue after handcuffing a criminal!
I have been assaulted at least 10 (ten!) times in my 29 year career law enforcement career (all of which was "front line duty"!) by individuals wearing handcuffs - including but not limited to being kicked in the face, kicked in the balls, kicked in the back of the head, bitten in various extremities, head butted, spat upon and being "body blocked" (being knocked to the ground by said impact!)!
Again I wish I could have led a sheltered career like you claim to have done!
Just because a perp is handcuffed by no means does that render them unable to assault the arresting officer(s)!
I learned that working the street, NOT riding a desk!
These lessons are especially important when dealing with very large and very drug addled suspects (as is the case in the instance we are discussing!).
Continued attempts at assaulting by a handcuffed criminal is best assuaged by taking said handcuffed criminal to the ground and placing him (or her!) face down and simply placing a foot and some body weight on said perps lower back - never had one continue an assault from that position.
Maybe you learned something today Sergeant?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy