Posted on 04/08/2020 10:28:25 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
In an incident caught on video, a former Colorado State Patrol trooper said he was handcuffed in front of his 6-year old daughter on a near-empty softball field Sunday by Brighton police officers enforcing social distancing rules. The department apologized Tuesday afternoon, calling the incident an "overreach by our police officers."
Matt Mooney, 33, told ABC News he walked with his wife and daughter from their home to a nearby park Sunday to play softball.
"We're just having a good time, not near anybody else. The next closest person is at least 15 feet away from me and my daughter at this point."
Police arrived soon after, Mooney said, telling him and others in the area to leave because the park was closed.
Mooney said he told officers that he was familiar with the posted rules and believed he and his family were in compliance and practicing proper social distancing. He said he refused to provide his identification when officers asked for it because he had not broken any law.
"Well, they didn't like that idea. They then proceeded to make a threat against me saying, 'If you don't give us your identification, if you don't identify yourself, we're going to put you in handcuffs in front of your 6-year-old daughter.'"
Mooney said officers handcuffed him and placed him in a patrol car for about 10 to 15 minutes while they phoned a supervisor for guidance. The incident was captured on cellphone footage by former Brighton City Councilman Kirby Wallin.
"Yeah, it's Sunday and the Brighton police are apparently arresting a dad for throwing a ball to his daughter," Wallin is heard saying on the video.
In a statement, the Brighton Police Department said it was "deeply sorry" for the incident and is conducting an internal investigation.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
These Paul Blart “real” cops need to be terminated.
if that’s all these clowns have to do, this town obviously has too many cops.
Did they go into the guy’s backyard and shoot his dog for good measure?
So the MSM is going to continually report this episode from Sunday?
Crazy stupid stuff.
They apologized to the guy later, but still.
The easy hop to totalitarianism is here.
So to enforce social distancing rules three officers pile on one person?
LOL! They arrested a former State Trooper? I wonder if the State Police will have something to say to the Brighton police chief.....
INSANITY brought on by mass social level herd mentality, where all ability to actually think is suspended, to follow the herd mind.
Who still believes the jackboots won’t go door to door attempting to confiscate illegal items.
Was the park closed? All the questions about whether he was allowed to be within 6 feet of a family member disappear if the park was closed and he refused to vacate. I remember a few times hanging out with friends when the cops told us "park closed at sunset so go somewhere else". We may have grumbled but we left without getting atrested.
So much for Social Distancing.
I see none of the Policemen are wearing Masks.
Did they disinfect the Handcuffs when they took them off this Life Endangering Criminal?
Have they gone to his Home to confiscate his Firearms? He must be on the Red Flag List now.
I wonder if this former state trooper was carrying at the time. I know I would have been. No mention in the article of him being disarmed during his arrest.
Ahhh...the other shoe drops...former cop gets an apology...
If that were me, I’d tell them to take their apology and stick it where the sun don’t shine, then I’d sue.
Sounds like this former cop should still be in uniform, and the current cops need to be in a soup line.
“Did they go into the guy’s backyard and shoot his dog for good measure?”
+10 for originality!
But illegal aliens felons and other criminals
They get released out into the public
Ka-ching. He just won the lotto and his daughter gets to go to the private school of her choice. The officer in charge should have his pension forfeited and be part of the settlement.
The article says that the park was closed.
And there is difference between a park being closed at sunset and a park being closed in the day time, because of COVID.
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