Reply #107: lawful contact doesn't mean violation. If the cop is on the clock on the street ANYBODY HE CONTACTS

[librechik]

in any way is a lawful contact. Like, "see that witness and victim over there bleeding on the street? I wonder if they are legal? I will ask them, even though the perpetrator will get away. He was a white man anyway. The witness and the victim look more dangerous, with their brown skin and messy look..."

or any fucking thing the cop does that makes a human contact while he is in uniform and on the clock.

The wording of the law is too broad. It is trouble. There doesn't have to be probable cause, or a violation. It means "ANY CONTACT" that isn't breaking the law. Like seeing somebody on the street and asking them what they are doing or who they are. That is lawful contact, perhaps becasue the cop didn't club the guy first. That might verge on unlawful...except the cop probably felt quite threatened before he clubbed the guy, so he can say the clubbing was lawful and the victim would have to prove them wrong.

THIS LAW PRESUMES GUILT. And cops cannot be trusted to not abuse it.


Here's a Media Matters link to explain:
http://mediamatters.org/research/201004290024