Justified?

Just heard about this, let's just hope the media don't spin this one out of proportion.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/6429569.stm

Personally speaking, if you kick off when I am dealing with you, it doesn't matter to me if you are male or female, young or old, nor does it matter if you are black, white, green or sky blue pink with yellow dots. If you are being aggressive, resisting arrest, and are SPITTING, BITING or (perish the thought) GRABBING at my GENITALS, then I WILL use as much force as I feel is required.

If you watch the footage, the officer does strike the female 5 times, and the officer's statement says that she was spitting, biting and grabbing at his genitals.

Fair enough, but with the magic of hindsight I would, in that officers position, have applied an arm bar and wrist lock (given that the female was already in a prone position on the floor), then use that technique to get the female to comply. By the officer's own admission, he was trying to inflict discomfort to get the female to comply. He just chose to use strikes instead of applying pressure.

The media are going to try and make this out to be some kind of race issue. I don't think race is the issue. I think it is a case of a very drunk individual, behaving in an anti-social manner, gets the tables turned on her and is now crying wolf and playing the race/female card.

The fact she is doing that must be very galling to all the people that have suffered real incidents of racial abuse and violence. Hopefully this facade will be seen for what it is, and the message that needs delivering will get through:

If you chose to go out and act in a drunken aggressive manner, then expect to be dealt with firmly and positively. The community at large needs to be re-assured that violent, drunken anti-social behaviour will be tackled head on, regardless of the perpetrator's sex, age, race, religion etc.

And who is footing the bill for the costs of the female's legal action, I wonder? Oh yes, the bottomless pit that is legal aid, no doubt!

What's the bet that the bobby in the middle of this will be suspended pending the inquiry, whereas the female will be free of any worry of employment discipline? (that's if she has a job in the first place!)

Come on Government, what ever happened to :

Tough On Crime, Tough On The Causes Of Crime?