Posted on 06/04/2015 12:50:20 PM PDT by Fitzy_888
The Saratoga Springs Police Officer who pepper sprayed a man that gave him the middle finger has been suspended without pay. The chief of police now says he's seeking to fire the officer.
Officer Nathan Baker stopped Adam Rupeka back on May 16. At the time, Rupeka had just passed the officer and flashed the obscene gesture. He also had multiple cameras rolling.
When the officer asked for license and registration, Rupeka demanded to know what law had been broken.
After a back-and-forth of about 30 seconds, he was pepper-sprayed. Rupeka claims while it may not have been nice to flash the obscene gesture, it was within his constitutional right. Rupeka was charged with resisting arrest and driving with an obstructed view.
After talking to Rupeka’s attorney and reviewing the video, Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen says her office has decided to dismiss the case.
Flipping off a cop is not probable cause.
Then he shouldn’t have bit on the bait. We’re humans, not fish, we actually do have the ability to not take bait.
Just like draw Mohamed cartoon contest right?
Oh wait...drawing Mohamed is ok because it’s free speech. But middle finger to a cop...that’s proactive.
I vote it’s all free speech...people need to calm the heck down and let people have their freedom.
He wasn’t making an arrest, that’s part of the problem.
dang autocorrect. Provocative not proactive. geesh.
Nope, and the reason why the DA didn't prosecute and the cop got fired.
Sorry America hasn't yet reached the jackboot level of your dreams - yet.
Arrest for what?
Failure to fellate a cop, duh.
“Its not just cause but it is deliberate provocation. “
So what. Doesn’t mean that the cop needs to play the same game. If he cannot deal with that, he needs to get a different job. Period.
Have you ever been a policeman?
“if I am a police officer and I am making an arrest ...”
You can’t be making an arrest though, because you have no probable cause, no warrant, and have witnessed no crime. The only arrest you could be making is an unlawful one, which eliminates any “rights” you are claiming to use force.
Nope, and the prior court cases that say nope are why he's suspended without pay.
Items 2-5 are irrelevant given that number one is false.
If I physically assault someone because he verbally/gesturally insults me, which is all “the finger” is, I will go to jail for assault. Quite properly, too.
So should a cop.
I don’t approve of insulting cops, or anyone else, especially those who are packing, but it’s a word/gesture. Grow up.
No, but I know quite a few, and also know quite a few canine cops.
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