Sometimes the Police need to be Police'd

[santo=dorf]

 

This is disturbing.

[DrunkBomber]

 

This is disturbing.

I have a hard time thinking this is real.

[NorthSideSox72]

It doesnt matter if he did it once or everyday. This is just about the most serious thing a police officer can do. Its only hearsay at this point but I am led to believe it would have been a lot worse if the cop didnt notice the camera half way through his little rant.

 

This cop not only should have been fired, he should be thrown in jail. Everybody acts so shocked when stuff like this happens but when there arent any major consequences there is little to detur them from doing otherwise. If cops break the oath they take when theyre sworn in they should be arrested, that is the easiest way to clean stuff like this up. For every one cop that gets caught because of video footage I bet theres hundreds that go unnoticed. People I know have personally had police abuse their power for whatever reason and Id assume almost anyone on here knows someone that had the same type of thing happen.

I think the best way to root it out is have more sunlight on them. More cameras in the cars, preferably with audio. More civilian review and involvement. Encouraging citizens to report their experiences, good or bad. Things along those lines.

 

And yes, prosecuting cops who break the law, like that moron who beat up that female bartender half his size. Far as I am concerned, not only should that guy lose his job AND be prosecuted for aggravated battery, but the other cops who tried to bully the complainants should lose their jobs too.

 

In this case, though, while I see plenty of room for severe penalties and maybe even a firing, I see no legal grounds for prosecution. What law would you suggest he broke?

 

[EvilMonkey]

YES, we should prosecute cops who break the law. A few bad apples spoil the rep for all. But the problem is the group dynamics involved. Cops circle the wagons when one of their own is accused of something, fearing that it will look bad on them if they don't. But they are not alone. Dems and Repubs both tend to rally around their fellow party members until they absolutely can't anymore. A sports team tries to defend one of their own caught cheating. Offend one Muslim in Thailand, Muslims the world over take it personally. I would think that cops would like to give their brothers every opportunity to be right, or not guilty, or whatever. But when they ARE bad, they should do everything they can to distance themselves from them. That goes for the unions, too.

[NorthSideSox72]

YES, we should prosecute cops who break the law. A few bad apples spoil the rep for all. But the problem is the group dynamics involved. Cops circle the wagons when one of their own is accused of something, fearing that it will look bad on them if they don't. But they are not alone. Dems and Repubs both tend to rally around their fellow party members until they absolutely can't anymore. A sports team tries to defend one of their own caught cheating. Offend one Muslim in Thailand, Muslims the world over take it personally. I would think that cops would like to give their brothers every opportunity to be right, or not guilty, or whatever. But when they ARE bad, they should do everything they can to distance themselves from them. That goes for the unions, too.

Amen. Cops should be held to a higher standard. Instead of being less likely to prosecute, we should be more likely to do so, when they break the law.

 

[jackie hayes]

He's probably the type of guy who does this regularly. Therefore, I wouldn't shed a tear if he was fired. But, if there are no previous allegations or evidence of wrongdoing, and since he didn't arrest the kid of harm him in any physical way, I would probably give him one shot to show it was a one-time thing. If he has problems previously documented that are anything like this though, then I heartily agree. Fire him.

No, no second chances on this. Besides the powertrip intimidation bs, he's saying, explicitly, that he'll just make up charges. He says that the camera doesn't matter because they'll rip the car up anyway -- obviously threatening to destroy evidence. A cop who subverts the law can not stay a cop just because he didn't beat someone up. Besides the obvious principle of it, he's destroyed his own effectiveness as an officer. Would you trust his testimony after seeing this video? He has to go.

[NorthSideSox72]

No, no second chances on this. Besides the powertrip intimidation bs, he's saying, explicitly, that he'll just make up charges. He says that the camera doesn't matter because they'll rip the car up anyway -- obviously threatening to destroy evidence. A cop who subverts the law can not stay a cop just because he didn't beat someone up. Besides the obvious principle of it, he's destroyed his own effectiveness as an officer. Would you trust his testimony after seeing this video? He has to go.

Well I certainly agree on the trust thing, and that is a very good point - I wouldn't trust him, if for example I had to work with him. Unless that is I already knew the guy, and his yelling and screaming episode was a one-time deal, which is my whole point with questioning it. Like I said, I could see firing him even if its a one-off maybe, and I would definitely want to see him fired if it was more than that. I'm not going to go hitching my horse to this guy or anything. He's almost assuredly the guy who does this regularly, so he should be out of a job.

 

[jackie hayes]

Well I certainly agree on the trust thing, and that is a very good point - I wouldn't trust him, if for example I had to work with him. Unless that is I already knew the guy, and his yelling and screaming episode was a one-time deal, which is my whole point with questioning it. Like I said, I could see firing him even if its a one-off maybe, and I would definitely want to see him fired if it was more than that. I'm not going to go hitching my horse to this guy or anything. He's almost assuredly the guy who does this regularly, so he should be out of a job.

I meant more in the way of testifying before a jury or a judge, as police officers sometimes have to do -- these are people who certainly won't know him (well -- a judge might, but he technically should separate his personal knowledge of his character from the evidence). Although, imo, that's about reason #5 or 6 why he should be fired.

[DrunkBomber]

I think the best way to root it out is have more sunlight on them. More cameras in the cars, preferably with audio. More civilian review and involvement. Encouraging citizens to report their experiences, good or bad. Things along those lines.

 

And yes, prosecuting cops who break the law, like that moron who beat up that female bartender half his size. Far as I am concerned, not only should that guy lose his job AND be prosecuted for aggravated battery, but the other cops who tried to bully the complainants should lose their jobs too.

 

In this case, though, while I see plenty of room for severe penalties and maybe even a firing, I see no legal grounds for prosecution. What law would you suggest he broke?

Well the most obvious is threats. I also dont see how this is something that is even debatable about him losing his job. All jobs are different but can anybody say they wouldnt get fired if they did something this severe and it was caught on tape?

 

If I was a tax payer in the city where this happened and they didnt fire him I would lose it. Whats worse is I bet before this tape surfaced this cop probably took it out on a different person.

[NorthSideSox72]

Well the most obvious is threats. I also dont see how this is something that is even debatable about him losing his job. All jobs are different but can anybody say they wouldnt get fired if they did something this severe and it was caught on tape?

 

If I was a tax payer in the city where this happened and they didnt fire him I would lose it. Whats worse is I bet before this tape surfaced this cop probably took it out on a different person.

I suppose the threat of improper arrest could be considered assault - threat of injury.

 

If this department digs around, I'll bet they find other allegations or previous problems anyway. And they should do that investigation in any case, just to make sure that if they are firing the guy, they've got as much cause as possible.

 

Here is a question - for those of you who didn't think the Chicago cop who beat up the bartender should have been prosecuted (there were a few in that thread)... what do you think about this guy?

 

[StrangeSox]

This guy shows that he has zero respect for the law and therefore he shouldn't be intrusted with properly inforcing it.

 

I'm going to have to dig up that thread to see how people actually defended that Chicago cop...

[NorthSideSox72]

This guy shows that he has zero respect for the law and therefore he shouldn't be intrusted with properly inforcing it.

 

I'm going to have to dig up that thread to see how people actually defended that Chicago cop...

Fortunately, I believe it wasn't many. But there were a couple who thought he shouldn't be prosecuted, as I recall.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

Update: Fired.

 

Interesting note in the article is the last sentence in it. I hadn't noticed this before - the cop apparently had a camera in his squad already, but had it turned off during the encounter. That would be enough for me to push my decision over that line. So, good result.

 

[Rex Kickass]

I saw this and was hoping Sting got arrested somehow.

[Texsox]

Update: Fired.

 

Interesting note in the article is the last sentence in it. I hadn't noticed this before - the cop apparently had a camera in his squad already, but had it turned off during the encounter. That would be enough for me to push my decision over that line. So, good result.

 

The turned off camera was a red flag to me as well. It looks like a citizen-vigilante has a well deserved scalp for his mantle.

 

 

I saw this and was hoping Sting got arrested somehow.

 

That was funny, but don't stand so close to me . . .

[Controlled Chaos]

I ran into a cop like this guy. I was approcahcing the toll booth at an on ramp and I saw just a little bit ahead a cop had someone pulled over. It wasn't a state trooper it was a Woodridge cop. The person he had pulled over was pulling away as I was paying my toll and the cop was still sitting on the right side with his lights on. I paid my toll and he was still sitting there. I was going slow as I approached next to him cause I figured he was going to start driving and merge over, but I was like what the heck he isn't moving, so I started going to go past him....then he starts going...so I stop. Then he stops. Then we're both just sitting there and he isn't moving...So I figure he wants me to go...since I am on the ramp and he is on the shoulder....So I start to go again and then he starts to go...I'm thinking WTF....so I just wave him to go like thru my windshield and he sticks his hand out of the car and waves for me to go...so I go and he gets behind me and pulls me over. He's like whats your f***in problem boy. I'm like I dont have a problem sir...I just didn't know if you were still sitting on the side doing paper work or if you were going to start driving and merge in. He's like I have my lights on...you always yield to me. Don't you know the f***in rules of the road. I was like I do, but I didn't know if you were just sitting there, I'm sorry for the confusion. He's like you f***in wave me on? What the f*** do you think this is...you don't wave me...I'm a police officer...you yield to me at all times. Then a state trooper pulls up and they get out of the car. The state trooper walks up and the dick cop is like...We got ourselves a little punk here who doesn't know how to f***in yield to a police car. Then he tells me to get out of the car. And that state trooper is like...is that right boy? Do you have trouble seeing the flashing lights?? and I'm like no it's just.... Then the dick cop gets right up in my face and is like I should haul your ass in right now....I'm like I didn't do anything...I'm sorry, but I wasn't sure if you were going to pull out or not... Then another Woodridge cop pulls up. Now I'm thinking wtf.....I didn't do anything....I got 4 fricken cops here. The dick cop tells his new buddy the same thing....This punk doesn't know the rules of the road...blah blah blah. And I just want to be like...look dickhead you were just sitting there on the side....you could have sat there for 5 minutes....what was I suppose to do guess when you were gonna pull out?? So anyway the new cop is like should we take him in...and i'm thinking wtf did I do, this is nuts. Then the state troopers are like we're out of here....teach him a lesson. Then the dick cop tells me to go sit in my car while he decides what to do with me. Him and the other cop are sitting back there for 15 minutes. I'm sittin in my car like....wtf...I just want to go to work.....Then dick head came back and was like I'm letting you off with a warning. If I ever catch you again though....I'll come up with all kinds of s*** to put on your record asshole. Get the f*** outta here and pray you don't run in to me again.

 

I was like Jesus...is it a rule if you're a teenager cops have to f*** with you. There is no way that cop would treat an older person like that. It's like they feel they have the power to f*** with someone.