Bowman Video Beating

No matter how officials with the Louisiana State Police (LSP) try to convey that the agency is not what it is portrayed to be, evidence points to the contrary. The agency is still trying to spin its way out of the horrifying Ronald Greene incident, and now it must answer even more questions concerning police conduct in the wake of Aaron Bowman's alleged beating captured on its own troopers' body cams. Bowman's encounter with a LA State Trooper from the Troop F Division covering northeast Louisiana is just as violent as the unsettling graphic bodycam videos of troopers beating Greene after a high-speed chase where Greene voluntarily surrendered to officers. Greene died the same night that troopers beat him. In videos that had been in LSP custody, Bowman is shown being beaten by Trooper Jacob Brown with his department-issued flashlight. Bowman was struck at least 18 times while he was on the ground surrounded by other officers on the scene before Brown. According to reports, Bowman suffered severe injuries that included a broken jaw, three broken ribs, a broken wrist, and a gash to his head which required six staples to close. Bowman has filed a lawsuit just like the family of Ronald Greene. As a result of both incidents making national headlines in the media coupled with the absence of serious charges that have led to prison time for any officers involved, LSP has come under increased scrutiny by the Department of Justice (DOJ), as it is investigating alleged coverups by ranking LSP officials who had the footage for some time now as the organization allegedly conducted its own thorough investigation. Now thanks to videos uncovered by the AP, we once again get an opportunity to see how out of control some state troopers are and the apparent lack of correction applied to officers by high-ranking brass officials. The agency has a new man at the top who assured the public that he would work to regain the public's trust, as he is well aware of trooper misconduct. It should not be taking two years and counting for there to be a conclusion to the Greene and now Bowman cases. Often, when there are highly controversial cases involving officers, the public is told that the investigation(s) will be transparent, and they(officials) will go where the facts lead them. The public won't know the true facts unless more facts are revealed by new agencies who have the resources to dig just as deep as law enforcement agencies say they will. Just as in the Greene episode, the body cams from police officers show us what happened after a suspect is in custody yet, law officials try to convince the public that whatever force used was necessary when a video questions their findings. As disturbing as the video of Bowman being assaulted is, it is even more disturbing to see other officers just stand by and watch one of their own beat someone with an object that could just as well have killed Bowman. Imagine the outcry if a group of citizens idly stand by and watch a police officer beaten in the same manner. Police departments are public entities that are supposed to serve the public. Too often, when it comes to the police policing itself, the public paying for those public services are left in the dark. The Louisiana State Police agency has a new "superintendent" in town who has gone on record saying that the old ways of doing things are gone. We have seen superintendents of the agency lve during controversial times, and if there is no accounting from the present superintendent, we will know that things haven't changed. Words are one thing. Action is another.