Do Street Medics Have a Duty to Intervene to Stop Police Violence?

When a police officer brutalized a trespassing suspect by holding a gun to his head, pistol whipping and choking him for more than 30 seconds, his partner stood by and did nothing. Due to her lack of action, she lost her job, was sentenced to six months of house arrest, and will carry a criminal record for the rest of her life. (https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tasneemnashrulla/aurora-police-arrested-pistol-whipping-choking)

Duty to intervene laws for police officers are relatively new, with most enacted since the 2020 death of George Floyd. At least seven states have laws that require a witnessing officer to intervene when excessive force is being used and, in some cases, to report the incident. Other laws restrict the use of physical methods for restraining suspects and mandate training.

So far, these laws do not apply to firefighters, paramedics and other emergency responders outside of law enforcement, but it’s possible they could in the future.

In the meantime, it is worth asking why someone would stand by silently when something inappropriate is taking place right in front of them.

(https://www.ems1.com/ems-management/articles/do-fireems-personnel-have-a-duty-to-intervene-when-excessive-force-is-used-NGxJqyeuQdfbVvkN/)



As street medics do we have a duty to intervene to stop police violence and excessive force?

Whatever the law says in theory, if you attempt to physically intervene to stop police violence and excessive force, in practice you will be restrained and arrested as well, so you will be unable to help. You might also have the police blaming your intervention for any bad outcome for the original arrested person.

You can however be a witness to any police violence that you see, and record it whenever possible. Document the injuries of victims of police violence, and provide first aid and care to individuals not in police custody.