#title Police Power
#author Liberation News Service
#SORTauthors Liberation News Service;
#date 1969
#source [[https://www.fifthestate.org/archive/73-february-20-march-5-1969/police-power]]
#lang en
#pubdate 2021-08-22
#notes Fifth Estate #73, February 20-March 5, 1969

NEW YORK (LNS)—New York cops are guilty of a regular pattern of arbitrary arrest, physical abuse and courtroom perjury, according to a two-year study recently completed under the auspices of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

The study was conducted by lawyer Paul Chevigny and its findings are published in a new book, <em>Police Power</em>.

One of the most common abuses noted is the arrest of individuals who challenge police authority, even while not committing a crime. If a bystander objects to an arbitrary arrest, the bystander is arrested and falsely charged with disorderly conduct.

And if the dispute results in a cop hitting a bystander, then the citizen is charged with resisting arrest and felonious assault.

<strong><em>FE Editors’ Note</em></strong>: Sounds just like Detroit.