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Editorial: UCPD’s use of force disturbing, unacceptable

By Daily Bruin Staff

Nov. 16, 2006 9:00 p.m.

With cameras poised, students in Powell Library on Tuesday night
captured on video university police’s use of excessive force
in escorting an uncooperative student out of the library.

And as just about anyone watching the videos or listening to
eyewitness accounts can tell, the authorities should have handled
the situation differently.

When UCLA student Mostafa Tabatabainejad failed to produce his
BruinCard when approached by Community Service Officers during a
random ID check, witnesses say it was within minutes that UCPD
showed up to escort him out after his initial resistance to leaving
the CLICC Lab.

Whether Tabatabainejad had some sort of punishment coming his
way for failing to comply in a timely manner with orders from CSOs
is up for debate. But the fact that UCPD officers shocked
Tabatabainejad with a Taser five times for merely being
uncooperative should concern everyone.

The use of Tasers as a form of enforcement when there is no
imminent danger is unacceptable. Using this device to subdue a
student in the library who appeared to be walking out on his own
shows a lack of good judgement on the behalf of the UCPD
officers.

Even more disturbing is the repeated shocking of Tabatabainejad
as he was ordered to get to his feet and continue to walk out of
the library.

Tabatabainejad was stunned with the Taser at least four times,
some while he was already on the floor.

An article in the Lancet Medical Journal in 2001 reports that a
charge from a Taser of three to five seconds can result in
immobilization for five to 15 minutes.

The footage shows repeated electrical shocks given to
Tabatabainejad in intervals of less than five minutes, and he may
have been truly unable to stand up on his own. So just how did the
officers expect Tabatabainejad to comply with their repeated orders
to stand up?

It is hard to believe that the UCPD’s use-of-force policy
would allow the officers to shock a person this many times for
simply being less than cooperative and prompt in leaving the
library.

If the UCPD’s guidelines justify such a procedure, then
the UCPD clearly needs to reassess their training courses and
procedures on the use of force in order to avoid future abuses of
power.

As the people charged with the duty of protecting students,
rather than use such excessive force, UCPD officers should have
employed less violent methods to escort the student out. Especially
after being shocked by the Taser once and getting handcuffed, the
student could not have been much of a threat against four
officers.

Also shocking is witnessing the male student who was threatened
with a Taser after requesting an officer’s badge number.

When innocent bystanders are threatened because officers
don’t know where to draw the line in applying force to
victims, any policy that allows for weapon use should be thrown
out.

UCPD chose to use Tasers nearly two years ago as a less violent
means of enforcing the law. Relative to batons or guns, Tasers are
a less harmful means of applying force. But just because Tasers are
not destructive, that should not be used as a rationalization for
the UCPD to use it too liberally.

They are, after all, peace officers.

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