Thank you for your response, and for providing an intelligent question.
“Why did the cop escalate the situation by asking the driver to abondon his wife and child on the side of the road, for a civil citation?”
The cop did not escalate the situation and ask the driver to abandon his wife (what child?).
The cop wrote out the citation, and asked the driver “POLITELY”, to sign the citation. The driver REFUSED.
WHY?
Do you know what happens if you REFUSE to sign a ticket?
The officer then told the driver to get out of the car. The driver, so ‘concerned’ about his wife, walked AWAY from his own vehicle, past the officer, and towards the police cruiser (which contains a sawed off shotgun ).
The DRIVER abandoned his wife, in order to try and WHINE his way out of a ticket.
The 15 month old, in the back in a car seat. It can clearly be heard crying near the end of the tape. Somehow, I doubt this EXCELLENT example of on officer even noticed it.
The driver REFUSED. WHY?
Because he didn't believe he was speeding. The driver admitted only to driving 68 in the 65 zone. He didn't believe he had yet entered the 40 MPH zone and wanted to explain this to the officer... who had NO intention of hearing any explanation. The driver also wanted to know how fast the officer clocked him... in the 40 MPH zone. The officer never answered his question.
Do you know what happens if you REFUSE to sign a ticket?
No... I didn't. And, I suspect this Massey guy didn't know either. I would NOT have suspected that I would end up being arrested and certainly not tasered. This is a CIVIL offense.
and towards the police cruiser (which contains a sawed off shotgun )
Oh... puh-lease... the guy was POINTING at the highway sign, not going for a shotgun. This is a highway, in Utah, with a mild-mannered guy in an SUV with his wife and baby. The cop SHOULD have recognized the threat level and acted accordingly.
I must tell you... I've watched this tape several times now.. yesterday, and today. And, I really can't believe you are defending this cop when he is so clearly out of control of this situation. Even the second cop seemed to be having trouble understanding why a taser was neccessary in such a non-threatening situation.
Notice... the offending officer had to lie in his explanation to his fellow officer... to make his own actions seem legit. He already KNEW his actions were unjustified.
He knew... and yet, YOU want to continue defending him... very strange.
He escalated things so he could taze someone who wasn’t giving him enough ‘respect’.
Look, these Revenuers don’t like to hassle people either. That’s why they are belligerent, IMHO.
I got one in a famous speed trap. It was raining. He was pushing me to sign, telling me I’d be taken in if I didn’t. I told him “I don’t sign what I don’t understand”, so proceeded to read it 3x, ask him a lot of procedural questions. He got real belligerent, but I had witnesses. In the end, I was lucky. He had to stand in the rain until I was satisfied (hehehehe). He might not have hit his quota as a result; ho hum.
There is no penalty to not sign, as we have seen on this thread. Accept it, put your tail between your legs, and move on.