smo,

I find that the perception of something, whether it be a video, picture, hearsay, etc., is an extremely powerful thing. In going through Ethics Training with the City for Neighborhood Council, they highlight the power of perception throughout it. Even if something is legal, if it could be perceived to look phishy, then we should not do it.

Now, that Ethics Training was not made for LAPD, rather it was for elected officials and upper management for Conflict of Interest policies.

But what can we take from that and apply to this video? Yes, punching a suspect in the face does not look good. Yes, the man had bruises and cuts on his face. But was that from the punching or from when he was tripped when the LAPD officers were chasing him? Is it okay for the officers to trip and tackle a suspect who is running away from the police? I do not know the answer to that, but having a 19 second video tells one story. There are many other stories in this that make up the larger picture here.

As a percussionist in college, one technique I learned from a graduate student, who I view as a sage of drumming, taught me about large recoils for soft strikes. The audience thinks you are going to make a loud noise, but what you produce is a solid pianissimo. That's a little bit out there, but there is a lot of psychology in psyching out someone for that distraction technique.

In the end, I agree with our Mayor:

I am troubled by the video images that became public today. Over the years, I have come to realize that video images may not be all that they appear to be at first blush, or tell the whole story. I have, however, asked the Chief and the Inspector General to ensure a swift and thorough investigation of this matter.

If, after a full and complete investigation it is determined that a misuse of force has occurred, the public and the men and women of the LAPD have a right to expect that the full weight of the law will be applied.