Title: 'They don't give a f*** if I die out here in this cold weather': Denver police forced to defend officers after they were filmed taking blankets from homeless people on a freezing night Source:
Daily Mail Online URL Source:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art ... -blankets-homeless-people.html Published:Dec 17, 2016 Author:Liam Quinn Post Date:2016-12-17 14:23:21 by cranky Keywords:None Views:54503 Comments:129
Footage was widely shared showing homeless people on the street in Denver
A group of officers dragged blankets from people and then carried them away
The videos were published by the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado
The rights group has called the Denver Police approach in the videos 'cruel'
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock denied what was seen is a 'widespread practice'
The Denver Police Department has been forced to defend its officers after shocking video emerged of cops taking blankets and survival gear from homeless people in the freezing cold.
Footage was widely circulated this week showing as many as nine officers standing over a group of homeless people, pulling blankets off them as they slept and sat on the sidewalk.
In a video published on November 29 shortly after 2:30am, two officers stacked the blankets in piles and then carried them away.
The blankets were taken as 'evidence' the homeless people in the video were committing a crime by violating the city's urban camping ban.
'We are taking your tent and sleeping bag as evidence of a crime,' one of the officers told a homeless man, who the video claims is a veteran.
'It's cold out here, and (the police) are telling me they don't give a f*** about whether I die out here in this cold weather,' the homeless man was heard saying in the footage.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado shared the videos this week, and included a letter to Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and the Denver City Council demanding officers stop taking things from homeless people.
'It is not an inherent crime to sleep outside, and many people right now have no other viable option,' ACLU of Colorado Executive Director Nathan Woodliff-Stanley said.
'Denver’s shelters are simply unable to serve all people in the Denver area experiencing homelessness, even in the short term, much less as a long-term solution.
'Until real solutions become Denver’s priority, the city’s ongoing policing-first approach to homelessness is a cruel waste of funds, curtailing fundamental constitutional rights, causing deep human suffering, and endangering lives.'
Hancock defended his officers, saying it is not a 'widespread practice', and claimed the homeless people were protesters.
'The video clip... was actually three individuals who were protesting and setting up camp in front of city hall,' he said, according to CBS Local.
'And after the police asked them to move, they did not, they were cited and their equipment was taken as evidence.
'But this is not a widespread practice throughout the city and we wanted to make sure that it didn’t go any further and that people understand this is not how we want to operate during these frigid temperatures.'
The Denver Police Department also released a statement, saying it took the equipment from the people in the videos because they were 'illegally camping'.
I wouldn't like it. But they can protest in front of my house.
Not house. In the street, blocking your driveway access.
But shitting wouldn't be allowed.
Why not? Campers shit in the woods. Occupy Wall Street protesters shit on the lawn of Los Angeles City Hall for weeks on end while they were camping out there.
I wouldn't like it. But they can protest in front of my house. Not house. In the street, blocking your driveway access.
But shitting wouldn't be allowed. Why not? Campers shit in the woods. Occupy Wall Street protesters shit on the lawn of Los Angeles City Hall for weeks on end while they were camping out there.
I'm just being honest with you. I have no problem with them protesting. Not blocking my driveway, that is different.
I've never said they can shit in public sidewalks etc. Arrest them if the do that. I just don't have a problem with people protesting. Even if I disagree with them. They will go away eventually.
That is one of the things that makes our country great. Being able to protest the government and not worried you will end up abused, in jail or dead.
Fucking lazy, drug addled, entitled hippie scumbags.
I had the misfortune of having an assignment downtown for a week while OWK was there. You could smell the stench from three blocks away. They were provided with chemical toilets at public expense, but they were too sorry to walk a few yards to use them.
Look here is my bottom line. There were 3 people there protesting. They weren't harming anyone. Who gives a shit if they sit there in the cold.
Generally, I'd agree. If there wasn't a complaint by the public, I'd patrol by (as long as they weren't being loud, messy and disorderly, and I'd leave them alone. The problem with most of these YELLA articles is this, they don't print the other side. We don't know if there was multiple public complaints filed... Hell, for all we know, the police responded to a domestic in a tent or a drunk and disorderly protester with a passing motorist... we simply don't know the underlying circumstances that caused these officers to enforce written law.
I'm the infidel... Allah warned you about. كافر المسلح
I'm not even really saying you guys approach is totally illegitimate. You guys have legitimate concerns also. It is just my opinion that letting them protest would be better.
It doesn't even matter what any of us think. None of has any say or influence in the situation.
But you can't show a single example. You just did. Colorado has no First Amendment.
Here it is again so you don't have to hunt it above.
Section 10. Freedom of speech and press. No law shall be passed impairing the freedom of speech; every person shall be free to speak, write or publish whatever he will on any subject, being responsible for all abuse of that liberty; and in all suits and prosecutions for libel the truth thereof may be given in evidence, and the jury, under the direction of the court, shall determine the law and the fact.
#109. To: GrandSphincter, A K A Drunk (#88)
(Edited)
I also think that you and Dexter agree more then you think you do.
If you're referring to me, the screen name is Deckard you twit. And for the record, I agree with the fascist pig on absolutely NOTHING, he's a POS.
...his hate for LE in general..
Once again for the learning impaired - I hate the bad corrupt cops, the ones who think that wearing a badge gives them the right to jack up anyone they feel like.
if I had a legal reason to kill him
Oh...aren't you the tough guy - a regular keyboard commando.
But you are just like many other scum sucking pigs - you don't need an excuse to kill someone.
Bring it on assclown.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Those who most loudly denounce Fake News are typically those most aggressively disseminating it.
We were watching new episodes of The Man in the High Castle where Juliana scribbles a letter and mails it to Frank. The wife says, "Where'd she get the stamp? And the envelope?"
So I had to make up something. For you I say, "Despite their appearance, they're as soft as feathers".
"One of the drivers who appeared on Discovery's horrid "Street Outlaws" show has been arrested and charged with murder for his part in a street racing crash that claimed the lives of two people in Los Angeles."
"According to the L.A. County D.A., Izzy Valenzuela was racing against Michael Gevorgyan on February 25 when one of the drivers lost control. The car careened into a crowd, killing two people and injuring a third."
"Valenzuela, the driver of the Nissan GT-R, is currently in jail, charged with two counts of murder and faces up to 33 years to life in prison. Gevorgyan, who is also in custody, claims he wasn't in the Mustang when it crashed.
F**king coward won't even take personal responsibility. BTW, that "show" is about as real as pro wrestling.
"One of the drivers who appeared on Discovery's horrid "Street Outlaws" show has been arrested and charged with murder for his part in a street racing crash that claimed the lives of two people in Los Angeles."
