News-Record.com

he put his hand on the officer's shoulder -- and was taken down, handcuffed, arrested and charged with "assaulting" a government official.

He's 78 years old.

This is just bull. You want an old man "to go to jail for this silly charge!" paraphasing Doug on the quotes

Heck Doug! Just last week you told us that a Police state mind-set was nowhere to be found in the USA! Look on the bright side of this law enforcement issue. At least the old man didn't get tase and have a massive heart attack.

I lived long enough to realize there is two sides to every story. Try as I might, I have been unable to find out any more on this. If it is how you report it, this officer in my opinion should be fired. If the Greensboro Police Department is this out of control, seems you would be calling for the chiefs head!

Boy, good thing you got THIS urban terrorist of the streets! He's far worse than Code Pink,ELF,or PETA combined !!! ............ way to go, heroes........

Are the Greensboro police so ignorant as to assume that a kind gesture by a 78 year old man is considered an assault? Will I be arrested for child abuse if I put a hand on the shoulder of my child or her friend? What happened to common sense and all the training these "government officials" receive? These same "officials" drive like bats out of hell without lights or turn signals but will arrest a 78 year old man because "he touched me". Sounds more like a spoiled brat whining! It is no wonder cities have gang problems. The police are too busy doing the easy work (arresting Mr. Kohanowich or citing drivers for seat belt violations) rather than protecting and serving the public. Toss both the offended cop and the complaint.

Gentlemen, Why didn't a police officer just take the arm of "Pop" Alexander Kohanowich and lead him across the street. As a Marine combat veteran of Vietnam, it is a pleasure to know a real patriot who supports the troops. But really, didn't the Greensboro police over react? The police department contact web site is currently down so could this message please be relayed to them.

Take a minute and look back on the News & Record article dated March 27 titled "Obama talks race, free trade". The article covers the event of Obama coming to town and you will see a picture of Al standing there with his sign. He is SO not a threat. Clearly anyone, including Obama's security people, who I am sure had been watching him for that hour and a half, would have or did perceive him as threat. So, just toss out that "in this post 9/11 bla bla bla..." rhetoric. There is no excuse for this type of action. As a person who lives in that neighborhood, I just wish the police would use half the force they used on Al on the drug dealers, prostitutes, and petty criminals who are always in the area, out in the open. Maybe the crime rate would drop instead of rise. Maybe the cop just felt like winning one without a fight. I must say, sometimes I do enjoy going to chucky-cheese and winning all those arcade tickets!

I walked by the gentleman on my way out of the event and thought about stopping, but I was in a hurry to get back to the office to meet a writing deadline. Now I regret I didn't. I agree he looked totally nonthreatening to anybody. I saw several much scarier-looking individuals on some back streets nearby.

"pop" is a very good friend of mine. I have known him for a long time now and will personally vouch for his character. He is not a criminal just a American with a passion for our country. I don't know anyone who doesn't support our troops. Al has told me that he respects our police department but when I here that he was taken down, handcuffed, arrested and his sign toss in mud, it made me think that there is something terribly wrong with our police department.

Al, Keep up the good work.

The story's now hit the national blogs.

Wow. The police really need to fix this. The sooner the better.

I agree, Doug. How about an update based on the information that the police have released? Pop has not filed a complaint; the investigation so far has shown no use of excessive force; and Pop himself admitted that his actions with the officer were inappropriate. The N&R seems hell-bent on ruining the reputation of every single Greensboro police officer. Case in point: when the pulpit forum held a news conference claiming that Klan-Nazi files were destroyed by the GPD -- information from a source they would not even identify -- it got front page coverage from the N&R. A couple of days ago, -- on B2 -- comes a story about the police investigation of that claim and how there has been NO EVIDENCE found of any wrongdoing. Why not take the pulpit forum to task for this waste of taxpayer money? And why not withhold judgment on the case of Pop Kohanowich until the police finish their investigation? Maybe the officer overreacted and maybe he didn't. Maybe Jeri Rowe's retelling of the incident wasn't exact. For once, let's let the police do their job. Maybe they'll show us that they can be -- and are -- a police department that we can be proud of.

Jeri is planning a follow-up. In the meantime, nothing is stopping the police from telling the public why it was necessary to throw his man to the ground, handcuff him and charge him with assaulting a police officer. Do you seriously think "Pop" will be convicted of that charge? I doubt the DA's office will even bother taking it to court.

This has nothing to do with the Pulpit Forum allegations, about which I personally expressed extreme skepticism on this blog.

The police said they have not completed their investigation. When they do, and they say there is no evidence to support the allegations, I'm sure it will receive bigger play. Critics, however, will state the obvious: The police have investigated themselves and found they did nothing wrong.

Police are reviewing the arrest:

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/NRSTAFF/309603100

and

http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/pressreleases/080403-kohanowich.htm

They've already concluded it didn't involve excessive force.

Good. Now the question is whether there needed to be an arrest.

There certainly doesn't need to be a prosecution.

Even if they action of taking the man to the ground was justified (which I vehemently doubt), after that the cop should have exercised a minimal amound of judgement and just let the guy go. A 78 year old guy holding support the troops signs is a threat? No way.
This is a sign that the attitudes of the police in the nation are changing, and not for the better. I am a polcie supporter but lately I have seen the stories of the police using force first not as a last resort. The most important tool of any cop is his mind, this cop just did not use it.
The police and prosecuters should simply drop the charges.

I am a baby boomer approaching retirement. I have read a few articles about the best places to retire to. Many name North Carolina among the most desirable. After reading about this stupid cop arresting Pop Kohanowich for assaulting him by touching his shoulder, I am scratching NC off my list. What kind of cretins do you folks allow on your police depts? Things such as this make me feel ashamed of our country. Considering all the lunacy in the world today and the violent protests we see elsewhere for the most perverted causes where the police do nothing but look the other way, yet see fit to take down and arrest an old man!!! My god, what have we become?!! I guess your brave, courageous police can't arrest someone a bit more..."spry" (they may get injured arresting such burly folks), so they take on the badass old man instead. Well, officer freindly, come to my house in Kansas and I will be more than happy to knock your teeth out!

Lee, the state of North Carolina shouldn't be held accountable for this incident, especially if matters are set right and the charges are dropped.

Pretty disgraceful and now you are getting national coverage. Congratulations Greensboro!