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FReeper Motorcycle Hooligan  |
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Posted on 02/07/2004 11:11:25 AM PST by martin_fierro
Police Video Shows Officer Tackle Cyclist
Sat Feb 7, 9:41 AM ET
GARLAND, Texas - A police officer who was videotaped tackling a motorcyclist after a high-speed chase has been sentenced to two years' probation, fined $600 and ordered to undergo anger management counseling.
A patrol car video of the Sept. 6 chase, released to the media Friday, shows Garland police officer Glen Shaw running up to a seated Randall James Ling, then knocking him off his parked motorcycle before falling out of the camera's view.
Shaw, who along with two other officers was fired Jan. 14 after an investigation by the Texas Rangers, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge.
Shaw also permanently gave up his Texas peace officer's license as part of the plea deal, Pat Batchelor of the Dallas County district attorney's office said in Saturday's editions of The Dallas Morning News.
Garland Police Chief Mitch Bates said he hoped the firings would protect his department's integrity. He said the video was not released until the criminal case against Shaw was resolved.
"We are there to support, defend and protect our community," Bates said. "We will continue to vigorously enforce the law. However, we will do so in accordance with our policies and in accordance with the law."
The two other officers, William Mott and Demarcus Banda, were fired for making "untruthful" reports about the case, Bates said.
Ling was indicted on a felony for fleeing authorities.
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FReeper Motorcycle Hooligan |
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What the hell? I'd try to flee a'holes like that, too.
This happened to a friend a few weeks ago in South Florida. A group of local sportbike riders gathered at a warehouse area to race. Un/fortunately, BSO was waiting there and started rounding people up. He was sitting on his bike, not racing, and a BSO deputy pulled him off the bike causing the bike to fall on top of him. He was slightly injured but the bike suffered quite a bit of damage. BSO ran his license, which was clean, and told him to go home. He should have asked for an accident report and started talking to lawyers. Unfortunately the guy doesn't want to pursue the issue.
Of course the incident is different, but just goes to show a lot of cops are just completely out of control.
After a high speed chase fleeing from arrest?? He deserved to get the living crap beat out of him. If he was just sitting there minding his own business or had immediately pulled over, then there would be a problem. But after working the streets cleaning up after those chases, anyone who does the high speed runaway deserves to get body-slammed hard into the floor - and should.
This pantywaist 'oh no, big bad cop did something mean to the poor widdle bad guy' crap has got to stop.
This cop crossed the lines as defined by the Texas penal code and was convicted of assault. That is not debateable.
See, I'm silly, I think the police above others have an obligation to set the standard. They're supposed to uphold the law, not break it.
Do we even need to get into the ins and outs of lying during an investigation? If the cop was so right in his actions, he shouldn't have attempted to cover it up with the help of two of his fellow police officers. They were fired for their complicity and obstruction.
I certainly don't want to hobble the police or impair their ability to function. I do however have a problem with the idea that police are above the very laws they're supposed to uphold. When the police start assaulting people without need, then we have a real problem. I've seen the video of this guy taken off the bike a dozen times, and it was totally uncalled for. Obviously, given the outcome, I wasn't the only one who recognized that the cop was way out of line and out of control.
I can't make you see that you're notion that, "...anyone who does the high speed runaway deserves to get body-slammed hard into the floor - and should." is putting the cart ahead of the horse and giving the police immediate, punative powers. I can't make you see that punative powers are best left to judges and juries. However, I hope you'll step back for a moment and see that I'm right.
That's not a punitive power. Police must have the ability to immediately and forcefully control a dangerous situation and often that means taking a perp down quick and hard.
This society has degenerated into a quivering, spineless position of being fearful that these genuinely bad and dangerous thugs must be treated with kid gloves lest their feelings get hurt. That has emasculated law enforcement and left it almost impotent to address crime. We've handcuffed the police and then are baffled why criminals run free.
Any law that prevents an officer from being able to completely control a dangerous situation is bad law. There are so many of these bad laws that police have to focus on walking the tight line instead of getting the job done. Result - more cops wounded or killed, less effective law enforcement, a rapid fear of Internal Affairs, and a CYA policy above all else.
Police officers trying to do a tough job are immediately portrayed as the bad guys, and the bad guys become media darlings.
A high speed chase is one of the most dangerous, unpredictable events that can occur for a police officer. When the perp is finally stopped, he often lashes out with deadly force at the nearest target - cop or bystander - so yes, if a flying tackle bodyslam, or the infamous chokehold, neutralizes him in a hurry, it is a good thing to do. It makes the situation controlled now - not after he has a chance to harm someone. You can't play nice in that situation, people get killed.
If this society wasn't so concerned with coddling criminals and prosecuting police, no lying would have taken place because no inane laws would have been broken.
All I can say is that I 'm glad saner heads prevailed. I'm glad the 3 cops were fired. I'm glad the instigator had to relinquish his peace officer's license. I'm even glad he has a record and community service to complete. Let him contemplate his actions as he picks up trash in his orange vest, or in his new job at 7-11. Justice has been served.
Go Judge Dread!
maybe he can get a tryout from a couple of Indoor Arena Football teams.
"Well the first thing we're going to do is give ya a fair an impartial trial, then we going to take you out back and hang ya."
"The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean"
Don't be stupid.
Look, once we let cops have their way with us, never holding them accountable to abuse, what's to stop them from murder any of us?
Think about what your saying. It's stupid as well.
Oh bull. These 'hands off' laws have come into vogue in the last 20-25 years. Before then, there was no crap about cops having their way with us or going around murdering whoever they wanted.
Go back to the DU with that kind of crap.
California set the Pace as the Left increased its influence. Simple holds and takedowns were made illegal because some criminal might get hurt and a couple media cases like the recent resisting arrest in Cincinnati gave a howl that the safety of criminals was more important than police officers. Respect of officers goes down, violent resists go up, more cops get hurt, and the effectiveness of the PD goes down.
If you haven't broken the law, fled, endangered others, resisted arrest, you would have no worries. Unlike your 'oh the bad police will run amuck' panty wetting.
The swing has long gone too far to the left to protect criminals, it is about time that good men doing a dangerous job to protect you get the consideration.
i'm sorry, this is just not true. know several people personally who have horror stories to tell, have a few of my own, and let's head off any slanderous remarks you might make about me by telling you to take my word that I am a law abiding and consider myself a pretty good citizen.
I certainly hope people who have seen or experienced abuse of power by police and other civil authorities will no longer be badgered into keeping quiet about it for fear they will be considered 'criminals.' that's the sort of fear and intimidation that allows police states to gain power.
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