Every day, our newsroom reviews many complaints of police brutality and general abuse of power. So many, that often times - and regrettably so - we have to turn victims away. In fact, if you complain of brutality, to get on the news, you have to show proof of it - a sign of recent injury. It's a terrible standard to even have to have but it's necessary because - if we didn't - every night we could have at least three stories of police abuse.

Indeed, we can finesse it how we wish, but the fact is that there are sadistic men in the Police Department, certainly not all of them, not even half or a quarter but a good many who are reckless, racist and rough. Proof of that came to us vividly today when we met San Pedro Resident, 24 year old Ryan Requena. He is a chef on the island, but got caught up in an argument between a husband and wife in New Year's Eve. He says he ended up punching the husband out and that's what led police to his house where they found some marijuana. He says the marijuana was planted but what happened next defies description; in fact the pictures will tell this story.

Ryan Requena,
"They went and planted weed in my house so that they could get me to the station and then they ended up giving my wife bail but they didn't want to give me bail. Then later in the night they beat me, beat me, and beat me - over and over again."

Jules Vasquez,
How long?

Ryan Requena,
"Actually it happened like about two to three hours of beating. They just locked me up in one room, they left and came to beat me, left and came back to beat, and left came back to beat me."

Jules Vasquez,
With what did they beat you?

Ryan Requena,
"They beat me with baton, rubber hose, pepper spray, and a whole bunch of thing."

Jules Vasquez,
Were they asking you anything like if you were involved in something; were they pursuing anything or was it just to punish you?

Ryan Requena,
"They didn't ask any question. It was just straight beating. The man asked me if I wanted revenge and a whole lot of thing and they just beat me."

Jules Vasquez,
Do you feel bitterness, resentment? Do you want revenge?

Ryan Requena,
"I must want revenge because that is not right what happened to me. He could have just charged me, I would paid the money and everything but the man wanted more; he wanted to beat me. It was like a torture they did to me, it wasn't just a beating."

Jules Vasquez,
You are still working?

Ryan Requena,
"I cannot work right now because of the pain I am feeling. I got a month off from work."

Jules Vasquez,
You're still in pain?

Ryan Requena,
"Yes."

Jules Vasquez,
What sort of discomfort?

Ryan Requena,
"Well it is hard to sleep at night because I can't lay down on my back good, my fingers feel numb from the handcuffs."

Requena has made a report to the Internal Affairs Department. Police Press Officer G. Michael Reid confirmed that there is an ongoing investigation by senior officers and that the claim of brutality is being taken seriously. He says the commissioner has made it clear that if there is any evidence of wrongdoing he will take it to full extent of law. As for the officer in question, he is still on active duty.