Posted on 01/11/2012 8:32:42 PM PST by Pontiac
The foul-mouthed Canton, OH police officer who threatened to shoot an armed citizen in the head over his concealed pistol last summer has been fired, but he reportedly plans to appeal.
Harless confronted a private citizen named William Bartlett in early June 2010 when the officer stopped to check out a vehicle parked on the side of the street.
Bartlett sin was in not immediately advising Harless and another officer that he was carrying a concealed handgun, as required by Ohio statute. The problem, as can be seen by viewing the video, is that Harless never gave Bartlett the chance, instead repeatedly telling him to keep quiet. At one point in the video, Bartletts hand is visibly holding up what appears to be a document or documents that were apparently his drivers license and concealed carry permit.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
Loyalty is admirable but if I was a cop I would not want this guy covering my back. This guy is a hot head and an idiot. Watch the video and you can see this guy is out of control.
Harless is the product of a handjob on a hot rock in August.
He’d been cleared by Internal Affairs of that Dept. TWELVE TIMES for allegations of misconduct exactly matching that seen in the video.
That ENTIRE PD from top to bottom is intensely rotten.
That department is a mafia with short haircuts.
Ohio Ping
Harless clearly is furious on the video, and at one point tells Bartlett that he should step back, draw his pistol and shoot Bartlett. Incredibly, Massillon Prosecutor John Simpson, who reportedly was asked by Cantons law department to review the video and determine whether criminal charges were warranted, said there was insufficient evidence to support charges.
Apparently it goes beyond and above the PD.
Our betters have seeped down far. Anyone outside of the gov’t loop is fair game.
Looks like it was just.. One toke over the line sweet Jesus
Harless felt so stupid, and scared, when he realized the driver could have put a bullet through him any time when he was searching the backseat.
All that self-condemnation and fear comes pouring back as rage - he the cop was stupid so call the driver stupid! he the cop could have been killed so he should kill!
It’s good that the police force did the right thing and got rid of this unstable, bullying, dangerous cop.
I’ve been lucky. All the cops I’ve ever dealt with or my family has, have been polite and decent. But it sure seems like there are way too many bad ones out there.
Can’t be sure with out seeing the video again but I think the partner was searching the back seat. But it doesn’t change anything.
I kind of wonder what the probable cause was for the search. I didn’t see anything on the video that I thought justified the search.
Anyone who donated sick time to this criminal should be suspended without pay until he too can be dismissed.
Or perhaps his father masturbated in a flower pot and raised a blooming idiot.
Screen door; Good Lord.
Obviously, its an unfortunate set of circumstances that transpired, Adams said. We feel that due to the fact that (Harless) has PTSD, that nobody realized it for eight-plus years, for it to come to light the way it did ... this is not a way we wanted this to play out. PTSD is obviously a disease.
Adams said that the incident that sparked the illness occurred in 2003 when a suspect nearly bit off Harless finger while trying to get the officers gun.
Heres a guy who was in a life-and-death situation, Adams said, adding that since the June incident came to light, Harless has been diagnosed several times with PTSD.
If this cop has been acting this way for 8+ years somebody should have noticed. He should have noticed.
The other cops that he works with noticed and did nothing if this is true. If he is married his wife would have noticed and it probably cost him his marriage. This kind of behavior is not isolated to stressful work environments if it is PTSD.
If Harless does have PTSD plenty of people let this nut ball run around the city with a loaded gun for 8 years knowing he was a ticking time bomb.
This guy is not deserving of the public trust and furthermore is psychologically incapable of the responsibility of owning a firearm even as a civilian. I would rather have the victim he harassed come to my rescue that the officers of his ilk.
Not being a Doctor, by any chance does PTSD, stand for Pistolwip The Stupid Driver(s), just asking. :-) end of sarc>
Most LEO’s I’ve dealt w are consumate professionals. But the bad apples are definitely there and they love the power, no doubt about that. Goes w any profession.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.