Posted on 07/22/2011 1:14:25 AM PDT by Straight Vermonter
Among the pressures facing police officiers working the streets of America is the rising number of people legally carrying concealed guns. But when one such licensee was pulled over in Canton, Ohio, an officer threatened to shoot him on the spot. Here's the chilling video.
The arrest took place in early June, but the video only came to light today from a group called Ohioans for Concealed Carry. They had been working on behalf of the driver of the Pontiac Grand Prix, known so far only as William, who was arrested and charged in the stop.
As the 17-minute dashcam video shows, the two Canton police officers see the car pulled over in a neighborhood and detain a male passenger and a woman standing outside, whom the officers quickly identify as a prostitute. After telling the driver to stay put, they detain the male passenger and search the back of the car for a few minutes.
Only after that search does Officer Daniel Harless start questioning William, some seven minutes into the video — who then admits, when he can get a word in, that he has a concealed weapon, and tries to show Harless his permit. When he discovers William's gun in his belt, Harless instead becomes enraged: "You are supposed to say that right off the goddamned bat!"
Right now, the shit that you just pulled, I could blast you right in the mouth...I am so close to caving in you're goddamn head...you're just a stupid human being...People like you don't deserve to move throughout public. Stupid idiot."
After searching the car, getting worked up with his partner, and hearing from police dispatch that William does indeed have a legal permit to carry a concealed weapon, Harless comes back to the cruiser where William has been detained:
I swear to God man this little bull crap you just pulled right now has got me so hot. You know what I should have done? I'll tell you what I should have done. As soon as I saw your gun, I should have taken two steps back, pulled my Glock 40 and just put ten bullets in your ass and let you drop. And I wouldn'tve lost any sleep. And he would have been a nice witness as I executed you because you're stupid.
William was charged with two misdemeanor counts; one for stopping in the roadway, and another for failing to inform officers of his weapons.
After the video surfaced, the Canton police announced that Harless had been put on indefinite suspension last month, and the case forwarded to Internal Affairs. Ohio gun activists are raising money for William's defense. And the rest of us get to hope the next misunderstanding ends more amicably, rather than less.
I understand that that’s their argument, and not yours, so I’m not arguing with you.
That being said, a cop, by definition, is an agent of the state, and when acting in this capacity should have no “right to privacy”, ie, no right to not have his actions and behaviors subject to the scrutiny of the public.
Again, this needs to be corrected in the state legislatures.
Don't know if that's your position or you're just repeating the talking point, however, the cop is a PUBLIC servant.
Ergo, anything and everything he does while on duty should not be considered private in any way. I'm sick and tired of all these claims to privacy by so-called "private" citizens when they are on the clock, supposedly "serving" in a PUBLIC capacity.
Once he goes off the clock, he becomes a private citizen and his privacy should be respected, but not while in uniform or on duty.
There is no excuse for this officer’s behavior, he should not only lose his job but he should be brought up on charges for threatening to kill a citizen. I’m sure if us peasant did the same thing, we’d be in jail.
Go to there facebook page and let the Canton PD have a piece of your mind, I did.
http://www.facebook.com/CantonPD
Also, if he wants the rights of a "private citizen" while off duty, he should not expect to simultaneously exercise the power and authority of an agent of the state.
Yeah, it’ true. That’s the first thing you do when stopped by a cop in Ohio. But from what I understand, every time he tried the cop told him to shut up.
Just to clarify; I'm also an Ohio CCW holder, and according to my copy of "Ohio's Concealed Carry Law" (provided by the state to CCW holders) you only have to tell them about it if you are carrying when you are stopped.
Having said that, I'll tell them I have a CCW anyway (they already know when thy walk up to your car), but that I'm not carrying at the time. Of course that probably won't happen, because unless I'm in the shower, I am carrying.
Yes, when stopped by a cop, instant notification is required. If stopped by the highway patrol, then run a license check before even approaching a vehicle. When I am stopped, which happens all too frequently, I put the window down, turn off my car, and put both hands on the steering wheel. When I have told the various leos that i have a ccp, they practically shrug their shoulders.
I believe the driver in this instance, to be wrong by not being more authoritive in informing the leos. NOT DEFENDING THE COP’S ACTIONS WHATSOEVER.
I wonder if the Canton, OH police department conducts psychiatric screening of it’s new police hires? Or conducts periodic psych exams of its officers after they become regular cops?
Is it standard procedure anymore of police agencies to conduct psychiatric screening for it’s new police recruits, to weed out the ‘psychos’ before they are sent off the the academy and then the streets?
This cop obviously slipped thru the cracks if they do screening exams - it appears to me watching this cop’s behavior that this guy had issues long before he ever decided to become a cop. Any competent psychiatrist would have seen this and recommended he be rejected for duty.
It also seems to me that more and more are becoming cops that have no business becoming a cop due to underlying psychiatric issues, but are being rubber stamped for service when just a generation or less ago, they would have rightfully been rejected due to failing a psychiatric pre-screening exam.
You would think that with the amount cops are paid these days, that the various police agencies would want to screen out these psycho type of cops, especially when they will have to pay millions in settlements with citizens who had bad encounters with them.
If this is a sterioid rage type of issue, then police departments need to enforce the laws on the books and start testing their officers for steriod/HGH/PED use and banning their use in their police agency, since using steriods without a prescription is illegal.
Just my two cents....
LOL@ bowing and scraping... As far as I’m concerned there shouldn’t even BE any CCW’s because it’s an infringement on the right to bear arms on its face!
As I made the analogy about the crosswalk in my post — knowing you are within the law, and that you are right doesn’t mean you should be stupid!
I don’t disagree that the cop should be in jail - AT ALL. Unfortunately, I forgot to mention that in my first post on this thread. I’m NOT defending the officer in this case - he’s clearly got some issues... Speaking of which, it seems that you are one that thinks ALL cops are “wild, violent, and insane”. If that’s what you truly think, then you may have a few issues as well — perhaps a bad experience? I’ve met both kinds of cops in my life, but I don’t assume that ALL are wild, violent, and insane!
Gun control should start with the cops.
Allow them to have guns is not good.
To set an example of criminals, cops should unilaterally go unarmed.
Criminals will then, inspired by example, also disarm.
And the world will become a better place.
And if the disarmed cops policy works, we move on to the Military.
And if that goes well (rogue natiions will be inspired by our example and also disarm), the world will become a place of peace and brotherly love.
(excuse me now as I sing the Pepsi song)
And if all the above goes well, we could extend the experiment to the citizens.
Kum ba la! Kum ba la!
(btw, that cop sounds like he would be great at TSA)
Irrelevant.
Not trying to be a jerk, but do events in your personal life get you much slack when dealing in your professional life?
This was just a cop being “Chuck Norris.” I am really getting tired of it.
BTTT
Never made sense to me if you didn’t have a gun in the car, though......
Because your license plate tells them you have a ccp, and are possibly, probably, carrying.
Ok, so next time I am embarassed at work I get a gun and put 10 bullets in someone? I don't care how embarassed, pissed off, sexually frustrated or impotent he is...cops cannot be permitted to abuse their authority and become executioners because they disgaree with a law or are having a bad day. This officer should be charged with assualt and making terroristic threats...then thrown off the force with no entitlement to any taxpayer provided retirement benefits of pension. He is a common criminal in my eyes and should be treated as such. Too often the news has stories of overreacting LEO casually stomping on a citizens rights or worse, killing them in a botched assault.
The only time a cop stops a crime is when they accidentally stumble upon it.
They might “serve” by working traffic details, but they rarely “protect.”
And normally, someone will post: “Wait until you NEED a cop, you won’t say that!”
I can protect myself. I cannot imagine a scenario when I will NEED a cop. I CAN see a need for EMTs, and Firemen—who are worth their weight in gold. But a cop, no thanks. They are there in minutes, when seconds count.
This is the larger problem. Most cops, when you peel the onion, are Harless’s. They feed off of their ability to intimidate citizens. There is a very fine line between controlling their “situation” and violating a citizen’s rights. Everyone talks about union goons. Well, most all cops are unionists, and as you can see many of them are goons as well. Goons who are allowed by law to carry lethal force! This problem, like many others that go unaddressed in the country, are going to blow up if they are not remedied.
The cops are jealous of their intelligence.
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