February 13th, 2008, 22:06 GMT · By Vlad Constandes
Cop Teaches 14-Year-Old Skateboarder a Lesson on YouTube
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Skateboard riding might not be the best thing to do, if you're in a state that prohibits it, the Police will be on the lookout for you. Come to think about it, don't do anything against the law, but that's a different moral lesson, one that has to be taught by the people in charge and by the endless number of movies dealing with cops and lawyers.
The 14-year-old was stopped while skateboarding and then
manhandled with brutality while being yelled at. All of that triggered by a single word: 'dude'. Officer Salvatore Rivieri could not stand that appellative and cracked: "Obviously, your parents don't put a foot in your butt quite enough, because you don't understand the meaning of respect. First of all, you better learn how to speak. I'm not 'man.' I'm not 'dude,' I am Officer Rivieri. The sooner you learn that, the longer you are going to live in this world. Because you go around doing this kind of stuff and somebody is going to kill you." You have to watch the video to get the real feel of the moment, but at some point the policeman seemed to go berserk.
Skateboarding, according to Baltimore Sun, is not allowed in the Inner Harbor area, where the event took place. Filmed with a phone (probably) by one of the child's friends, it ends brusquely when Rivieri turned and asked if "You got that camera on? If I find myself on… [video ends]".
The video brought about the officer's suspension and Sterling Clifford, of the Baltimore Police Department and the mayor's office's spokesmen, said that an internal-affairs investigation has begun. "We have invested a lot of time and energy in having better relations between the community and the police," Clifford said. "The bad behavior of one police officer can jeopardize a lot of hard work."
Officer Salvatore Rivieri has been with the Force for 17 years and does not have citizen complaints in his file. He's not going to have one after this case either, as the boy chose not to say anything.
Cop teaches 14-year-old skateboarder a lesson on YouTube? I don't think so. Seems a lot more like the "cop" was taught a lesson--and literally a lesson on (about) YouTube, as in the abuse of your petty power will be videotaped and put up on YouTube. I can smell the bacon frying!
Comment #2 by: Adam Douglas on 17 Feb 2009, 06:41 UTC
That was a total over reaction by the cop. He should have told them to keep moving or he will have to confiscate their skateboards. People complain about kids staying inside too much playing video games and rising child obesity rates; meanwhile, kids are having their property taken for little reason and are getting accosted by cops. Fund skate parks, not boring after school programs to keep today's youth away from drugs and out of trouble.
Also, perhaps you should rethink your "don't do anything against the law" What would have happened if America's forefathers did not revolt against the British Empire? What about Rosa Parks on the bus? Sometimes laws are unjust and should be broken.
By the way, "out of the roughly 100,000 arrests made in Baltimore each year, approximately 25% of them are made in the absence of chargeable offenses."
-Source: Washington Post
"Baltimore is the 2nd most dangerous city in the U.S. with a population over 500,00 in 2007."
-Source: CNN/Morgan Quinto
It is about time someone scares these little punks!!!!! The kids now a days get away with way to much. No respect what so ever!!!! I commend you Officer Rivieri, Thank You for doing your job!!!!!
Comment #3.1 by: me on 30 Nov 2009, 19:54 GMT
He is not doing his job! Policemen don't get paid to tackle 14 year olds.
Comment #3.2 by: hey on 23 Aug 2010, 20:17 GMT
wow are you serious? some cops today are the most retarted people on the planet. And this cop wasnt doing his job, he was breaking the law by assaulting a freaking fourteen year old kid. The cop should be put in jail for at least 6 months so he can learn a lesson about respect.
Comment #4 by: gaiusgracchus on 30 Apr 2010, 05:55 UTC
It is true the police officer overreacted. However, there are reasons why skateboarding is not allowed in these types of places. Skateboards are EXTREMELY destructive to public structures. They will chip away and destroy concrete -- taxpayers may not want to keep rebuilding walls, curbs, benches, etc.
And yes, the kid was very disrespectful. In spite of this, t he officer should have maintained control and enforced the rules without becoming so angry.
Comment #5 by: sk8inisnotacrime on 25 Jul 2010, 07:26 UTC
Skateboarding is not a crime, skateboarding does not ruin concrete, and i think people just hate them because the need something to hate. and the cop in the video is almost like all cops, power-hungry, they like to take control and command everything, yes the kid was a little disrespectful but this was a highly unnecessary act to take upon kids, i am glad that officer was fired.
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