Raid went to 'hell in a handbasket'

HoustonChronicle.com ^ | Aug. 19, 2002, 11:24PM | S.K. BARDWELL

[Dec31,1999]

You deal with the people who are creating the problem.

Yes, but they were all creating the problem.

[Nik Naym]

I don't recall seeing anything in any of the threads on this subject that say anyone was arested for A)obscenities and peeling out or B)lovers arguments or C)screaming while addicted to crack.

I DID see references to people being arrested for A)exiting a store they were patronizing OR B)Eating ice cream they had purchased from a merchant whose property they were on OR C)for being INSIDE a restaurant, while it was open for business, eating meals they purchased. BTW: one of those arested was a 10 yr old girl who was dining with her father. Is all THAT justifiable just because YOU live in a crappy neighborhood?

Just a guess: you have never actually READ the Constitution, have you?

[sweetliberty]

"Why weren't they eating food IN the Sonic?"

If you were familiar with Sonic, you would know that they are a drive in restaurant. They have no facilities inside at all. You have to eat in your car or if you're on foot, some of them have tables outside.

[niki]

Yes, but they were all creating the problem.

You are either insane or yanking my chain.

[eastforker]

You don't eat IN a sonic,it is a drive in,you either eat in your car or the provided tables outside,there is no inside dining.

[FormerLurker]

Many of those arrested Sunday pleaded guilty in order to get out of jail quicker and go about the business of retrieving their cars, all of which were towed away.

According to some here on FR, those kids HAD to have been guilty of criminal trespass or they would never had confessed their guilt.

The drug warriors amongst others come to mind..

[TankerKC]

Nonetheless, one has no idea how disturbing these crowds of Gore voters can be until witnessed first-hand.

Gore voters? LOL

[eastforker]

By the way,sonic is one of my favorite places for burgers,or whataburger.

[sweetliberty]

Whataburger is the best. But Sonic ain't half-bad.

[eastforker]

Hey,if Bradford,the chief is condemning the captain,you can best believe the guy screwed up big time.It is very rare in HPD history that they apologise,very rare indeed.

[Dec31,1999]

What I see here is a case of a planned raid going bad and a cop who had stood to make a few brownie points was frothing at the mouth because it didn't go as planned and he was gonna make somebody pay. I think ultimately, he will be the one who pays because this one is going to backfire big time.

Well, you have to be careful of what you ask for, because you may get it. If one supports the disabling of the police, one may get mob rule.

I'm not saying that the police should get cart blanche to do what they feel like, but that police action must strike a balance.

When mobs get out of control, it takes the polic force to control it, least we have anarchy, which doesn't look good from here.

There are, never have been and never will be perfect police. How about we teach our children to behave?

[JediGirl]

I used to like their burgers (I don't eat meat anymore)...but they have delicious Sunshine Smoothies and Hot Fudge Peanut Butter shakes and sundaes :P

[FormerLurker]

Just a guess: you have never actually READ the Constitution, have you?

I don't think they would have pulled that in the former Soviet Union, never mind a country that is supposed to operate under a Constitution that includes a Bill of Rights.

[JediGirl]

There are, never have been and never will be perfect police. How about we teach our children to behave?

Therefore, we should let them get away with major mistakes. Riiiight. And I don't see anything in this article indicating that this was a crowd going completely out of control.

[FormerLurker]

Mr. Aguirre should be held personally liable for all of the towing charges, plus at least $250 per arrest, plus court costs.

Isn't it a felony under federal law to deny a person his or her civil rights under color of law?

[sweetliberty]

"If one supports the disabling of the police, one may get mob rule."

I don't believe I have read a single post on any of the threads dealing with this story that even begins to suggest that the police should be disabled. But they could save themselves and the citizenry a lot of trouble by policing themselves and purging their departments of vigilante cops instead of covering their butts as has traditonally been the case. Out of control cops would be just as likely to incite mob rule if it became standard operating procedure. Like you said, there has to be a balance.

[JediGirl]

Well, you have to be careful of what you ask for, because you may get it. If one supports the disabling of the police, one may get mob rule.

And I saw nothing in what sweetliberty said that smacked of her wanting to disable the police. She (from what I can see) thinks that the cop who made this mistake should pay for it/ that this will backfire on him.

[niki]

You must think cops have nothing better to do than arrest kids for eating ice cream, that's just rediculous.

There's two sides to this story and I have a feeling the adults have a more credible one.

Over here is the other side of the story.

[Flyer]

they were all creating the problem

I listened to this being discussed on Houston's talk stations all day Monday. Neighborhood residents called. Police called. Some of those arrested called. You do not have enough knowledge of this story to be making these claims.

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[Dec31,1999]

Hey,if Bradford,the chief is condemning the captain,you can best believe the guy screwed up big time.It is very rare in HPD history that they apologise,very rare indeed.

Not necessarily. He could be trying to distance himself from the fallout of the HPD doing the right thing against liberal whining, which would make him weak-minded, but not necessarily guilty.

He would want to keep his retirement, and why shouldn't he?

Who has a backbone anymore, anyway?

Hell, the White House is a bed and breakfast for the Saudis, isn't it?