“Because he didn’t believe he was speeding.”
Boy, that’s a good excuse. I’ll have to remember that. I’m sure the officer never heard that one before.
The driver ‘claims’ he didn’t see the 40mph sign.
I guess he didn’t notice the CONSTRUCTION ZONE signs, or the barricaded lane, or much of anything else about the road he was driving on either. Kinda makes him seem like a very unsafe driver.
Why did the officer have to ask TWICE for LICENSE and REGISTRATION? Again, would that be because “he didn’t do anything wrong?
If you do not know what happens if you refuse to sign a traffic citation for a moving violation, perhaps you should consider these options. Turn in your driver’s license or educate yourself before you are asked to sign such a ticket.
All ‘escalation’ in this situation was caused by the DRIVER, and not the officer.
Somehow, this driver thought himself above the law, and that he did not have to cooperate, and was trying everything to get out of the ticket.
Just because he ‘claimed’ he didn’t see the 40mph sign does not he was not guilty of violating the posted speed limit.
If the police just skipped giving out speeding tickets because drivers claimed they didn’t “SEE” the speed limit sign, there would not be any tickets ever given out again.
“The cop SHOULD have recognized the threat level and acted accordingly.”
Fairly easy to be an armchair quarterback, sitting in the safety of your home, never having had to confront ‘nervous-twitchy’ drivers who refuse to cooperate.
Do you know if the officer may have had similar experiences where the ‘driver’ turned out to be on drugs, carrying weapons, using a ‘wife’ and child as cover?
No, you don’t. Do you know there are people that ferry drugs and stash them in the baby seat or diaper bag, figuring the cops won’t look there?
Sure, we all seem to know NOW that the driver was a ‘nice’ young white man from UTAH who didn’t (as of this post), appear to have any drugs or weapons in his vehicle, because hindsight is always 20/20.
Being there at the time, and having to make instant decisions that could cost you your life if you don’t ‘play it safe’, is a different thing.
You call the cop ‘out of control’. Funny, I didn’t really hear him yelling. I didn’t see him jump on the driver’s back, or stand on his head, or kick him.
I just don’t see where you get this OUT OF CONTROL bit.
If the cops didn’t have the TASER, just what do you think would have happened in a situation where the driver, after refusing to sign, refusing to turn around, and then put’s his hands in his pockets????
The officer would have had to resort to some type of physical contact, or use a billy-club, or unholster his gun.
Words only go so far, and when you are doing your job, and you are dealing with UNKNOWN strangers who refuse to follow your instructions and let them be going on their way with a simple ticket, JUST WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
“Words only go so far, and when you are doing your job, and you are dealing with UNKNOWN strangers who refuse to follow your instructions and let them be going on their way with a simple ticket, JUST WHAT WOULD YOU DO?”
I’d stop shouting for one.
Wow.. you’ve said SO MANY wrong things here.. I don’t know where to start.
I guess... with the last point: Would I let an UNKNOWN stranger who wouldn’t follow order go on his way with just a ticket??
Uh... Yes. This guy was NOT unknown.. he did give his license and registration. He was now KNOWN to the officer, and the system. All he had done, was supposedly violate a speed limit sign. Yea... I’d say, letting him go along on his way, with JUST A TICKET would have exactly the appropriate response.
How can you say you didn’t hear the cop yelling? Are you kidding me? The COP was the ONLY one yelling.
This was a ROUTINE traffic stop... no way the cop should have let it escalate like it did. He was NOT in control of the situation.
It all started going south when the cop decided to arrest the guy for not signing the ticket. It was a choice... a legal one.. but a dumb one. One, based solely on EGO.
Here's a couple more things you've got wrong. The driver said he DID see the Loose Gravel sign... and the 40 MPH speed limit sign. He SAID he was slowing down.. and didn't think he was still going 68 when he reached the speed limit sign.
And.. where are you getting the Construction ZOne sign or barricade lane? It's not apparent on the video.
As for not knowing about what happens if I don't sign a ticket... Guess I'm just stupid. But, I haven't received a ticket in about 15 years... and I've never considered not signing one. So.. why would I know?
I do know this: This guy DID NOT want to be arrested. Had the officer explained fully that this is what COULD happen..... this story would have ended differently, and we would all know nothing about it.
Here's yet another thing you've got wrong. There are TWO clear points of escalation in this situation:
1) When the officer decides to arrest the driver and tells him to get out of the car, and
2) When the office draws his weapon and assumes an agressive tone and posture.
Both of these actions were done by the OFFICER based on HIS decisions. There were other actions that could have been taken: like
a) Let the driver go with a ticket and a notation of Refusal to Sign, and
b) A verbal warning to comply, or be arrested.
The driver did not even know he was being arrested at the time the officer drew his weapon. The officer did not use the one weapon he needed: a threat to arrest.
There are still a few more errors in your last post.. and, I’d love to stay here and point a few more out... But, my wife INSISTS that I get off my butt and hang Christmas lights.
It seems rather obvious that we are not going to reach agreement on this. And, it’s obvious that there are a few officers on this thread that see the situation a little differently than most of us.
I will end, for now.. by saying, once again... I have a GREAT DEAL of respect for MOST police officers. It’s a tough job, and one that usually gets little respect. I’m very willing (as in the Vegas video) to give an officer the benefit of the doubt. But, in this case... I still do NOT see it.
What I see.. is an example of the worst kind of police officer... the kind I HAVE seen before.... who is more concerned about his OWN power and EGO than he is in protecting the public.
As a regular citizen: I’m not sure what disturbs me more... this moron’s actions, or the fact that other officers still want to defend him. Frankly, it makes me a little nervous to get on the highway.
BTW>> Just a few minutes ago... I showed the video to my neighbor (a Police Detective with 18 years experience on the force, including 10 years on patrol). It was enlightening to see his reaction as the video progressed. When the officer ordered the guy out of the car, my neighbor groaned... and said... “Oh no... this is going to go badly”. When it was over, he said: “Damn shame... didn’t have to go this way. Cops like that make my job harder.”
Yea... that’s just what I was thinking.