Yakima Police Officer Who Kicked Teen at Fair Won't Face Charges

A Yakima police officer who was videotaped kicking a 17-year-old boy who had been pepper-sprayed will not face criminal charges.

Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney Joe Brusic said “I hereby find that YPD Officer Cole reasonably believed he had to utilize this push kick to control (the boy) and bring a prompt resolution to the situation to preserve his and others safety,” Brusic wrote in a three-page letter. “His use of force, namely the pepper spray and one kick to the back, was reasonably and necessarily used to enforce compliance with his commands and to prevent further injury from all involved and/or watching the fight.”

But that may not be the last word, as the attorney representing the boy said the family will file a claim against the city.

“Our version of what happened is the truth, and that is not changing because of the efforts of the police department to justify their misconduct,” said Yakima attorney Bill Pickett.

Pickett also renewed his calls for an independent civilian review board to look into such complaints, rather than having the police investigate its own officers.  (Yakima Herald, October 18, 2018)
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Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.