Marlene Pinnock Case Summary

A video clip was upload on YouTube on July 1, 2014, recorded a California Highway Patrol Officer (Daniel Andrew) sitting on top of an African-American woman, later identified as Mrs. Marlene Pinnock (51) and consecutively hitting the victim in the face and head. According to the Associated Press, Ms. Marlene Pinnock was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and no medical treatment during 2-3 months before the incident. Officer Andrew said Mrs. Pinnock was self-endangering herself and other drivers and vehicles while walking on a sidewalk of the crowded moving highway in west Los Angeles, CA (ABDOLLAH, T, 2014).

However, according to CNN News, a motorist David Diaz, who recorded the video clip, reported that Officer Andrew had approached her from

the back as Ms. Pinnock continues to walk away toward the road. Diaz said the officer pulls the woman, then wrestled her and pulled her down to the ground before he consecutively punches on her face and head (AP News). A few minutes later, his partner’s officer arrived at the scene and helped him handcuff the woman. In an interview with Marlene Pinnock according to L.A Times, she said that she did nothing to provoke the officer. Pinnock said she was walking to find a place to sleep that night when the officer approached behind her. As Pinnock screamed, “he pulled me back and threw me on the ground” (Parker, R., 2014). However; according to CNN News, California High Patrol (CHP) dispatcher disputed that prior to the physical altercation there has been a report in CHP logs that the woman was indeed ignored the officer commands and became "physically combative" (Moshtaghian, A., 2014).

In Ms.

Pinnock case medical result has showed from her medical test after she was hospitalized showed, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a manic depression disorder after the incident occurred (PARKER, R., 2014). Officer Andrew told the press that the woman was endangering herself "upon contacting the subject she was talking to herself. The subject began telling me 'I want to walk home' and called me 'the devil.' The subject then tried to walk into traffic lanes (CBS News)”. In an interview with Mrs. Pinnock, she said "He grabbed me, he threw me down, he started beating me, he beat me. I felt like he was trying to kill me, beat me to death," Pinnock told the Associated Press (Jauregui, A., 2014). Mrs. Pinnock told the LA Times The officer "just started punching me and socking me and beating me," Pinnock said. "Blow after blow and blow after blow. He just wouldn't stop." (Parker, R., 2014). CHP Commissioner, Joe Farrow responded to news, "When this incident occurred, I promised that I would look into it and vowed a swift resolution. Today, we have worked constructively to reach a settlement agreement that is satisfactory to all parties involved," Farrow said in his statement (Parker, R., 2014). The incident was resolved on September 24, 2014, after nine hours of negotiations between Mrs. Pinnock attorney and CHP in court in Los Angeles. Accordingly, the victim will receive compensation of $ 1.5 million as a settlement, while Officer Andrew will be force to resign from

the CHP (CBS News). Although the incident was resolved on Wednesday 24, September, Officer Andrew will be prosecuted as a result of the investigation has been turned over to prosecutors in Los Angeles, California according to L.A Times (Parker, R., 2014).

I have seen the video clip on YouTube and I have no sympathy for that officer, after I observed him assaulting the homeless woman and did not attempt stop, until an unknown driver sprinted over and hindered him. From Andrew report seem like as if he wanted to stop the woman action from endangering herself and the drivers on the road, but that video was critical. The video literally recorded him sitting on top of her, punched her in the face and head at least nine or ten times. And as an officer with professionally trained in combative skill he can easily injure her and even killed her. I agreed with the court sentence and I believe he don’t deserve to be a police officer, due to the fact that he is representing the law enforcement with his uniform on and by his action he had displeased the public, and lost the trust in the people.

The major concern with today society policing is the police management strategy.

It has always been a major concern with the U.S citizen because of issues like discrimination and brutality. After many assessments and special training, many departments have formed special units within their department to deal with particular crime as a strategy to reduce work load and prevent officers from becoming burnout. Regardless of arguments offered in support of racial profiling as an enforcement tool, the practice has been widely condemned as being contrary to basic ethical principles, and national public opinion polls conducted by the Gallup Organization show that more than 80% of respondent are morally opposed to the practice of racial profiling by the police, although beliefs about the use of racial profiling vary widely by race (Schmalleger, F.2014)

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The current impact of racism existing is currently a minor concern compared to the police involving in racial profiling and brutality. As we look closer to the problem exists in the behavior of police and judicial system tolerating the police for such behavior. Many believe that the reason why the police engage in racial profiling is because the court is allowing that to happen. In a public pronouncement before the court, the judges expressed their concern toward the racial profiling happen with the law enforcement, but did not address the issue with tolerating racist bias activities in public. According to Dempsey, the three basic forms of racisms are open racism, covert racism and violent racism all express a form of hatred towards distinct ethnic groups. Open racism is an expression of racial thought and speech. Open racists’ expresses their views through strictly persuasionary tactics. Covert racism is an idea of racism in disguised forms; sometimes the covert racist do not aware of the fact that is racist. Violent racism promotes through violence, fear, and persuasionary tactics. However, these groups usually claim that they do not promote violence, and therefore these groups are protected by the First Amendment because of insufficient evidence exists to prove their violent acts. (Dempsey, J.,1999).

In my opinion, I think it is very difficult to address the racial bias issue in the people because no matter what the law said there is always behavior that is not according with the law. However, I do believe racial profiling based on ethnic characteristics should be addressed somehow. As a minority as myself, I want to have my constitutional rights and same equality as everyone else, regardless of social conflict or circumstances. Another major concern is multicultural understanding is very important in law enforcement because members of minority and ethnic groups account for more than one-third of American. Scientists predict that members of minorities will make up a large part of the U.S population by year the 2050. One of the most critical issues for the police in the last three decades was tension and often hostile upright between the police and ethnic minority groups. In the past few decades, minorities’ representation has increased significantly in many big U.S police departments. However, minorities are still underrepresented in many U.S police departments.
The impact of cultural diversity in law enforcement is hard to uphold. The recruitment and selection process of police officers is not too intense. Every state and police department varies and police requirements are candidate be at least 18 years old with a High school diploma or GED required with no previous experience. Have a valid driver license, U.S. citizenship, no felony, convictions, or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. Candidate will then need to pass the extensive drug and background check along with the psychological screening. Lastly, candidate must achieve and maintain the Peace Officer Standards and Training Depending on the agency. The standard that set inside the police department does not mean it serve justice in the eyes of public because of the expectation from the people are always more. However, I feel that the requirement to become an officer from many police departments is still very low standard. I feel that the requirement to become a police officer, candidate should be at least 21 years of age with a Bachelor degree or military experience or any experience related to policing and public services.