Officer allegedly handcuffs, throws down Phoenix councilman

[JonLP24]

Source: ABC 15(Phoenix)

PHOENIX – Police have identified an officer who allegedly handcuffed and pushed a Phoenix city councilman to the ground early Friday.

Police say that around 4 a.m. Councilman Michael Johnson was checking on neighbors whose south Phoenix home had caught fire.

Johnson said in a statement he had permission from a fire battalian chief to speak with the neighbor, but he was stopped by the officer who allegedly handcuffed Johnson and threw him face down in the middle of the street.

Phoenix Police Sgt. Trent Crump identified the officer as 27-year-old Brian Authement, who has been with the department since March 2008.

Read more:http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F0_0_s_0_0_t&ct3=MAA4AEgAUABqAnVz&usg=AFQjCNEo6TO3sTAcHTcBdyV-l5VqTvW7xA&cid=17593728778216&ei=RVakS7GcG5LklQSLp7yVAw&rt=SEARCH&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc15.com%2Fcontent%2Fnews%2Fphoenixmetro%2Fcentral%2Fstory%2FOfficer-allegedly-handcuffs-throws-down-Phoenix%2F049lMLWty0e57nZBjEskBg.cspx

No link yet.

---

Councilman: Phoenix PD abuses power
<snip>
In a statement, Johnson said he got permission from a fire department battalion chief to speak with his neighbor but was stopped by an officer who was later identified as 27-year-old Brian Authement.

"He was confronted by one of my officers, who told him he could not go down to the scene," said Police Chief Jack Harris.

Johnson, a retired policeman, said he asked to speak with the officer's supervisor. But the officer said there wasn't one there and that, ``We don't do it like that out here.'' Johnson said the officer threw him to the ground and handcuffed him. Crump said Johnson was released once a supervisor arrived.

Crump said the investigation is underway to determine what happened.

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F0_0_s_1_0_t&ct3=MAA4AEgBUABqAnVz&usg=AFQjCNGiVC4ddrjSfxGTITtcT72PhiP7UA&cid=3741190972959702673&ei=RVakS7GcG5LklQSLp7yVAw&rt=SEARCH&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fktar.com%2F%3Fnid%3D6%26sid%3D1275892

[mrs_p]

1. some of the comments below

are unreal.

[DeSwiss]

2. K&R

- Yep.

[DesertDiamond]

3. Before I looked at the photo, I guessed the councilman was black. Yep.

Heck, if I just saw the photo before I read the story, I would have already been thinking councilman, businessman, professional of some sort. But he's black, so he's automatically a threat. Geez!

[rucky]

4. my first thought, as well.

[Catshrink]

6. And if he'd been Latino

you can be sure he'd have been called "illegal" and told to "show his papers" before being handed over to Sheriff Joe or ICE.

[NashVegas]

7. What Would You Call It When Cops Do This To White Guys?

With all respect, by chalking this up to racism, you are minimizing the very real problem of cops who are spinning out of control.

[Paladin]

8. Gee, That Didn't Take Very Long.

Seven posts to get our first contribution from the "Don't You DARE Call It Racism!" contingent.......

[No Elephants]

10. How about we address that when we have an OP about cops brutalizing a white council member?

[NashVegas]

12. Is That What the Story Has to Be About to Matter?

A WHITE person getting brutalized? A BLACK person? Any other color you want to mention?

I'm sorry, but that's just freaking sad and pathetic.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Fire his racist ass and put him in a state prison to see how tough he thinks he is. n/t

[zonkers]

9. And... put him in a pink prison jumpsuit.

[Grand Taurean]

11. Jail time, no pension, and he can never work in the field again.