wth is wrong with that officer

[jejo68]

Hope he gets fried

EDIT: I really hate this youtube tag. half the time seems im to stupid to make it work

[Airborne Rifles]

The officer is being charged with murder.

[bayonetbrant]

take out that "S" - when the YouTube mod was written, they weren't always including the "S" in the 'share' URL on the video page.

there's supposed to be an update to the YouTube embedding mod, but I'm trying to wait to update a few things at once, rather than piecemeal.

[Steelgrave]

I haven't done anything resembling "research", but simply as an observer I feel the quality of our police forces in general have been diluted since 9/11 with the expansion of Homeland Security and the TSA. More bodies equals more people with badges and guns, resulting in lesser standards the further down the totem pole you go. The end result is police departments taking on people that wouldn't have made the grade a decade ago.

Couple this with stories of veteran officers retiring and their own comments on how police training has devolved toward aggressive tactics, throw in military grade equipment and then for good measure give every citizen a camera and suddenly the rock has been turned over to show what's beneath.

I support law enforcement and always have. I have several family members who have served, including my great grandfather with the Texas Rangers. But I have also personally known dirty, scary cops; cops who admitted planting evidence, cops with a huge chip on their shoulder and the temperament of a pit bull on crack.

I'm not labeling everyone, my personal interactions with the police have been overall positive. But this video shows clearly how badly things can go wrong during a single encounter with a bad cop. The police have to do a better job of policing themselves. Body cams, greater public awareness of the problem and less tolerance by our courts and juries of rogue police officers and departments are needed to protect both citizens as well as the good officers who don't like this behavior either but are forced to go along by the blue brotherhood.

FYI this is FAR from the only video of rogue police in action. There are more than a few websites dedicated to bringing these incidents to light.

[BanzaiCat]

I'm going to say it, and I might catch hell for it, but here goes:

I have zero sympathy for anyone that gets blasted by cops for NOT doing what the cop tells them to. Even if you're in the absolute right and the cop is in the absolute wrong, when the cop tells you to do something, it better be "yes sir" or "yes ma'am" and your ass better comply with them. It will get sorted out.

I don't know what compunction or belief system is in place to make someone not comply and then wonder why they got tasered, shot, run over, whatever. I can't say with absolute certainty, either, that this idiot of a cop would not have killed the guy if he DID comply, but I'm about 98% certain this dead guy would be alive if he just went to ground and said "yes sir" and did what he was told to do.

That's not to say the cop was right. Absolutely not. I'm a huge supporter of police and have likewise known many of them (I almost became one myself, held back due to crappy eyes). Some were great, some were asshats, some had no business carrying a gun. I cannot fathom a reason for putting eight rounds into a guy's back. The cop is getting indicted...good. He deserves it. This dude couldn't have gotten far lumbering along as he was; he could easily have been caught up with and put to ground.

But as I said...do what the cop tells you. There's likely a much better chance you'll be breathing at the end of the encounter.

[mirth]

You shouldn't have to fear for your life if compliance isn't absolutely 100%.

I get what you're saying and in the couple of encounters I have had with law enforcement in my life, I was very careful in my compliance to avoid finding myself with my face in the pavement or worse.

[Steelgrave]

I'm going to say it, and I might catch hell for it, but here goes:

I have zero sympathy for anyone that gets blasted by cops for NOT doing what the cop tells them to. Even if you're in the absolute right and the cop is in the absolute wrong, when the cop tells you to do something, it better be "yes sir" or "yes ma'am" and your ass better comply with them. It will get sorted out.

I don't know what compunction or belief system is in place to make someone not comply and then wonder why they got tasered, shot, run over, whatever. I can't say with absolute certainty, either, that this idiot of a cop would not have killed the guy if he DID comply, but I'm about 98% certain this dead guy would be alive if he just went to ground and said "yes sir" and did what he was told to do.

That's not to say the cop was right. Absolutely not. I'm a huge supporter of police and have likewise known many of them (I almost became one myself, held back due to crappy eyes). Some were great, some were asshats, some had no business carrying a gun. I cannot fathom a reason for putting eight rounds into a guy's back. The cop is getting indicted...good. He deserves it. This dude couldn't have gotten far lumbering along as he was; he could easily have been caught up with and put to ground.

But as I said...do what the cop tells you. There's likely a much better chance you'll be breathing at the end of the encounter.

I'm sorry....I hear you but it sounds entirely too much like the city councilman in Charlotte who said the policeman should be supported until proven otherwise by a jury. Wearing a badge is an obligation as well as a privilege. Compliance with lawful orders is always the smart route to take, however this very same officer had prior complaints lodged over excessive force and taser use. The department ignored numerous witnesses who backed the taser complainant in that incident and did not investigate the officer. The department and the city have a share of the blame in this incident.

Long story short, I'm with Mirth here. You shouldn't have to fear for your life if compliance isn't absolutely 100%. This wouldn't be a story if the officer had simply subdued him.

[BanzaiCat]

I'm not saying the cop should be unquestionably supported. They're human, so they do dumb human things. They are far from infallible.

You're both right about lack of compliance and fearing for your life. But NOT 100% complying with a cop is just asking for f@cking trouble, BECAUSE there are cops that are asshats.

Since this guy was pulled over for a broken taillight, there's absolutely no reason why he shouldn't be alive today. It's a simple situation requiring a simple fix. Most likely, just a warning from the officer. At absolute WORST, a ticket*. Not a shooting death. As I said I'm not condoning the cop's actions at all. Since the guy was out of his car and pretty far along into a grassy area I'm pretty sure he was not complying with the officer from the get go. That does not mean he deserved to be shot. But if he had listened, he wouldn't be dead.

I know my argument is not totally in the realm of what's right, here. I'm just saying something I'm not hearing anyone else saying. Don't run. Don't fight. Don't resist. Don't use harsh language. Don't even breathe funny. Just do as you're told and you'll very likely live to see another day. Run, fight, resist, curse out the cops, and you're probably going to escalate a f@cking simple situation into something that causes a tragedy like this.

*Of course, it's possible this guy had a warrant on him, and that's why he ran, but still, compliance means jail, not a coffin.

[mirth]

Hey I'm realist about it. I'd have been nothing but "Yes sir. No sir. Thank you sir, may I have another?"

Still, this seems like a clear case of a cop murdering a citizen. If the victim hadn't run, would he still be alive? Maybe. Should he have been gunned down in the back like that? Based on that video, absolutely not.

[BanzaiCat]

Still, this seems like a clear case of a cop murdering a citizen. If the victim hadn't run, would he still be alive? Maybe. Should he have been gunned down in the back like that? Based on that video, absolutely not.

I fully agree. I hope they throw the book at that cop. The police should always have a responsibility to citizens, regardless of how smart or dumb they are. People often need protection from themselves doing stupid shit. This guy did something completely stupid, but didn't deserve to be shot in the back.

Apropos of nothing, it seemed to me the cop missed the first 6 or 7 shots and finally got him with the last two or last one.

[mirth]

I hate it when we agree on stuff. No fun at all :P

[BanzaiCat]

I'm just trying to bring up another point of view.

[mirth]

Yes, but you're so damn civil about it!

[Steelgrave]

Yes, but you're so damn civil about it!

I know. Isn't that damned annoying???

8)

[mirth]

Yes, but you're so damn civil about it!

I know. Isn't that damned annoying???

8)

It's really starting to piss me off!