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.
The impression I get is that this gentleman’s (word used unironically) princples are the exception and not the rule.
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.
Do not trust EVER your local LEO’s, they cannot serve two (2) masters! Guess where the American people are on that chain of command!
Eight Deuce on the loose!
“I got off topic but don’t judge all police based on what a few bad ones do.”
I understand everything you said. And the business of having to make split second decisions and all that. But your comments beg the question. This female trooper used her police powers to violate the Constitutional rights of literally hundreds of the people who had “placed their trust” in the Utah Highway Patrol’s integrity. I would suggest that you read FR every day as I do, and I think you will find that police malfeasance is at an all time high. I live in Northern California. We just had several of our local cops fired ( and they may well go to jail at the end of the day) because they were hooked up with a crooked PI who was working with a local divorce attorney to “set up” husbands with DUI convictions. The PI is now in state prison, the lawyer has been disbarred and is facing jail, but as of this writing, the cops involved are only out of a job. I have also had one occasion to file a written complaint against a cop. You don’t want to do that unless you are determined to see it through, because law enforcement comes after you for questioning the lawfulness of their activities. So you may well have been a good cop, but I submit to you that you are likely in the minority today.