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'You pulled us out of a funeral procession'(WA)
komonews.com ^ | 11 August, 2009 | komostaff

Posted on 08/12/2009 7:58:17 PM PDT by marktwain

SPOKANE, Wash. -- When Donald Ross's sister passed, more than 100 people attended her funeral mass in Spokane.

The burial was scheduled for a nearby cemetery, but Ross and his family only made it a quarter of a mile when flashing lights forced them to the side of the road.

"Harold, his (my husband's) brother, said, 'You pulled us out of a funeral procession,'" said wife Shirley Ross.

But the deputy kept them there, writing up five citations because the driver and the passengers were not wearing a seat belts. And the sheriff's department says he had every right.

"We're out here trying to prevent funerals, not disrupt them," said Dave Reagan of Spokane County Sheriff's Office.

Those five tickets took 12 minutes to write. By the time Ross and his family members got back on the road, the burial was over.

The family members admit they weren't wearing their seat belts, but say it shouldn't have cost them the chance to say goodbye.

"It's a stage in our life where you want to give your last respects and hear the final prayers and the closing of the ceremony," Shirley Ross said. "We missed that and it's something I'll remember for as long as I live. And I think it was just uncalled for."

The deputy, who was a part of a special emphasis group, was only giving out tickets, not warnings. Donald and Shirley Ross plan to appeal theirs.

"I think it was unjust. It was totally unbelievable," said Shirley Ross.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: badcopnodonut; donutwatch; funeral; leo; lping; respectmahauthoritah; seatbelt; sheriff; wa
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To: dcrider182
You have to remember that 'motorbike' cops are the lowest of low on the totem pole.

I had the pleasure of doing the termination package on one little coward who only stopped Caucasians in the 50 to 75 age range.

Went a full twelve (12 count'em) months without making a single arrest, but was over quota 50%.

Oh management loved him - such a suck ass he never put in for overtime that he was entitled too.

He had a habit of going "Code" (out for lunch etc) then calling himself "In Service", then going back into his girlfriends place for another hour or so.

Chicken on my part, ya, but I nailed him for 'uttering a false report', (by placing himself back in service via a radio call) - when in fact he was doing whatever.

These little cowards forget - I looked his entire citation history - Not once did he stop anything but Whites, older types too.

61 posted on 08/12/2009 11:04:37 PM PDT by investigateworld ( For an example of following Alinsky's Rules, visit any Free Trade thread)
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To: marktwain
This was stupid behavior by a law enforcement officer. Not a shred of judgment. I'm guessing what, about 20 mph for the procession? Sure glad the cop saved those unbelted people's lives.

And note the whole approach of the department. We're saving lives so individual circumstances don't matter. Nice mindset. These guys will make great health care enforcement officers.

62 posted on 08/12/2009 11:07:24 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (Why Does Obama Want Health Care in 4 Weeks When it Took Him 6 Months to Pick a Dog?)
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To: marktwain
The family members admit they weren't wearing their seat belts,

then dont be surprised when you get pulled over.

63 posted on 08/12/2009 11:10:10 PM PDT by stuck_in_new_orleans
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To: microgood
We could replace this cop with a robot since intelligence is no longer required for his job.

Already in progress. Redlight and speeding cams.

64 posted on 08/12/2009 11:17:32 PM PDT by Kozak (USA 7/4/1776 to 1/20/2009 Reqiescat in Pace)
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To: stuck_in_new_orleans
then dont be surprised when you get pulled over.

Then don't be surprised when the Cops are held in contempt by the public.


65 posted on 08/12/2009 11:22:14 PM PDT by Kozak (USA 7/4/1776 to 1/20/2009 Reqiescat in Pace)
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To: stuck_in_new_orleans

No surprise for this state. Looking for all the money they can get.


66 posted on 08/12/2009 11:27:46 PM PDT by Vicki (Washington State where anyone can vote .... illegals, non-residents, dead people, dogs, felons)
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To: CharlesWayneCT
It is hard to believe none of the 5 had a cell phone and could call and tell what was happening.

Who would they call? Do you generally keep your cell phone on when you are at a funeral?

In addition, why would you expect anyone from the funeral home to have noticed such a thing? The police have historically protected funeral processions from thuggish jackasses...now they hire them.

67 posted on 08/12/2009 11:47:26 PM PDT by garandgal
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To: marktwain

sometimes cops are mighty stupid

“where have I heard that before”


68 posted on 08/12/2009 11:52:21 PM PDT by wardaddy (Aint it hard when you discover that He really wasnt where its at ....Bro.)
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To: WoofDog123

69 posted on 08/13/2009 1:21:52 AM PDT by SiVisPacemParaBellum (Peace through superior firepower!)
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To: garandgal

In every funeral procession I’ve been in, we’ve been briefed by the funeral home on how to drive, and told to turn our lights on. One funeral home even had magnetic stickers for the cars. And a funeral home car always followed up in the rear, who would have seen a car pulled over.

Of course, in many of our local funerals, the sheriff’s office provides a few cars to help block cross-traffic at lights so the funerals can proceed.

I’ve seen no more information on this story suggesting how they did the funeral procession.


70 posted on 08/13/2009 5:52:32 AM PDT by CharlesWayneCT (,)
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To: Zack Attack

Doesn’t mean he can’t take a little vacation somewhere else ~ so’s he can stay in the groove ya’ know.


71 posted on 08/13/2009 7:48:22 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: exist

Yup!


72 posted on 08/13/2009 7:55:35 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: ellery; Abathar; Abcdefg; Abram; Abundy; akatel; albertp; AlexandriaDuke; Alexander Rubin; ...



Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!

73 posted on 08/13/2009 7:56:55 AM PDT by bamahead (Avoid self-righteousness like the devil- nothing is so self-blinding. -- B.H. Liddell Hart)
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To: marktwain

Just wait until they have control of your health care....


74 posted on 08/13/2009 8:02:36 AM PDT by HamiltonJay
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To: Kozak

This is example #1346c of why I really dislike law enforcement officers.


75 posted on 08/13/2009 8:03:03 AM PDT by Taylor (The 2nd Amendment is the "reset" button on the constitution.)
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To: NonValueAdded

Agreed, not a shred of good judgment.

Sure, they broke the law, but to pull someone out of a funeral procession? That officer’s behavior was low class. Just absolutely horrible judgment on his part.

If he felt so compelled to stop these people, wait until the graveside service is over and then if you must kick someone in the teeth when they are already down write your tickets. It’s not like they are going to speed off during the procession and it’s not like he doesn’t know where they are going.

I have many relatives who are long time police officers and I strongly support law and order, but sometimes low class and no common sense puts on a uniform and a badge, this time it just happened to show up at a funeral procession...


76 posted on 08/13/2009 8:44:05 AM PDT by sarge83
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To: WoofDog123

“There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted and you create a nation of law-breakers.”

Quote by: Ayn Rand
(1905-1982) Author
Source: “Atlas Shrugged”, Part II, Chapter 3


77 posted on 08/13/2009 8:59:32 AM PDT by CSM (Business is too big too fail... Government is too big to succeed... I am too small to matter...)
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To: CharlesWayneCT

“If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams


78 posted on 08/13/2009 9:12:40 AM PDT by rednesss (fascism is the union,marriage,merger or fusion of corporate economic power with governmental power)
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To: microgood
We could replace this cop with a robot since intelligence is no longer required for his job.

I believe they're called speed cameras. Welcome to the "brave" new world. :-(

79 posted on 08/13/2009 9:19:03 AM PDT by Still Thinking (If ignorance is bliss, liberals must be ecstatic!)
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To: Taylor

Actually I work with a lot of police and like the vast majority. It’s the few who are nasty and let the power get to their head, like the cop in this case who ruin it for the majority. I bet even his colleagues would be disgusted if they saw him pull that.


80 posted on 08/13/2009 11:23:50 AM PDT by Kozak (USA 7/4/1776 to 1/20/2009 Reqiescat in Pace)
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