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.

  • Guy_Fieris_Hair@lemmy.world
    918·
    3 months ago

    Fuck it, I’ll say it… if you have a medical trait that makes it risky to do high intensity exercises, don’t take up a career that requires high intensity exercise. The law suit should be directed at the person that did his pre-employment physical and OK’d him to work. Firefighters get physicals and have physical agility tests, cops get physicals and have physical agility tests, as do paramedics (to an extent). The jobs require it in emergency situations so they shake you out in controlled situations. It is what it is. Don’t let your hatred of cops make you gloss over that fact. If they targeted him in any way it is a valid complaint and if their agility test isn’t certified they can get in trouble, but it exists for a reason. If he couldn’t hang, they should have removed him.

      • Guy_Fieris_Hair@lemmy.world
        57·
        3 months ago

        I would venture to say that a cop that can’t out fight a criminal is more likely to reach for his gun… but I have zero data to back that up, just common sense.