Posted on 11/21/2007 11:58:07 AM PST by Sopater
An internal police investigation is under way after a formal complaint was filed against a Utah state trooper who was videotaped Tasering a man who refused to sign a speeding ticket.
The officer's conduct has been called into question after a videotape of the incident was posted on YouTube.
The video, taken from a Utah Highway Patrol dashboard camera, shows Trooper John Gardner using a Taser on Jared Massey during a traffic stop on State Road 40 in Uintah County on Sept. 14.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
“How should the driver have behaved? The driver should have signed the ticket and moved on.”
We agree on this.
“The fact that he chose to argue the ticket instead does not justify the officer pulling a taser out and pointing it at him.”
I’m sure the officer will be suspended with pay and his actions will be investigated. I personally think that the cop’s actions appeared to be excessive. He probably needs get some additional training, and if warranted, be put on probation.
As far as that young man's responses go, I didn't hear anything disrespectful at all. He just asked questions in a calm voice.
Now, is asking any question at all of a police officer considered disrespectful? You seem to impute arrogance when a guy stands up for himself in a gentlemanly way. How is that arrogant?
Or have we lost all of rights and self-respect completely? Did Orwell have it right but just a couple of years later?
Thank you for your observation I have good days and bad due to dyslexcia at least my disability allows others to express their indifference for their fellowman.
It's just hard to believe that any real American would belittle the cowboy.
Cowboy's are American icons, the symbol of the American west.
Hell, I think that trooper might be a cowboy.
You are a manly man indeed! Bet you would have enjoyed that too...
Nothing strange about that, of course.
Still, with all that courage and aggression, why aren't you out there risking your life in the service, fightin al Quaida? - But those guys can shoot back..
Cowboys must not be all that courageous after all.
It would only be indifference IF I knew of your disability beforehand.
Really you feel that is an excuse even if I was not dyslexic what gives you the right to be rude to another?
FR has a lot of hard core conservatives folks who carry road rage in their heart and vent on whom ever is in their way!
Maybe it has to do with those who are generation X,Y,orZ!
NO, on the contrary, I used wounded in a domestic dispute. Just to let you know, I was a cop who hated to write citations. I always thought people make mistakes and most of the time just warned them about it. I was never investigated by internal affairs for anything. I was probably one of the most laid back deputies on the force.
Going back to the video, the officer had no way of knowing if the guy had a weapon in his vehicle. He actions, in my opinion, looked as if he were on something. When an officer stops a vehicle, he has no idea what he is about to be confronted by. Last year, a number of California Highway Patrol officers were killed when the officer made a traffic stop. The people that responded to my posts, except rogue yam, need to think about doing a ride along with an officer. It will really open your eyes. It’s easy to set up for a ride along, unless you have a criminal past.
Lastly, my tagline is incorrectly posted. On a traffic stop, too many like to question an officer. The side of the road is the inappropriate place to do so. That’s what the courtroom is for.
I didn’t hear or see anything disrespectful either. He wasn’t abusive, aggressive or threatening. I’m surprised by the number of people who appear to think a badge is an entitlement for an officer to behave any way he or she wishes.
When I was a kid we were taught “Mr. Policeman is your friend.” But that was in the days of Andy & Barney. We’re a long way from Mayberry. People who aren’t fit to polish a badge much less wear one are being issued weapons & abusing their power wherever they are. Whether it’s on the highways or kicking in doors at the wrong house holding the residents at gunpoint & carrying out the obligatory killing of the family pet. And people are defending them.
These are the same folks that blindly follow any leadership, even dictator types. Sad but true that many reside right here on FR.
I personally view LEO as my employees and even LEO themselves seem to forget that. Sometimes bad employees need to be fired. Many LEO have limited education and limited formal education so I cut a bit of slack at times but they do have a job description to live up to and when they can’t cut it, cut them off the employment role.
The blind followers have no clue imo.
the best cops i know are good at defusing.
they dont let their ego drive the situation higher. like this moron did. he should be canned from the patrol.
You nailed this one 100%.
In this case, we had two competing a-holes. One with an attitude and little common sense. The other with an attitude, little common sense and the power to take away a-hole #1's rights.
The Officer seems to be one who meets every disagreement with a chip on his shoulder, overwhelming force. A 30 second, point by point overview of what the driver faced would have likely diffused the whole thing. But then the Officer would not have 'won' the confrontation.
This Officer let this become a competition of the egos. Something that will cost him from time to time in his career.
Pointing bad grammar is 'rude'? Get ahold of yourself.....
That is one helluva leap!
To go from following the posted speed limit to blindly following a dictator?!?!? Bffttt......
By your rational, anyone that breaks the speed limit is an anarchist.
If you really were sincere you would have gone FM
Stop making excuses for your intolerance!
I am use to this in this stage of my life and I like to boldly return to all of you who over the years felt you had this right to lampoon or attact another so you can feel good about some area in your life that is functioning! (snicker)
Have a nice day!:)
“If, while making a lawful arrest, an officer observes the suspect refuse to obey his commands, and further observes the suspect walk back towards a vehicle that may have firearms in it, and which is a deadly weapon itself, the officer is authorized to blow the suspect’s head off.”
Yep, turn a revenue generating speed trap into a death penalty machine. Smooth move. How do you sleep at night?
If the officer explained that the driver was being arrested while he was still in his car, he might have sped off or he might have had a firearm under the seat.
It was proper that he asked him to exit the vehicle before telling him he was under arrest.
The video looks bad, but the cop was right IMO.
All the mindset and clearly there are several like you out here but for the most part many understand that just because one wears a badge they don’t have the right to use excessive force or not follow policies and procedures.
If you can justify these actions, you can justify just about anything with an officer. I don’t. They are my employee. Bad behavior on the job requires a good ole firing imo.
Like I said, all he had to do was sign the ticket and ask his questions in court. Instead, he decided to jump out of his car and rudely walk away from the cop and refuse to sign the ticket. Not a good example of being respectful in my book. I do think the officer overreacted, but the good clean Mormon (as you assume he was) was certainly not setting a good example to his family. If that would have been me with my family I would have simply signed the ticket and argued my case in court. Although, if he was speeding (not a good example to his family by the way) I don’t know why he’d want to fight the ticket instead of just taking responsibility for breaking the law. You use words like “self-respect” and “rights” much like liberals do when making excuses for their behavior. Interesting observation from my perspective.
Unfortunately, we have many others like the officer in this example who is just a traffic enforcement officer (sort of a meter maid with a fast car) but used that position to terrorize and victimize some nice people.
The worst example of police in recent memory was their performance at Columbine - all those cops, armed like a panzer division, waited patiently outside while the mayhem went on in that school. Apparently we have a new ethos with many of our law enforcement officers that holds that their self-protection is the most important part of their mission.
But God forbid that you ask them a question..
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