If people have been paying any attention to the news in Athens, they know about the act of police brutality that occurred Saturday night. The altercation occurred between Ty Bealer, a 21-year-old student who attends the University of Cincinnati, and three Athens Police Department officers outside of The J Bar on Court Street.
A video of the incident was posted on Twitter and went viral. In the video, the three APD officers can be seen holding Bealer down and using what many consider to be excessive force. The video caption says that the man was not fighting back and was unarmed.
An unscheduled press conference was held Monday with Mayor Steve Patterson, Athens Police Department Chief Tom Pyle and Safety Service Director Andy Stone. In the press conference, Pyle said he believes the officers used the force necessary to subdue the man.
According to the press conference, the suspect in question was trying to fight with The J Bar staff, and the bar staff called the police. When the officers approached Bealer, he attempted to flee and the altercation ensued. The facts surrounding the case are known. Chief Pyle believes that the officers were acting in accordance with their training and did not use more force than what was necessary.
It shouldn’t take three trained police officers, who should know how to handle and be comfortable handling drunk and disorderly people, to take a person into custody. Police should protect citizens, even when they have possibly broken the law or obstructed justice. Attempting to flee from the police is obstructing justice, but that doesn’t mean that a person should be automatically subjected to being tackled in the street by three police officers.
People need to demand more from law enforcement. Given the facts of the case, it sounds like just another case of disorderly conduct on Court Street. But that video, even knowing the facts, doesn’t sit well.
It shouldn’t take three police officers to subdue a suspect. It is not necessary for three police officers to be on top of a suspect when the suspect is unarmed and on the ground.
We expect more of law enforcement. It is part of their job not just to arrest people, but to do it safely in a way where they don’t overuse their authority. We expect to be protected, even if we are guilty. Court Street should be a place where people get to relax and have fun after a long week of school and work. When things get out of hand, law enforcement should be able to keep things under control, without being abusing authority.
Mikayla Rochelle is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Tell Mikayla by tweeting her at @mikayla_roch.
