Austin Police Chief's UNBELIEVABLE response to jogger arrest.

[Shemp Howard]

23. You're missing the point.

Certainly, the jogger's actions opened her up to arrest. But that's not the point here.

The woman was jogging while listening to music. She couldn't hear the cop's command to stop. So the cop grabbed her to make her stop.

Now consider this. A person is just going about her day. She is bothering no one and thinks she is doing nothing wrong. All of a sudden she is grabbed. Anyone in that position would be startled and confused.

If you were grabbed from behind, would you be able to immediately obey the cop's instructions? Or would you instinctively take a step back and say something like "What?" or "I didn't do anything!"

We are not talking about an armed felon fleeing a bank robbery here. The cops could have and should have given her some time to collect herself. But that would be an affront to the badge! Better to cuff her and take away.

Something similar happened to an elderly Asian man in NYC awhile back. He couldn't understand what the cops were trying to say, so he was shoved against a wall, and ended up all bloodied.

I expect highly trained police officers to show some common sense! But unfortunately, they are all on permanent power-trips.