Should the Birmingham Police Officers have been fired?

They should have never fired those guys. The suspect tried to run them over with his van. He deserved what he got.

Mayor Langford and the Birmingham Police department took the correct steps in terminating the officers employment....regardless of the mans actions, thier job is to protect and serve the public...they do not have the right to choose whom to protect....innocent or guilty...

They have a right to protect themselves. And that guy was a threat. It's nice in hindsight to say oh he was knocked out. But first on the scene moments after he tries to run me over. I'm going in on the offensive.

They are just making Alabama look worse. We are already know for racist cops and this looks really bad. I would be upset if someone tried to hit me with a van but that is in no way an excuse to use excessive force. They have a job to do and they aren't UFC fighters. They should conduct themselves in a manner that should be admired not beat an unconsious man after he is thrown out of a car. 5 on 1 when he isn't fighting back? yeah they should be fired AND prosecuted.

I love how easy it is to be self righteous when you get to watch the video on the news. 30 seconds of video and everyone's calling for the firing squad. These guys were doing their jobs protecting YOU from a reckless asshole who endangered the lives of everyone on the road that day. You should be thanking them.

It's easy for you to say they were wrong when it wasn't you or your partner that the suspect tried to injure or perhaps kill. The video plainly shows him hitting an officer with his van, what if it been a loved one of yours, I bet the feelings would change. These officers were the first on the scene and the driver had already shown a complete disregard for public safety and the lives of these officers so they responded in a offensive manner, until they noticed he was unconsious. Until you have been in their shoes don't judge them. And now you can sleep safely at night knowing that there are five less officers protecting you.

This guy is going free now to potentially do this again because of their actions. Bottom line...they didn't do their job and when you don't do your job you get fired. I would feel even more angry if he does this again and it is my loved ones that get hurt because these officers couldn't control themselves and helped him walk free.

And beating an unconscious man who is obviously not fighting back doesn't protect me in any way.

There is no excuse what so ever for five police officers beating and kicking an unconscious man.

For all those people that say they are glad that the cops were fired. I challenge you to strap on the bullet proof vest, put on the duty belt, and lace up your boots. Walk a mile in a cops shoes and see how you would react in this situation... Just remember the next time you complain about a slow response time from the police department, there are five less people to help you.

The focus here is not (and should not be) on the actions of the offender, but on those of the officers. We don't allow policemen a lot of room to screw up - for good reasons.

One, they are authority figures - and should act accordingly. They should be setting the example rather than breaking the rules. Most of them set a fine example. But when the few who abuse their authority (for lack of ability to control themselves, or whatever reason) are discovered, they must be disciplined. That's what you would expect any employer to do when an employee acts against company policy.

Secondly, there will likely be a civil suit against officers and the city for injuries sustained in the beating, so if they didn't fire the officers, it would hurt the city's case. In other words, cost the city hundreds of thousand of dollars at the minimum.

So I see TWO good reasons for them to have been fired, and NO good reasons for them remain on the force.

Cops are servants, here to Serve and Protect! NOT to judge and/or prosecute by any means. The van accidentally swerved and over corrected, however even if it was intentional, their job was to apprehend, PERIOD! Then let the system (as thoroughly corrupt as it is) take over. These cops are haters as most are trained to be today, they hate their masters and think we are to answer to them. The police state is here because these immature skinheads aren't man enough to honor their own sworn oaths (their own word is worthless) to the state and federal Constitiutions, which they pledged to uphold. They spit on it, the flag and we their masters.

So many people biased against cops. Cops protect you. What if you or your baby had been on the road that day. When that evil man was driving around crashing into people. What if he had a gun? He tried to KILL a police officer with his car. Cops had to act quickly to protect themselves and the people on the road. They did the right thing. God bless the cops. To many soft people unwilling to stand up for justice.

They were right in what they did. This SOB tried to kill them with his van. He should be put on trial for attempted murder

these ex-pigs, should be fired / no pay, and be prosecuted. how do you justify beating an unconcious man, this guy goes to prison, and these pigs probably won't, that is an injustice.

They shouldve been fired and no longer able to be police officers any where else I just wonder if Our New police chief is involved in it he came to our town last year. makes you wonder it he may be part of the trouble there.....

Police think that they are above everyone else and seem to think that the people in the town or what ever should fall to their knees and let them be treated as if they are a nobody. What the man did was wrong by all means but they had no right to beat him. He could have been dead or something worst and the beating could have made matters worst. I wonder if Charles Rafford is involved and thats the reasin he has moved to a small town like ours...........

that exactly what i was thinking, what if they guy has broken his neck, and these idiots are beating his head around.

Kudos to Mayor Langford and Chief Roper. The people who tampered with the video or any other evidence need to go DOOWWWN as well. The tampering of the evidence disturbs me more than the grotesque beating that occured in the heat of the moment. Tampering with evidence is intentional! That is why justice in Jefferson and Shelby County has become a running JOKE! Something needs to be done to stop this kind of mishandling of evidence in Shelby and Jefferson County. Serious JAIL TIME should face those that stoop to the intentional tampering and misrepresentation of evidence. Stop the JUSTUS and strive for JUSTICE!

The man that was beaten was unconscious. What was the reason for force? He posed NO danger to anyone. The five officers stopped being police officers when they struck the first blow, their actions looked malicious. Their badge and uniforms mean something very specific.

When someone is fleeing at high speeds in the city, it is law that officers DO NOT PURSUE THEM because it causes that person to speed, weave in and out of traffic and possibly hit pedestrians (& OTHER COPS). tHIS IS LAW BECAUSE IT IS SAFER TO NOT PROVOKE THE DRIVER TO DRIVE IN AN UNSAFE WAY. wE JUST SAW THIS RECENTLY ON THE NEWS WITH bESSEMER pd & hOMEWOOD pd IN SEVERAL "NON-PURSUIT" POLICIES. tHOSE OFFICERS PROVOKED HIM TO DRIVE THAT WAY. wHAT IF THIS GUY HAS A MENTAL HEALTH DISEASE LIKE PARANIOD SCHIZTOPHRENIA AND ACCUTALLY HAD NO REASON TO RUN, UST HIS IRRATIONAL FEARS? ALSO, EVERY OFFICER KNOWS THAT EVEN IN A MINOR WRECK, YOU DON'T MOVE THE PERSON, LET ALONE BEAT THEM UP, UNTIL MEDICAL HELP ARRIVES!!!

they are so wrong for beating that man and he was not doing anything. like larry said two wrongs don't make a right and we all lerned that as a child.i tell mt kids that everyday and its sad that the grown ups are not sticking to it. what if that man was dead if he fliped out of that car.

Jake and Beth: You 2 must enjoy all the crime in Bham because you sure don't support those who are trying to stop it!! Am I the only one who did NOT find the video shocking? It was the part where the suspect tried to run over the officer that did shock and offend me - absolutely NO respect for the police! I say you lose all your rights when you do something like that!!! Give them their pensions and jobs back!!

I only wish I'd been there when this jerk wrecked, I'd have helped beat his ass and hope his neck was broke.

I agree that you should not judge until you have walked a mile these officer's shoes. On a daily basis, they face life or death situations protecting citizens of this state. It was very obvious to me how quickly (10 seconds!) they stopped hitting the suspect as soon as they realized he was indeed no threat, but how did they know that immediately? Everything looked like it happened so fast, the suspect was known for carrying a weapon, and if anyone noticed the suspect's hands were not where the officers could tell if he had a gun. FACTS: we only know what the media tells us, a lot of people are claiming they know nothing about it, but if these guys were truely guiltly, they would have been fired last January. Congratulations guys on getting another menace to society off the streets and keeping my family safer.

Bravo,John. Take into account that these officers are human, unlike the useless peice of garbage they pursued that day. A person like this, who has no regard for ANYTHING derserves to have a little steam blown off on him.

This is so crazy and out of control. Kudos again to Mayor Langford and Cheif Roper with swift action in this matter. This guy, while no angel would have been dealt with, but this chase from the beginning to end is crazy, and there is more to come out on this story. I understand the policemen were hyped up, especally after their fellow officer almost got hit when the van swerved around that car, but they still need to put their emotions in check point blank.

I think they got what they deserved. He was unconscious. Is there not any rules about dangerous police chases in alabama

Put yourself in their shoes. Understand training. How many " World's Wildest Police Chases" have you seen where the car flips multiple times and the subject pops up and starts running? How were they to know he was not faking? Many officers have lost their life by falling for "playing possum" or not using their training. It was only seconds, and watching something that real allows for it to seem longer. Once it became evident that he was not resisting it appeared the beating subsided. Also, watch the full 22 minute chase on www.al.com. This character acted with reckless abandon through out the entire process.

Ask yourself, who would you rather respond to your house on a break-in call? These officers, or someone too afraid to do their job because the uninformed will judge them and end their career?

It seems we have gone back to the 1950s with Bull Connor tactics. I'm almost afraid to drive into Birmingham now, afraid that if I get stopped for a traffic violation, I could get beaten to death on the side of the road. It's not the job of the police to try to be the judge right there on the side of the road, and carry out your sentence right there on the spot.

Roger, you're exactly right. And that's why the police do not do that. You are probably the guy that may be seen on the news, or voiced in the local rag, saying that the police did not respond fast enough when you called them when you heard unusual noises in your backyard.

These officers clearly demonstrated 1960 behavior. The man was clearly not moving, why would you run at him swining. I tell you what lay all 5 officers down and allow 5 men beat them. Yes this young man was wrong, that is why we arrest and file charges and let the court system do it's job. This makes Birmingham, Al look like we have not overcome and police still do what ever they want to. This behavior and profiling has always been there, it was just caught on tape and now shared with the world.

Those officers should have been fired after beating an unconscious man.
If they were so concerned for their safetyafter the accident, why didn't they approach the suspect with drawn guns? The officer who was hit by the suspects car was out of line ,too.
Why would he place himself in the path of amoving vehicle to place a spike on the roadway? I hope the suspect's attorney can get him a new trial as he
was falsely accused of injuring a policeman. That policeman caused his own injury.

I think the officers were a lil excessive, but don't feel they should have lost their jobs. Punishment is needed, but not that. People really & truly have no regard & respect for law enforcement officers, policemen, troopers, etc. It is a hard job & unfortunate events occur. I am just glad he did N O T cripple or kill that Hoover P D Officer. If this suspect is set free, how is to say he will not continue w/ a life of crime & next time he may severly injure a citizen, officer, etc. Everybody want heaven, but no one wants to die.

The man should not have been running from the police officer. If you do the crime then don't try to escape the punishment. the officer should have been fired, and they should do time for what they did. They're not above the law. If we as private citizen was caught on tape doing such and act we would go to jail and lose our jobs.

THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE FIRED ALL FIVE THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OFFICERS THAT DID NOT DO ANYTHING THEY DID NOT HAVE A CHOICE IN BEING IN THE CHASE. THEY COULD NOT SAY HEY LET ME OUT OF THE PATROL CAR. THE MAN WAS DOING SOMETHING WRONG HE THEN JUMPED IN A CAR AND TOOK OFF. IF HE WAS SO INNOCENT THEN WHY RUN..HE WOULD HAVE JUST PROBABLE HAVE GOTTEN A TICKET BUT HE MADE A CHOICE AND DECIDED TO RUN. NOW HE GETS TO SPEND HE TIME IN PRISON FOR TRYING TO KILL SOMEONE..THE OFFICER HE RAN OVER HAS CRUSHED FEET AND LEG..HE CANNOT WALK THANKS TO MR WARREN

AND YOU SAY WHERE IS HIS RIGHTS...WELL HE LOST ANY RIGHTS WHEN HE DECIDED TO MAKE A RUN FOR IT.

What is so sad is that we don't thank the police officers that protect and serve us on a daily basis. Most of the time we criticize and be little the very persons that protect our comunities and families. We scream for their help and protection when we are the ones that are in danger and then condem them for the very services we require of them.

These police officers were placed in a very unique situation by a known criminal who ran because he didn't want to be punished for his crimes. He didn't run because he was scared he made a decision to flee because he didn't want to be caught.

Thank god that children and other innocent persons were not injured in accidents because of the reckless decision that this CRIMINAL made. This is not a law abiding citizen that was attacked this WAS A CRIMINAL pure and simple.

Truly the officers may be viewed by the Criminal and those that are like minded as at fault for their actions. However, they are HEROS that were placed in a difficult situation that most of us would never want to be placed in. They reacted quickly and decisively to a bad situation and their actions in hindsite may appear to those that were not there as overly agressive. However, if they were at fault then continued training and retraining for them would have been a more just punishment than termination.

The Mayor of Birmingham needs to keep his mouth shut about things and matters that he truly does not understand. Mayor Langford is only using this situation to gain media time and attention. Mayor Langford hates the very police officers that protect and serve the City of Birmingham and his hate is a large part of the reason the fine officers of Birmingham get no support from the very communities that they serve.