Taser Assault on Prisoner Was Not Needed

Denver police today released a tape of an officer assaulting a handcuffed prisoner with a Taser in a jail cell.

Kenneth Rodriguez, 47, of Tucson, Ariz., was arrested in January 2006 at a disturbance at a north Denver bar.

He was handcuffed and accompanied by three officers when one, Officer Randall Krouse, pressed the stun gun to Rodriguez's neck and fired.

Krouse said in his report that Rodriguez acted aggressively at the station and had to be stunned with a Taser gun.

Krouse's report said Rodriguez pushed a reserve officer into a wall.

Denver's Independent Police Monitor Richard Rosenthal investigated the case and said it didn't happen that way.

Andrew over at Wash Park Prophet said it nicely:

Denver's best efforts to deal with abusive law enforcement personnel are disappointing, as illustrated by the recent case of Denver Officer Randall Krouse.

Offense: Applies a Taser to the neck of Kenneth Rodriguez of Tucson, Arizona after making a racially charged remark. "Understando Taser?" Krouse is heard saying to Rodriguez, who was uncooperative but not assaulting the officers in anyway.

Result: Suspended for 60 days.

When a primarily culpable, racist, violent bad cop who also lies in a criminal case producing a false conviction gets only a 60 day suspension, the police discipline system is deeply broken. This isn’t even plausibly a case of mere negligence.

With rogue officers like Randall Krouse on the force, and soon to be back on the streets, I don't feel safe.

Rocky Mountain News