Drunk Driver hit my car tonight at work.

[TurboJunky]

I put my own dash strobe in my patrol car specifically for these reasons. A lot of times when I have someone stopped I'll turn off my overhead lights, keep the front facing strobe activated and one rear directional arrow....safety first you know.

As already stated in a previous post far more people get let off with a warning than get tickets...this is a fact.

 

[WakkoSS]

Originally posted by TT/A1233
I put my own dash strobe in my patrol car specifically for these reasons. A lot of times when I have someone stopped I'll turn off my overhead lights, keep the front facing strobe activated and one rear directional arrow....safety first you know.

As already stated in a previous post far more people get let off with a warning than get tickets...this is a fact.

I like that idea...I have a dash strobe too and am getting rear deck strobes. I like the dash strobe cause if you're in traffic, people in front may not see the gumballs in their rear view.

Yep, most people get warnings. I gave a warning for speeding last night....100mph!!! I was also out of my county though. I caught a guy racing, clocked the other car at 97 mph. Wrote him for Careless instead of racing...he admitted it, did not attempt to flee and was polite. He has a class "A" driver's license (can drive ANYTHING) and a racing or reckless ticket (felony/misd) would have gotten it taken it away.

 

[Blown&Injected]

My driving record is clear (one out of state ticket for 10 over about 4-5 years ago and before that it was 30 over in 1989 - boy it is expensive to speed in AZ, it was only about $80!) so my outrage is based on the unequal protection and making up PC based on my observations.

Nice to know that the driving is looked at after somebody gets killed

I only believe the cops that violate the Constitution should be burned at the stake.

My point is that unethical actions drive a wedge between the citizens and the police at a time where there should be even more cooperation - the one bad apple comment mentioned by another poster type thing.

Like I said earlier, I am glad there were no serious injuries. Be safe out there and please heed the most important set of laws ever put to paper.

 

[TurboJunky]

Originally posted by Blown&Injected
My driving record is clear (one out of state ticket for 10 over about 4-5 years ago and before that it was 30 over in 1989 - boy it is expensive to speed in AZ, it was only about $80!) so my outrage is based on the unequal protection and making up PC based on my observations.

Nice to know that the driving is looked at after somebody gets killed

I only believe the cops that violate the Constitution should be burned at the stake.

My point is that unethical actions drive a wedge between the citizens and the police at a time where there should be even more cooperation - the one bad apple comment mentioned by another poster type thing.

Like I said earlier, I am glad there were no serious injuries. Be safe out there and please heed the most important set of laws ever put to paper.

You lost me. Cops are more scrutenized than probably any other profession. Just look at some recent cases where police officers have been acquited of state charges of brutality only to have the federal government pick up the charges because of public outrage and AGAIN charge them criminally for civil rights violations. Talk about skirting the "double jeopardy" clause of the Constitution. Is that fair?

Cops need not be "burned at the stake" as you say and that's quite offensive. Remember "equal protection under law". You're painting with a very broad brush. How many azzhole carpenters, waiters, car salesmen, co-workers, bosses have you run into? You gonna burn them at the stake too for violating your "right to privacy" or because your boss tells you to SHUT UP?

By and large a HUGE majority of police officers are good hard working folks just like you. They have families, friends, hobbies and FEELINGS. Of the hundreds of thousands of cops on duty there's a TINY segment that gives all of us a bad name.

I'll state for the record I have YET to see any outright racism or targeting of any class or type of people in my agency which runs a jail of 1,100 inmate and patrols 996 square miles. Put the blame where it belongs...the "bad apples" and not the rest of good hard-working people.

It's easy to be an arm chair quarterback. I suggest you check with your local agencies and ride with an officer, deputy or trooper and see what it's like from a different perspective. Then you can make an informed and educated assessment.

 

[WakkoSS]

Well said. I used to wash my police car on my grass in front of my house every Thursday before work, on my own time. I don't even live in the same COUNTY I work at, but someone in my neighborhood decided to call the SHERIFF and complain about me violating the association by laws. I got yelled at by my Lieutenant and told not to do it again or I'd lose my take home car priveledges. Now my car is filthy and I have no place to wash it, thanks for some dikhead neighbor. What kind of flucked up bullsnit is that? NO other career that I can think of has to go through that crap. "Yes, is this the manager of Walmart? Can you tell Bob Jones not to park his car on the grass anymore?"

 

[Blown&Injected]

Originally posted by TT/A1233
You lost me. Cops are more scrutenized than probably any other profession. Just look at some recent cases where police officers have been acquited of state charges of brutality only to have the federal government pick up the charges because of public outrage and AGAIN charge them criminally for civil rights violations. Talk about skirting the "double jeopardy" clause of the Constitution. Is that fair?

The part about scrutiny, yes it is fair. The part about double jeopardy is total BS and that is not fair. Of course the charge is probably not the same charge and thus not covered under the double jeopardy clause, but it sort of proves(or adds to) my point about the divide between the police and the civilian population

Originally posted by TT/A1233
Cops need not be "burned at the stake" as you say and that's quite offensive. Remember "equal protection under law". You're painting with a very broad brush. How many azzhole carpenters, waiters, car salesmen, co-workers, bosses have you run into? You gonna burn them at the stake too for violating your "right to privacy" or because your boss tells you to SHUT UP?[/B]

Actually I was using/borrowing ncgreg's comment when I said burned at the stake. And as for the other parts - it falls under the simple axiom: two wrongs do not make a right.

Originally posted by TT/A1233
By and large a HUGE majority of police officers are good hard working folks just like you. They have families, friends, hobbies and FEELINGS. Of the hundreds of thousands of cops on duty there's a TINY segment that gives all of us a bad name.

I'll state for the record I have YET to see any outright racism or targeting of any class or type of people in my agency which runs a jail of 1,100 inmate and patrols 996 square miles. Put the blame where it belongs...the "bad apples" and not the rest of good hard-working people.

It's easy to be an arm chair quarterback. I suggest you check with your local agencies and ride with an officer, deputy or trooper and see what it's like from a different perspective. Then you can make an informed and educated assessment. [/B]

One of my best friends is a Sgt/detective in a large police dept, so I am very well aware of the other side - yeah, I give him a load of crap too. By the nature of your job, you are not permitted to act out the human emotion that is rampant in civilian corporate America. It is a tough thing, especially due to the totally crazy people you are forced to deal with. It is unfortunate that a few bad apples... Bad cops drive my friend up the wall in the worst way - because he sees the damage done.

All the good get erased when I see my friends get hauled away for BS because a cop has a chip on his shoulder. They had to hire lawyers and the assistant DA!!! came right out and said that the city cops do this type of BS and will not even show up for court - it proved to be true.


Ian, I am sorry about the trouble that you face - it sounds like a load of crap. It could be from a citizen that has had an experience from one of the bad apples.

 

[TurboJunky]

Blown&Injected,

Your points are well taken however "knowing" someone on a PD is far from seeing things through their eyes. I have friends of other ethnic backgrounds than I, however it doesn't give me perspective to see life through their shoes.

Again, as far as the conduct of your city PD please keep your comments SPECIFIC to YOUR city PD, not the rest of the law-enforcement community in the thousands of cities, townships, villages, counties and states. That's patently not fair. If I had a bad experience with [insert your profession here] here in Michigan would that legitimize me complaining about your profession in your area as well or throughout the entire country? Of course not. Again, stay away from painting everyone with the same brush, it's offensive.

As far as the scrutiny, I have no problem with that as I have nothing to fear. The point I made is that law-enforcement is the most scrutinized profession on the face of the earth barring the President. What seriously bothers me is when a citizen makes a formal complaint and claims serious allegations of misconduct or criminality on the part of the officer but upon review of the video and audio (which they don't know is taking place) proves them to be utter LIES. Guess what recourse we have....NONE. Is that just?....not in this lifetime.

 

[aperrego]

TT/A1233 - Well Said! Unfortunately the "bad apples" complimented with the Press (or overpress these days) makes a mountain out of a mole hill and gives everyone the black eye.


WAKKOSS - Quit Crying, I too use to live in Boca (Little Beverly Hills, 33434) .. Go to a car wash and pay your 5 bux.. Your not environmentally sensitive to the Raton'ions.. You know we are hiring up here .. And I can wash my car on my lawn. All 2+ acres of it.

 

[WakkoSS]

A case in point is if you ask someone's opinon on that big guy that got beat up and then died. Most people will say "The cops killed him!" and then when you ask them if they saw the entire video, they say the did not. Of course not, cause the media gets more hype with "bad cops" and won't play the part that shows the big guy swinging at the cops first.

Been this way for years, sure ain't gonna change now!

 

[Blown&Injected]

Originally posted by TT/A1233
Blown&Injected,

Your points are well taken however "knowing" someone on a PD is far from seeing things through their eyes. I have friends of other ethnic backgrounds than I, however it doesn't give me perspective to see life through their shoes.

Again, as far as the conduct of your city PD please keep your comments SPECIFIC to YOUR city PD, not the rest of the law-enforcement community in the thousands of cities, townships, villages, counties and states. That's patently not fair. If I had a bad experience with [insert your profession here] here in Michigan would that legitimize me complaining about your profession in your area as well or throughout the entire country? Of course not. Again, stay away from painting everyone with the same brush, it's offensive.

As far as the scrutiny, I have no problem with that as I have nothing to fear. The point I made is that law-enforcement is the most scrutinized profession on the face of the earth barring the President. What seriously bothers me is when a citizen makes a formal complaint and claims serious allegations of misconduct or criminality on the part of the officer but upon review of the video and audio (which they don't know is taking place) proves them to be utter LIES. Guess what recourse we have....NONE. Is that just?....not in this lifetime.

You said to check with/ride on with...then make an educated...

I have done more than that.

I am sorry you are offended but my experience is not just with one jurisdiction. I know that there are lots of false accusations, but there are also lots of violations that are for real and that go unreported. I am just speaking to real public opinion, there is a reason lots of people feel the way they do about The Man.

I was even more pissed than my friends that were arrested at the bachelor party.

 

[bigz]

Originally posted by ncgreg231
Hey Blown&Injected, I don't suppose that you're outraged by the fact that some civilians weren't issued tickets, are ya? Although I suppose you think the first cop should be burned at the stake, huh?

The first department I was with had a traffic unit that would specifically investigate fatal crashes & any crash involving one of our police cars. They would not hesitate to write a fellow cop (in the same department mind you!!) a citation if the evidence was there! Does that make ya happy?

Our traffic supervisor will issue us a ticket in a heartbeat if we are at fault in an accident. As much as we drive in our jobs accidents are bound to happen. I've worked for three different law enforcement agencies and have been involved in a couple of accidents. Fortunately all were just fender benders. I haven't been hit by a drunk, but as a training officer I always stress to my recruits that driving and being on the same roadway as idiotic drivers is one of the biggest dangers we face in our jobs. We did have a drunk plow into the back of a flatbed tow truck last year and just barely missed one of our cars. The bed went through his windshield and basically scalped him but he did survive.

 

[DCVING 6]

Originally posted by WakkoSS
Overhead lights on, hazards on, and strobes...and she hits me.

Seems like all those lights are to drunks as those electric zapper lights are to bugs.

 

[Blown&Injected]

bigz, it sounds like your department may not cut you as much slack as the personal discretion afforded to us civilians by you guys. Kinda tough especially coming from the inside/your own company if you will.

But lets be real here, if you were to be pulled over on vacation, there is almost no chance of getting a ticket. - but now I sound like I am ragging on you again.

To be clear, I am not out to get you, or anybody else here, but a bit of chop busting makes us all stronger - and yes I have read and comprehended all that you coppers have said. I may have sounded like I was painting you all with one BIG brush, and some has been returned to me too, but with one of my best friends in your ranks, please believe me when I say I do understand and I do not mean to imply that you all would try to intimidate one out of, or violate, a persons Constitutional Rights. Kind of like when speaking to a representative of Company X on the phone, and telling them that YOU told me it would fit.

[sir, I did not tell you it would fit]

Yeah, I know YOU (personally) did not, I am saying you, as an agent of Company X said it would fit.

Damn, I think my hijack took this far enough out. - look for my thread where I ask another question about police philosophy.

 

[ncgreg231]

I'm wondering now... for Blown&Injected, I'm curious what area of the country you are in & unhappy with the way the cops do their job.

 

[ncgreg231]

Originally posted by Blown&Injected
Damn, I think my hijack took this far enough out. - look for my thread where I ask another question about police philosophy.

ooh - I think I read some of that thread. Got a link to it by any chance? It was pretty long if I remember right, and more of a flame duel than anything else?

 

[WakkoSS]

OH NO!! THE DREADED

 

[Blown&Injected]

I have not yet made the thread - I believe we overlaped on time of reply - I hope you guys will read at the end of page one, what I took the time to write.

 

[ncgreg231]

Originally posted by Blown&Injected
I have not yet made the thread - I believe we overlaped on time of reply - I hope you guys will read at the end of page one, what I took the time to write.

so you have not written it yet, right?

hey, are you gonna tell me where these bad cops you dislike so much are?

-Greg

 

[Blown&Injected]

The one issue I specifically mentioned happened in Baltimore City.

 

[ncgreg231]

Originally posted by Blown&Injected
I have not yet made the thread - I believe we overlaped on time of reply - I hope you guys will read at the end of page one, what I took the time to write.

so you have not yet written it yet, right?

Ah, Baltimore City PD - doesn't really surprise me. The majority of the area that is covered is low income, high crime, right? You said you have a good friend that is a sgt - in this police department?