Cop Comped: Pepper sprayer hits the jackpot.

• Author: Feeney, Matthew
• Position: Citings - Compensation for Lt. John Pike - Brief article

In November 2011, Lt. John Pike, a police officer at the University of California, Davis, was caught on video pepper spraying nonviolent protesters in the face. In October 2013, the Division of Workers' Compensation awarded him $38,035 for the suffering he is said to have endured following the incident.

The footage of Pike attacking the protesters, who were sitting on a sidewalk during a demonstration against tuition increases, quickly went viral, serving as fodder for many memes and parodies. Following the incident, Pike reportedly lived at various locations. He received thousands of angry emails and text...