A Rotterdam police officer has apologised after footage was recorded of him punching a 17-year-old boy on Liberation Day. The boy had been part of a group of people who were standing next to a car playing loud music.
The police were responding to a noise complaint when the incident occurred. Five people were arrested after the group refused to move on and began to insult the police officers.
Pushed and punched
According to reports by RTL Nieuws, the boy was interfering with an arrest and as a result, was arrested himself. However, an officer approaches him before he is brought away, pushes him roughly to the ground, and then punches him in the face when he stands up. The incident was captured on video by a bystander.
At this point, bystanders can be heard protesting and another police officer runs to intervene.
An apology
The charges against the boy have since been dropped and the officer involved has apologised to the boy. The boy received a call from the police man and his supervisor, with the officer describing his actions as “disproportionate.”
What are your thoughts on the officer’s actions? Tell us in the comments below.
Feature Image: Screenshot from viral video/@h__aras
To me it sounds like it was abit manic .so maybe thats why this police officer acted like he did.
Sorry but I think he did his job well, youngsters these days have no respect for anyone 😕 no discipline at school or home anymore its just crazy .
An apology and dropping the charges, is not enough, the public expect considerably better from law enforcers.
At the very least the officer should be subject to disapllinary action, no matter the provocation, the behaviour amounts to common assault, had an ordinary member of the public done what he did, they would have been arrested.( the offer was not defending himself ) .
In my company he would be dismissed for gross misconduct ,(assault and bringing the reputation of the employer into disrepute falls into such a category after all ) ,mitigation may result in a less impact full outcome, but clearly retraining and some sort of serious sanction would follow ,separate and in addition to whatever charges the victim might bring in a court of law.
How about getting a stricter selection process. Better psychological screening and background checks. Monthly evaluation. Nowadays any hothead can become a cop.
As a father myself I’m saying an apology just won’t do.
Excessive force..