OFFICER FIRED FOR ASSAULTING A STUDENT

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By Victiashea Matthews

November 1, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - There are two different perspectives in the case of Ben Fields: one applauding his heroic efforts or two, condemning his deeds of violence.

On Monday, October 26th, Fields, a South Carolina law enforcement officer, became a nationwide news headliner after a video showed him yanking a student from her desk, slamming her to the ground with her desk and throwing her several feet across the floor.  

After seven years of being a school resource officer, Fields is now fired for using improper techniques of law enforcement on a student according to Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott.

His attorney Scott Hayes argues that his actions were lawful and necessary. 

 "We believe that Mr. Fields' actions were justified and lawful throughout the circumstances of which he was confronted during this incident," attorney Scott Hayes said.

One of the students recording the incident said she knew Ben Fields to have a horrible reputation and asked her classmates to also record because she predicted something might happen, CNN reports.

The history of past offenses by Fields include: a lawsuit on a case concerning a noise complaint and his excessive brute force against Carlos Edward Martin, and another case about a student getting expelled for gang activity, FIelds is being sued for lack of due process and negligence.

But Fields has also received accolades including the Culture of Excellence Award by an elementary school in the Richland County. 

On Friday, about 100 students at the school staged a walkout in support of Fields, the New York Daily News reports. “"I think he did his job," student Ty' Juan Fulton told the Star-Telegram. "He's a person that's well known. He stops the trouble.”

The incident also raises questions about the role of school resource officers with law enforcement training, and whether less violent means could be used to intervene and defuse tense situations.

The U.S. Justice Department and the FBI are investigating the case.  Huffington Post reports that  county Sheriff’s Deputy Katelyn Jasak said that although resource officers are expected to serve as "law enforcement officers, law enforcement educators and law-related counselors,” she concluded, “They're there to serve as role models."

 


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Comments

Poor parenting is what causes this

This has two causes: Poor parenting, and the government getting involved with our ability to spank/punish our kids. I would never have even entertained the thought of talking back to the teacher, let alone a police officer, as i know 100 percent when i got home, my parents would have kicked my Ass up and down the street for it. Kids today believe they can do anything they want, because they think they are untouchable because they can call the cops for abuse. Let's also not forget that this kid seems like a hood rat, and im sure was running her mouth the teacher and officer, prior to actually striking the officer. Now did the officer maybe go a little overboard, who are we to judge, we were not present, did not see the entire incident, and have no way to know everything that happened. Should he have been suspended, and retrained sure, lost his job and now be sued, no. The parents of this child need to take responsibility for their child's actions, and drop this lawsuit against the officer out of respect for the school and the police. But they wont because they see a big payday. Sad day in this country.

the girl is a criminal in the making

do a bit more digging ... the girl is a known trouble maker, was trying to crowdfund a car, and has not followed the lawful instructions of the school officials or the cop. she needs to be straightened out. also the walkout by students black and white supporting the cop shows the truth.

in loco parentis

The officer treated the disobedient student as he would treat an adult, however the circumstances here were different. Parents are required to send their children to a government-approved school, and in return the school administrators are expected to act like parents would act. It's called in loco parentis -- in the place of parents. That does not include cops acting like cops, but rather cops acting like parents would act which does not include throwing the child to the floor and tossing her across the room. A parent acting that way to his child would possibly have the child taken away and put into a protection program. Can a "resource officer" i.e. cop be expected not to act like a cop? Probably not. The whole system is flawed. These are immature children who should not be assaulted and who also should not be taken seriously when the demonstrate in favor of an abusive cop.