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Posted on 01/07/2013 1:50:47 PM PST by Slings and Arrows
State troopers put their lives on the line every day. And the act of pulling someone over on a highway can be a deadly experience for any cop not following the best protocols. But police are also under great pressure to generate ticket revenue for their cities, counties and states, and their zeal to hit revenue targets can lead them to do the wrong thing.
So says a class action suit filed against the State of Utah and a specific state trooper who is accused of writing "driving under the influence" tickets when they weren't impaired.
State trooper Lisa Steed was honored inside the state police force for busting an extraordinary number of drunk drivers. But some of her convictions were subsequently over-turned, and the trooper was reprimanded and then fired for making false arrests.
Since Steed's performance and punishment were reported, dozens of people who were convicted have been signing up with lawyers for a class action suit. People convicted of DUI lost money, cars and trailers and even jobs, according to ABC 4 News/Salt Lake City.
One such plaintiff is Thomas Romero who was arrested by Steed in 2011. "I wasn't drunk ... I was not intoxicated. Nothing," Romero told ABC 4.
One of the representing attorneys, Robert Sykes, says he is looking at hundreds of drivers who may have been victimized. Sykes is ambitiously seeking that all DUI arrests by state troopers be over-turned in cases where the trooper was the only witness.
(Excerpt) Read more at autos.aol.com ...
>>Note that the article says “fired,” not “sent to prison.” Some animals are more equal than others.
Unbelievable! This is how a Police State operates.
The trooper needs to be locked up with the general population and the state needs to pay large settlements the people that were arrested by her for DUI.
Victor Davis Hanson wrote of something similar in central CA. The Sheriff’s deputies don’t bother much with tracking down the illegals who destroy, loot property; there’s no money there.
The bucks for local government comes from shaking down the law abiding for petty infractions.
One of those things might happen.
Sounds all too easy to believe.
Read my:
How the Police Kidnapped Me, Stole My Car and then Mugged Me, All Within 24 Hours.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2553365/posts
They do it for the $17 a mile towing fee in Arizona.
Cost me $600 to get my car out of the impound lot which is owned by the cops brother-in-law.
This happened in FL somewhere. A fl trooper or something was lying on police reports of DUI arrests. He was nationally honored and also praised by madd.
fake but accurate police.
Oh, I forgot to mention, I blew a zero.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
And I have a hard time balancing on one foot, drunk or sober.
Reply to article, from the site:
“What this Trooper has done if its found to be true is a punch in the gut to all of us that are in law enforcement. i have been a Trooper for 10 years and a city officer before that and have arrested more then 350 people for DUI. The reason I say that is because I have tested and released at least as many people. What is not talked about on here is that just because the people arrested showed no alcohol it does not mean they were to impaired to drive. With all the Rx drugs being given out like candy by doctors I have arrested more people then I can remember who were so druged up they had no idea where they were at and thats not counting the illegal drug problem. The new Intoxilyzer 8000 can not be fooled by mouth wash or any other type of alcohol thats only in your mouth. The Intox is made to detect mouth alcohol and will stop and void the test if any is detected. I know in my state there is also a 20 observation time that has to be completed before you can even have the person take the test. I take my job for what it is a service to the public and hold myself and other police officers to higher standards the the rest of the public we serve. A police officer has more power then pretty much any other person. We have the ability to stop the free people of the USA and place them to jail or even to take there life if it has to be done to protect ourselves or others. I have had to take a man’s life that was trying to take mine. It was years ago and I still have to deal with the fallout from it. It was ruled a clean shooting but you always wonder what could have been to maybe not take his life. On the road we have to make decisions in less then a heart beat that will be reviewed by Attys, DAs, and your department who have months or years to see if what you did was right. That is a huge responsibility that sould not be taken lightly. Any officer that has a badge that only took the job so they can have a power trip should be fired on the spot. I have a very good reputation with evey court and atty. where I live and work. I have never had my character questioned in court because I always tell the truth no matter if it helps or hurts the case. Most officers are good people that are like me and would rather pay for any mistake they made rather then lose our reputations. I got off topic but don’t judge all police based on what a few bad ones do.”
Unfortunately, while the majority of police officers may be like this guy, too many aren’t.
*shrug* Surely you remember what Comrade Stalin said about breaking eggs?
The impression I get is that this gentleman’s (word used unironically) princples are the exception and not the rule.
“The bucks for local government comes from shaking down the law abiding for petty infractions.”
That is exactly correct. Law enforcement starting loosing respect when protecting the peace became secondary to revenue.
Also, she should have her driver’s license revoked for at least ten years, and see how she likes trying to earn a living with that handicap. Let the punishment fit the crime.
“Fired” may also have been, after months on suspension at full pay and benefits.
And this is news, why? Happens every day.
When DUI became a moneymaker for the courts, insurance companies, police depts, lawyers, etc.etc. then of course there will be abuses. Just a small cost of keeping the people safe.
And it’s not like these folks weren’t guilty of something. With all the laws on the books they had to be doing something illegal. Ya know, sometimes you just gotta crack a few eggs...
He and I were computer buddies. He told me that about 50% of cops were bad. Not all were horrible, but a lot would take sex from pretty girls after stopping them for speeding when they were not. Many would keep money or property found at crime scenes and many of them would falsify traffic stop reports, tickets.
He says a good cop you will know because you will be able to see the pain on his face as he writes you a ticket while you will know a bad cop because he treats everybody like dirt.
I have a son who is a cop, he is a good cop but he sees all there is to see from the cops prospective.
Cops are a necessary evil in our society. I wish we didn't have cops but had Sheriffs & deputies who are answerable to elections so they have a reason to treat you well.
“Most officers are good people...”
Where are they all hiding? Most of the ones I encounter flaunt the law as a matter of course.
Wow! That is horrible. I am so sorry that happened to you and others.
How shameful for America to have such corruption running rampant.
You may not hold ill will towards the muchkin who shook you down and abused you. I have enough ill will for 100 people towards cops who abuse the innocent. I don’t care how great the “temptation” they are falling to. It’s a crime as ugly as they come.
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