What do you guys think of this situation? (Justifiable force or cop rage in Leon Valley?) (crime, law)

[ItsTheTruth]

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[Merovee]

The amount of force used for a safety violation is a clear no-no.

The woman was stupid for not listening, during these hard economic times she also had reason that most can sympathize with, but just because she had noble intentions does not make her not wrong for not listening.

Still the woman's fault in this does not remove any from the officer. They both contributed to this situation but the officer is the one we expect to fully control the situation with appropriate force.

As mentioned already by Soviet I too would have helped her push it onto the road and wait for the husband to return. I suppose the economic opportunity to fund the local coffers was more tempting?

In either case a stun gun because of a traffic violation? Grabbing her to forcefully remove her over a traffic violation? There is something called 'levels of coercion' and the officer was simply not justified.

Sure we should always take orders but on the other hand just because we do not want our vehicle towed (and it should not have been, it was not abandoned, had she been waiting for AAA to come help would he have done the same anyways?) that does not give the officer a right to apply that degree of force.

The situation did not call for that. Someone needs to be at the most fired (as Rapscallion said doing so would be akin to admitting guilt on the part of the department and open them up to a lawsuit) or re-trained in public relations at the least.

My personal take: What would have been a worse punishment for the officer? A suspension for failing to file a report? Or....had the report been filed, written in a way that does not corroborate with the camera or witnesses, then how bad would the officer and the department look? Perhaps it was written and tossed in sake of making a 'different version' because those reporters could have latched onto the original report and blown this out of proportion.

Disclaimer: Yes a cover up but that is just my modern mind being cynical and being just another member of the public, while I do appreciate the good work our law enforcement agencies, as an average citizen I also harbor a healthy distrust for how some of the departments attempt to negate any wrongdoing on the part of their own officers. I do get it though....if one cop feels like the chief does not have his back what would happen to morale?

I would rather have the chief though do what is right, responsible, and worry more about the public than his own wrong-doers on the force, and take action, but my healthy distrust tells me that is unlikely to happen.

[ItsTheTruth]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

per your article posted, your "proof" of police misconduct.
blocking traffic at a dangerous location. the police was trying to protect the public, the woman defied the police officer's orders. when he attempted to pull her from the car, she assaulted him-- he did not strike her or harm her-- just tried to move her.
why are you demonizing the police??, do you have an axe to grind with them?

Then he should have arrested her. He didn't. I saw no mention of a ticket either.

He just threatened to taze her. Then he covered up the encounter by not reporting it. Don't you see the difference?

[sapphire]

Originally Posted by Merovee

The woman was stupid for not listening, during these hard economic times she also had reason that most can sympathize with, but just because she had noble intentions does not make her not wrong for not listening.

The boyfriend obviously had money, as he went and purchased gas for the vehicle. So, we should excuse illegal behavior because of the economy? What's your address? I need a big screen TV.

[Merovee]

Money for gas is not the same as having money for an unreasonable tow. Abandoned vehicles get towed. Vehicles that are stalled out but being attended to should not.

I also agree with ItsInTruth. I see the difference.

It is also very likely that the victim in this (the woman) was not very wealthy perhaps and had she been maybe the officer would have had displayed more professionalism? You know had they been in a very luxurious vehicle and waiting for AAA?

[ItsTheTruth]

Originally Posted by sapphire

The boyfriend obviously had money, as he went and purchased gas for the vehicle. So, we should excuse illegal behavior because of the economy? What's your address? I need a big screen TV.

Those people are dirt poor. That's a 15-20 year old Chevy Blazer, probably worth about $500 to $1000. Towing could be 40% of the value of their vehicle.

It doesn't excuse the behavior, you're right. The car should've been pushed out of the way or towed. It wasn't safe there. There is a gas station on the opposite side of the intersection though, so I don't see how the tow truck could have arrived before a gas can. Walking to and from that gas station couldn't have been more than 5 minutes.

[Merovee]

I just remembered that a SAPD officer once pushed our vehicle with his to a gas station because we stalled out on a city road. That is above and beyond but definitely in marked contrast to what this LVPD officer did.

[txtea]

Originally Posted by ItsTheTruth

Those people are dirt poor. That's a 15-20 year old Chevy Blazer, probably worth about $500 to $1000. Towing could be 40% of the value of their vehicle.

It doesn't excuse the behavior, you're right. The car should've been pushed out of the way or towed. It wasn't safe there. There is a gas station on the opposite side of the intersection though, so I don't see how the tow truck could have arrived before a gas can. Walking to and from that gas station couldn't have been more than 5 minutes.

I have to disagree with this. I own and drive a 20 year old truck...and I am far from dirt poor. It is in excellent shape, and I would hop in it and drive to Alaska tomorrow. And as far as taking 5 minutes to walk to a gas station in traffic, pay the cashier, put gas in the gas can and walk back to the vehicle....in 5 minutes?...I don"t think so. Things could have been handled differently, and they should have, but judging someone like that is wrong.

[nismospec]

let's not get away from the topic here.

it's not a place to judge on income levels and their abililty to buy gas. many of us have been in the same situation, or know someone who has run out gas. it happens. you get in a hurry, have other priorities, emergency, etc....etc. and before you know it, you're out.

to say that they were poor and couldn't afford gas is quite naive and close minded.

[Dreadlockd]

It's quite obvious the officer was UNPROFESSIONAL and used EXCESSIVE FORCE for the circumstances. C'mon now the couple ran out of gas, they weren't driving reckless or anything of that sort.

The police are suppose to PROTECT and SERVE, they are public SERVANTS. They work for us, they aren't suppose to be this guerrilla task force intimidating the public at large. He should have helped her push her vehicle to a safe spot then ask her to call her boyfriend to get his location. The officer should have picked him up so they could get gas in the vehicle as soon possible to prevent traffic being held up any longer than it had too.

This is ridiculous. This guy DESERVES disciplinary action. We entrust these officers with our safety, and livelihoods, for him to act in this manner is disrespectful to the whole police force. She simply ran out of gas, and of instead of ASSISTING her, he manhandled her. This kind of behavior is usually overlooked because it's happening to someone else. Let that have been your child or your wife, or you and you may have a different outlook.

I'm all for obeying orders given by police officers, because I respect them as authoritative figures, but they don't always make the right judgment calls. Police officers (in some instances) have ordered people to comply while they dish out their own "justice" as they see fit. So blindly obeying orders isn't always the smart thing to do. I for one have driven to a well lit, preferably busy area when being pulled over at night, especially on dark empty roads. I always explain that my safety is priority, and they understand.