Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
WRM20. Cops are on a hair trigger and what was once acceptable questioning by a citizen is risky.
Here's why:
This cop was performing a routine traffic stop. Newer Ford Fusion clean and dry pulls up next to the cop. A citizen looking for directions? Not a chance. Instead, a man armed with a camp hatchet and ready to attack opens the driver's door and charges the officer...
The cop has his gun already out of his holster (during a routine stop) and shoots the guy 6 times. That is what these cops are dealing with....and its the reason a reasonable man got yanked out of his truck, tasted beaten and arrested. He will win his lawsuit in court.
Be aware. If you are pulled over, hands on the wheel. engine off and yes sir no sir.
It is a harsh world.
I've seen the hatchet video. I saw it that the cop did not have his firearm in hand, but was able to draw and fire very quickly. And was a good shot, which is not always the case. At my rifle club, nearly all the homes in the overhead and tables are from cops paying stupid pistol tricks, at least in the past. In other videos, I've noticed that police still tend to shoot far too quickly to be aiming, and do not always take the downrange area into account. That's a training thing, which requires money, which no one wants to spend.
I don't think the guy in Weatherford was reasonable. He refused to obey the commands given by the officer(s), and was treated the way I would expect. I doubt he will win his case if it goes to trial. He may win of the City settles.
As an aside, I fixed the typos in your post(the red squiggles were annoying) except for the bolded word "tasted". That made it pretty funny, and evoked an image of one of the cops biting the guy as they took him down. Hey, if the K9 isn't there, someone has to play the part
I've seen the hatchet video. I saw it that the cop did not have his firearm in hand, but was able to draw and fire very quickly. And was a good shot, which is not always the case. At my rifle club, nearly all the homes in the overhead and tables are from cops paying stupid pistol tricks, at least in the past. In other videos, I've noticed that police still tend to shoot far too quickly to be aiming, and do not always take the downrange area into account. That's a training thing, which requires money, which no one wants to spend.
I don't think the guy in Weatherford was reasonable. He refused to obey the commands given by the officer(s), and was treated the way I would expect. I doubt he will win his case if it goes to trial. He may win of the City settles.
As an aside, I fixed the typos in your post(the red squiggles were annoying) except for the bolded word "tasted". That made it pretty funny, and evoked an image of one of the cops biting the guy as they took him down. Hey, if the K9 isn't there, someone has to play the part
I agree with this. Training is one of the most important things we should be investing in.
Idiot should be looking to get charges against those cops and sue them. Cops cant just beat you because they dont like what you are doing.
The cops did nothing wrong in the video. The man failed to obey lawful commands and resisted arrest. This is what happens when you get stopped, jump out of the car and start arguing with police. You might think it's reasonable to do that, but what the driver did is how bad situations involving running, attacking police, tossing evidence, etc start. Nothing gets the attention of an officer like jumping out of the car at them.
The time to check the tail light was AFTER the ticket had been issued, and the police had left the scene. One of my brothers in law, who drove a tow truck for decades told "You are going to get the ticket. Nothing you can do is going to change the cops mind. Be pleasant, do what the officer(s) says, and argue about it in court." That advice is a good guide to not getting tased and arrested.
The cops did nothing wrong in the video. The man failed to obey lawful commands and resisted arrest. This is what happens when you get stopped, jump out of the car and start arguing with police. You might think it's reasonable to do that, but what the driver did is how bad situations involving running, attacking police, tossing evidence, etc start. Nothing gets the attention of an officer like jumping out of the car at them.
The time to check the tail light was AFTER the ticket had been issued, and the police had left the scene. One of my brothers in law, who drove a tow truck for decades told "You are going to get the ticket. Nothing you can do is going to change the cops mind. Be pleasant, do what the officer(s) says, and argue about it in court." That advice is a good guide to not getting tased and arrested.
Just because the guy didnt handle things properly does not now give the police the freedom to beat the **** out of him. That is where you seem to give cops an inappropriate pass. Its not like, do something wrong and now you can get tazed and beat. You may think that is ok but that is not the law, the police broke the law in this interaction and their policies. The guy should sue and he will most likely get something out of a settlement. You are supporting law breaking.
Just because the guy didnt handle things properly does not now give the police the freedom to beat the **** out of him. That is where you seem to give cops an inappropriate pass. Its not like, do something wrong and now you can get tazed and beat. You may think that is ok but that is not the law, the police broke the law in this interaction and their policies. The guy should sue and he will most likely get something out of a settlement. You are supporting law breaking.
How do you think police should have handled it? Taken him back to look at the light, thus giving him control of the situation? No, that's not how it works. When the officer tells you to get back in the car, and you refuse, that's bad. The driver not only refused to get back in the car as ordered, but when told he was under arrest, he resisted. That is a crime in Texas, even if the arrest is not a good one. Once you resist arrest, all bets are off. Police can use whatever force is necessary to put you in handcuffs and detain you. Here's the Texas resisting arrest law, from the Texas Penal Code:
Sec. 38.03. RESISTING ARREST, SEARCH, OR TRANSPORTATION. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally prevents or obstructs a person he knows is a peace officer or a person acting in a peace officer's presence and at his direction from effecting an arrest, search, or transportation of the actor or another by using force against the peace officer or another.
(b) It is no defense to prosecution under this section that the arrest or search was unlawful.
(c) Except as provided in Subsection (d), an offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
(d) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree if the actor uses a deadly weapon to resist the arrest or search.
The driver is flat out lying when he says he did everything possible to deescalate the situation. He did nothing to deescalate. I have zero sympathy for him.
Taking my life in my hands if I'm pulled over, apparently.
Is it normal for you to pull a gun (fake or real) on cops during a traffic stop?
Also, you didn’t answer my question. How about name a country with totalitarian police state government where the civilians are armed? China? Russia? Cuba? Vietnam? Iran?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
