Officer
  • Honoring The Fallen
  • Publications
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Forums
  • Contact Us
  • Vehicles & Fleet
  • Tactical
  • Training & Careers
  • On The Street
  • Investigations
  • Command/HQ
  • Technology
  • Virtual Academy
  • Stations
  • Podcasts
  • Product Guide
  • Topics
    Vehicles & FleetTacticalTraining & CareersOn The StreetInvestigationsCommand/HQTechnologyProduct Guide
    Resources
    ForumsProduct GuideHonoring The FallenBy ContributorsExpert InsightsPublicationsWhitepapersWebinarsOriginal ContentJobs
    User Tools
    SubscribeAdvertiseContact UsPrivacy PolicyTerms & Conditions
    https://www.facebook.com/officercom
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/officer-com
    https://twitter.com/officercom
    1. Investigations

    California Police Beating Under Review

    Sept. 5, 2013
    Long Beach Police Chief James McDonnell says that it is too early to judge the videotaped incident.
    YouTube Image
    The Long Beach police chief said Wednesday that the YouTube video of a man lying on the ground and being struck by officers with batons and shocked with an electric stun gun is disturbing, but it is too early to judge the incident.
    The Long Beach police chief said Wednesday that the YouTube video of a man lying on the ground and being struck by officers with batons and shocked with an electric stun gun is disturbing, but it is too early to judge the incident.

    The Long Beach police chief said Wednesday that the YouTube video of a man lying on the ground and being struck by officers with batons and shocked with an electric stun gun is disturbing, but it is too early to judge the incident.

    Porfirio Santos-Lopez, 46, was taken into custody Monday evening after allegedly getting into a fight with two men, then engaging in a minutes-long struggle with officers trying to subdue him near Locust Avenue and South Street.

    In the nearly five-minute video, Santos-Lopez can be seen lying on his back in the middle of the street surrounded by Long Beach police officers.

    Officers then use a stun gun on Santos-Lopez and strike him repeatedly in the legs and other parts of his body with batons. At times, Santos-Lopez shouts back, but what he is saying is unclear.

    Chief James McDonnell said three videos captured the initial fight involving the suspect and his subsequent engagement with police. A fourth captured him lying on the ground.

    "It is too early to make any judgments.... The YouTube video is certainly disturbing. Any time you see someone hit with the baton, there is level of discomfort," he said, noting that the investigation is ongoing.

    "A thorough investigation is underway," he added. "Each action of the officers will be evaluated fully."

    Long Beach police said officers used stun guns on the man and delivered baton blows to his arms and legs and possibly his torso to gain compliance.

    The department trains officers to avoid the head, neck, throat, kidneys and groin, areas likely to cause permanent damage, officials said.

    "The baton and the Taser are tools for us to use and get a combative subject into custody," Long Beach Police Sgt. Aaron Eaton said. "In this case, the suspect was adamant that he was not going to roll over onto his stomach.

    "When you look at the initial video, it just doesn't look good," Eaton continued. "We want to refrain from using that judgment on a first impression."

    Santos-Lopez's live-in girlfriend, Lee Ann Hernandez, said Wednesday that he had been acting different lately.

    "He's not the one to go out and fight," Hernandez said. "His mind was probably agitated and he wasn't himself."

    She said he started hearing voices and "seeing" people in their home who weren't there.

    "He thinks my late husband is here," she said. "He thinks he's angry and he's trying to hurt him."

    Hernandez said Santos-Lopez has a drinking problem and that she had asked police several times to get him psychiatric treatment. Police officials could not immediately verify her claims.

    Santos-Lopez will be booked after his release from the hospital, where he was being treated for a broken arm and other injuries, Hernandez said.

    The officers involved in the incident remained on duty Wednesday and a standard use-of-force investigation has begun, Eaton said.

    Copyright 2013 - Los Angeles Times

    McClatchy-Tribune News Service

    Continue Reading

    Miami-Dade Police Officer Injured in Crash with Armed Robbery Suspects

    Man Allegedly Sets Off Small Bomb Outside Ariz. Police Station

    Sponsored Recommendations

    Whitepaper: A New Paradigm in Digital Investigations

    July 28, 2023
    Modernize your agency’s approach to get ahead of the digital evidence challenge

    A New Paradigm in Digital Investigations

    June 6, 2023
    Modernize your agency’s approach to get ahead of the digital evidence challenge.

    Listen to Real-Time Emergency 911 Calls in the Field

    Feb. 8, 2023
    Discover advanced technology that allows officers in the field to listen to emergency calls from their vehicles in real time and immediately identify the precise location of the...

    2022 Transparency and Trust Report - Public Safety & Community Relationships

    Nov. 16, 2022
    Veritone releases its 2022 Law Enforcement Transparency and Trust Report delivering Five Key Findings of Community Sentiment on Policing

    Voice your opinion!

    To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Officer, create an account today!

    I already have an account

    Latest in Investigations

    Video Cameras

    i-PRO Announces Revolutionary New AI On-site Learning Camera Line that Adds AI to Non-AI Cameras

    i-PRO Americas Inc.
    Nov. 21, 2023
    Alexandru Cuznetov | Dreamstime.com
    Firearms

    Ala. Police Officer Shot in Leg When Standoff Turns into Shootout

    Nov. 21, 2023
    Minnesota Department of Corrections
    Investigations

    U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Ex-Mpls. Police Officer Derek Chauvin's Appeal

    Nov. 21, 2023

    Most Read

    Deadline Extended for 2023 OFFICER Station Design Awards Nominations

    Baltimore County Police Train in 'Green Lab' to Spot Pot Impairment

    Man with Rifle Shot after Following Calif. Police Officer Near Station

    Sponsored

    Listen to Real-Time Emergency 911 Calls in the Field

    Officer
    https://www.facebook.com/officercom
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/officer-com
    https://twitter.com/officercom
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Do Not Sell or Share
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    © 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
    Endeavor Business Media Logo