DENVER (AP) – A police recruit who had to have both legs amputated after losing consciousness and repeatedly collapsing during combat training at the Denver police academy is suing those he accuses of forcing him to continue a “barbaric hazing ritual” after paramedics ignored warning signs. .
Victor Moses, 29, alleged in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that aggressive officers beat him several times in the second round of last year’s “fight day,” one of which pushed him off the mat and caused his head to hit the floor. He said he was forced to continue, with officers picking him up and standing him back up, before paramedics standing by were asked to check on him, the lawsuit said.
Moses told us that he has sickle cell trait, which makes him prone to medical complications due to high intensity exercise. He also said he had low blood pressure and complained of leg cramps, according to the lawsuit. These symptoms are warning signs for those who are suffering from the disease.
However, the paramedics released Musa to return to training, which the lawsuit says was a decision to support the police.
The type of training described in the lawsuit is common in the United States and helps prepare recruits for possible scenarios while on patrol, said Ian Adams, assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina. Minor injuries are common and recruits occasionally die, often due to underlying medical conditions, he said.
The Denver Police Department declined to comment on the allegations, saying it does not talk about pending litigation. Calls and emails seeking comment were also left with the city attorney’s office; and Denver Health, a hospital where paramedics work.
All recruits must complete training to prepare physically and mentally for the fights they may encounter on the road. It includes having recruits punch and kick dummies or trainers holding pads, using padded batons to fight trainers, wrestling and practicing to catch suspects who assault people, according to the lawsuit.
The legal action alleges that the practice is a trivial ceremony that recruits must go through in order to be accepted into the police “fraternity.”
The lawsuit also says the training teaches recruits that excessive force is “officially tolerated, and indeed culturally desirable.”
Moses’ attorneys, John Holland and Darold Killmer, say that mindset has nurtured a violent police force and led to lawsuits costing Denver millions of dollars.
“Fight Day both encourages Denver police to be violent and careless about the injuries they cause,” Holland said.
The lawsuit states that paramedics cleared Musa to resume training on January 6, 2023 even though he could not stand or walk to the next round – wrestling. However, a coach came to Moses and climbed on top of him. The recruit then said he couldn’t breathe, became unresponsive and was taken to a hospital, according to the lawsuit.
“If this had been a football game or a boxing match, the head injury and loss of consciousness would stop any continued participation or direct fighting,” argued Moses’ lawyer.
The lawsuit alleges that Musa was actually in police custody after he was unable to and was the victim of excessive force because the training continued without him being able to give his consent.
Moses used to spend his free time going to breweries and hiking with friends, but now he’s confined to his apartment in Denver. He’s learning to walk again with a prosthetic, but can’t charge it electronically because his hand is broken. Despite taking powerful opioids, he lives with the constant phantom pain of a limb that no longer exists.
The former car rental manager wanted to become a police officer because he thought it would be a more interesting and rewarding career for someone who likes to connect with people.
When Musa was finally taken to the hospital, the lawyers said the police misled the doctors by not telling them that he had hit his head on the floor, and that the doctors could have given him a compromise.
Musa stayed in the hospital for over four months, had both legs amputated below the knee and underwent surgery in July to try to restore the grip on one hand.
Now he wonders what would have happened if the police had simply stopped the exercise.
“I more than likely can still have my legs. I more than likely can still have my sanity. I can be a policeman if you don’t bother us,” he told The Associated Press.