police officer keeps man from dying relative

[VentMedic]

Nor apologized. The driver of the vehicle was out of line. I don't care if you have a dying relative or not, there is no excuse for behaving that way in front of a cop and disrespecting an officer of the law like that. Yet another case of cop-hating and celebrities getting off scott free. If the media hadn't demonized the cop like that, do you think there would be sucha a big stink? No there wouldn't.

You missed the part where it was the other police officer that reported this officer's behavior to his superiors. That started the investigation. Not the Moats and not the media. This story broke several days after the incident with the results of the investigation.

 

[JPINFV]

Yea... that Plano City officer really hates cops. So, is this a case of a self-hating police officer?

 

[EMTinNEPA]

Yea... that Plano City officer really hates cops. So, is this a case of a self-hating police officer?

That or department rivalry. You'd be surprised how many LEOs, firefighters, and EMS personnel in my area are chomping at the bit for a chance to throw another service under the bus.

 

[Sasha]

there is no excuse for behaving that way in front of a cop and disrespecting an officer of the law like that.

Emotional distress? Being in EMS, I would think you would be familiar with the emotional outbursts in times of medical emergency. Losing a loved one makes people do crazy things. And the cop did nothing to help the situation. Instead he threatened arresting him, had his gun, etc. All for a TRAFFIC STOP. The "celebrity"(That I've never heard of.) didn't hurt anyone. He proceeded through the red light safely. Heck, safer then most ambulances and police cars do. And he didn't try and use his celebrity status.

If the media hadn't demonized the cop like that, do you think there would be sucha a big stink?

They didn't demonize anyone. They had the video, the cop dug himself into a hole.

So, is this a case of a self-hating police officer?

Sounds like a case for Dr. Phil

 

[EMTinNEPA]

Emotional distress? Being in EMS, I would think you would be familiar with the emotional outbursts in times of medical emergency. Losing a loved one makes people do crazy things. And the cop did nothing to help the situation. Instead he threatened arresting him, had his gun, etc. All for a TRAFFIC STOP. The "celebrity"(That I've never heard of.) didn't hurt anyone. He proceeded through the red light safely. Heck, safer then most ambulances and police cars do. And he didn't try and use his celebrity status.



They didn't demonize anyone. They had the video, the cop dug himself into a hole.



Sounds like a case for Dr. Phil

Last time I checked, breaking the law is still breaking the law, even IF nobody gets hurt. Did you miss my post that detailed the ranting, the shouting, the disrespect, and the profanity committed by the driver BEFORE the threat of arrest?

And if you see the video, you'll see that the driver and his family crossed the line first by ignoring the officer behind them and then getting out of the vehicle. How was the cop supposed to know they had a dying relative? For all he knew, they were going to grab a shotgun out of the back seat.

EDIT: And while HE didn't use his celebrity status, the media sure did. And the media definitely demonized the cop. The only clips of the video I've seen only show the driver saying "Yes sir, no sir, I'm sorry, I understand", not "You're wasting my time!", "You go get it!", or "Take it out! S**t!".

 

[VentMedic]

EDIT: And while HE didn't use his celebrity status, the media sure did. And the media definitely demonized the cop. The only clips of the video I've seen only show the driver saying "Yes sir, no sir, I'm sorry, I understand", not "You're wasting my time!", "You go get it!", or "Take it out! S**t!".

So you only watched a few clips? Watch the whole video and read the transcripts.

Please move on to another job that doesn't involve humans or animals. None of your posts have displayed the qualities it takes to be a health care provider and professional.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

So you only watched a few clips? Watch the whole video and read the transcripts.

Please move on to another job that doesn't involve humans or animals. None of your posts have displayed the qualities it takes to be a health care provider and professional.

The few clips I've seen on the news. If I had only seen those clips, I would be agreeing with the rest of you, but clearly I'm not. I watched the whole video, and in fact, it's starting to seem like I'm the ONLY one who watched the whole video, as opposed to only the parts that made the cop look like the bad guy and the driver seem like a fine, upstanding member of society. If you watched the whole video and missed this, then please, move on to another profession that doesn't involve thought, because clearly you don't possess the memory, reasoning capabilites, or mental capacity it takes to be a healthcare provider and professional. See? I can throw petty and meaningless insults at others just because they disagree with me too.

 

[AJ Hidell]

The "celebrity"(That I've never heard of.) didn't hurt anyone.

I've never even heard of the team he plays for, much less him. I agree that this guy is a "celebrity" only in theory.

But the officer was indeed demonized, at least locally. And the police department intentionally fueled that demonization. They wanted to focus all the hate on the officer in order to keep it off of the department as a whole. Not only was I a cop in that area, I was also in the news media there for a decade. Normally, if you want a photograph of an officer for a news story, you have to file an FOI request with the police department and wait a month to get it. The department sent out a photograph of this officer to every media outlet without even being asked, the day after the story broke. That is unprecedented in the Dallas Police Department! Instead of just reporting the story, the local news media devoted a lot of time to airing opinions from "community organizers" and citizens on the street, which rarely ever happens. There is no doubt that there was a concerted effort to whip the story into a frenzy by both the news media and the police department.

 

[Shishkabob]

Sasha, duress is not a valid excuse to break a law in Texas. If you are under duress and you break a law, you are still 100% liable.

 

[AJ Hidell]

Sasha, duress is not a valid excuse to break a law in Texas.

Actually, it can be, and has been proven to be so in numerous instances of case law. The judge, jury, and district attorney are free to accept any excuse they choose to accept as valid.

 

[Shishkabob]

Meh, I know I should have slept more last night.

I'll type my correctionw hen I wake up.

 

[micsaver]

First...WOW.

Before I start, Yes I watched the entire video. I was also a police officer before joining EMS.

Depending on what perspective you take...just about everyone that has jumped on this thread is right...just about.

I'm in the "Officer should be retrained in the importance of discretion and deescalation" camp. I understand a "cop personality" - kinda have one myself. Honestly he was doing what he flat out believed was right and his duty. It is up to his supervisors to show him that serving the public and doing what is right and his duty is more than black and white / cut and dry. Hind sight is always 20/20 and this guy definitely dug himself into a whole. This would be an awesome video to show future police cadets as a way to discuss the large power of DISCRETION. We could brainstorm 15 different ways he could have handled this that would have resulted in Justice and Community Service for all involved.

no one wants to be facing the gestapo.
no one wants to be facing a robot.
Give me a human being in a uniform with a badge that uses good discretion to go above and beyond the wall of 'us vs them - I'll teach you a lesson' mentality. That's hard to come by. Hard to live up to, but something all officers should strive for.

 

[Sasha]

Sasha, duress is not a valid excuse to break a law in Texas. If you are under duress and you break a law, you are still 100% liable.

while it doesnt technically excuse you... why not aa little compassion and empathy? something the officer and some of the posters here lack.

 

[fortsmithman]

That or department rivalry. You'd be surprised how many LEOs, firefighters, and EMS personnel in my area are chomping at the bit for a chance to throw another service under the bus.

ouds like the relationship Between the RCMP and Edmonton Police.

 

[Techman006]

I think JPINFV hit it right on the head. Yes the guy ran a red light and deserves a ticket. Yes he broke the law. However when you wathc the video you see that the man was calm and patient especially for the circumstances. The officer did not approach the problem in the right way. He should be reprimanded if only slightly for not using appropriate common sense in the situation. When he saw that the man was calming down and trying to be cooperative he could have said i am gonna write you the ticket let you go to the room and after we can talk/finish...or something similar or something i have not thought of but the way he did go about it was definatley wrong.

 

[AJ Hidell]

The guy was not so calm and patient in the beginning. Only after he checks his attitude and calms down does the officer begin de-escalating. Had he actually been calm and patient from the beginning, this probably would not have gotten out of hand like that.