Police recruit who lost both legs in 'barbaric hazing ritual' sues Denver, paramedics and officers
apnews.com
A police recruit who had to have both of his legs amputated after repeatedly collapsing and losing consciousness during fight training at Denver’s police academy is suing the city, officers and paramedics.

DENVER (AP) — A police recruit who had to have both of his legs amputated after losing consciousness and repeatedly collapsing during fight training at Denver’s police academy is suing those who allegedly forced him to continue the “barbaric hazing ritual” after paramedics ignored warning signs.

Victor Moses, 29, alleges in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that aggressive officers knocked him down multiple times in the second round of “fight day” last year, with one of them shoving him off the mat and causing him to hit his head on the floor. He said he was pressured to continue, with officers picking him up and setting him back on his feet, before paramedics standing by were asked to check him out, the lawsuit said.

Moses told them he had the sickle cell trait, which puts him at an increased risk of medical complications from high-intensity exercise. He also said he had very low blood pressure and complained that his legs were cramping, according to the lawsuit. The symptoms are danger signs for people with his condition.

Nevertheless, paramedics cleared Moses to return to training, which the suit alleges was a decision made to support the police.

  • floofloofEnglish
    1731·
    1 month ago

    Minor injuries are common and occasionally recruits die

    Just ordinary “new job” stuff then. Like any other employer.

    The legal action alleges the practice is an unnecessarily violent rite of passage that recruits have to endure to be accepted into the police “fraternity.” It notes that other recruits suffered injuries before Moses started his drills, including one person whose nose was broken.

    The lawsuit also claims that training teaches recruits that excessive force is “officially tolerated, and indeed culturally expected.”

    Moses’ lawyers, John Holland and Darold Killmer, say that mindset has nurtured a violent police force and led to lawsuits costing Denver millions of dollars.

    “Fight Day both encourages Denver police to engage in brutality and to be indifferent to the injuries they inflict,” Holland said.

    A culture of violence, bullying, and not caring when they hurt or kill people? Surely not. What an utterly absurd accusation to level against the police.

    • n2burns
      42·
      1 month ago

      Minor injuries are common and occasionally recruits die

      Even worse, this quote comes from an assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina. Also, the start of the quote states:

      The type of training described in the lawsuit is common in the United States and helps prepare recruits for scenarios they could face on patrol [emphasis added]

      Maybe I’m being misreading, but I read this as the professor is condoning this type of training. This type of training seems to support the whole “Warrior Ethos” and I know when I left the Canadian Army almost a decade ago, they were trying to eliminate this type of training as higher ups recognized how toxic it is.