Home »
News &
Events » News Archive » 2000 Press Releases
ACLU Concerns Regarding High Speed Chase and Apprehension of Jerome
McClellion
September 14, 2000
MIAMI - Earlier today John de Leon, President of the
Miami-Dade Chapter of the ACLU of Florida, Bishop Victor T. Curry,
President of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the NAACP, and Randall Marshall,
Legal Director of the ACLU of Florida responded in a joint press conference
to the high speed chase and excessive use-of-force incident involving
Miami-Dade Police Officers and Jerome McCellion.
They addressed issues that the ACLU and the NAACP are concerned with. These concerns include, but are not limited to; the danger to the public from high speed police chases in residential neighborhoods, the similarity of this occurrence to the Rodney King beating, and the frequency of police beatings that occur following high speed police chases.
The ACLU believes that this incident is not merely about three individual officers, but also raises concerns about policies and training in the Miami Dade Police Department. It is a well known occurrence that police officers, immediately following a high speed chase, have a tendency to have their passions out of control due to the high stress level occurring during the chase. It is imperative that all police departments, including the Miami-Dade Police Department, have established policies and training to ensure that officers recognize this phenomena and are able to keep their passions under control.
Police officers have a duty to protect the public and the right to protect themselves. However, their job is to arrest those accused of criminal action, not to administer punishment. While officers are permitted to use force to overcome resistance, there can be no justification for punching or kicking after a suspect is prone on the ground and not resisting arrest.
The excessive use of force against a suspect is certainly not the only concern when an incident like this occurs. Police chases pose a great danger to innocent bystanders. Police departments therefore have to have rules of engagement to minimize this danger. This incident raises serious concerns with both the number of vehicles involved and the continued chase through residential neighborhoods and past schools at the time when school children are coming out of the classroom.
This incident, while revealing serious safety concerns for the public at large, also underscores the Black communities' concern about police/community relations. The video portrays another example of a Black suspect being subjected to the excessive use of force by white officers. Racial profiling, "contempt of cop" arrests, and excessive use of force are issues of grave concern for Black communities throughout the country. The Miami-Dade Police Department must endeavor to ensure these incidents, whether caught on camera or not, do not occur.
While Miami-Dade officials should be applauded for taking quick action, they must be vigilant in ensuring that a full and complete investigation be conducted. This means not only a look at the individual officers involved but a look at training and policies implicated by this incident. The ACLU stands ready, not only to fight injustices such as those that were seen in the video of this incident, but also to attack the larger problems in our communities that an incident such as this reveals.
Arrest, not punishment
Police officers have a duty to protect the public and the right to protect themselves. However, their job is to arrest those accused of criminal action, not to administer punishment. While officers are permitted to use force to overcome resistance, there can be no justification for punching or kicking after a suspect is prone on the ground and not resisting arrest.
Professional training
This incident is not simply about the actions of three Miami-Dade police officers. It is a well known occurrence that police officers, immediately following a high speed chase, have a tendency to have their passions out of control due to the high stress level occurring during the chase. It is imperative that all police departments, including the Miami-Dade Police Department, have established training to ensure that officers recognize this phenomena and are able to keep their passions under control.
Concern for race relations
This incident underscores the Black communities' concern about police/community relations. The video portrays another example of a Black suspect being subjected to the excessive use of force by white officers. Racial profiling, "contempt of cop" arrests, and excessive use of force are issues of grave concern for Black communities throughout the country. The Miami-Dade Police Department must endeavor to ensure these incidents, whether caught on camera or not, do not occur.
Dangers of chases
Police chases pose a great danger to innocent bystanders. Police departments therefore have to have rules of engagement to minimize this danger. This incident raises serious concerns with both the number of vehicles involved and the continued chase through residential neighborhoods and past schools at the time when school children are coming out of the classroom.
Task facing the Miami-Dade Police Department
While Miami-Dade officials should be applauded for taking quick action, they must be vigilant in ensuring that a full and complete investigation be conducted. This means not only a look at the individual officers involved but a look at training and policies implicated by this incident.
