Speech: It's a Crime

[JBeukema]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fixVuKVK1ok]YouTube - Parkersburg, WV Wrongful Arrest.mp4[/ame]

 

[Montrovant]

The video certainly didn't look good, but I do wonder what was said or occurred before it started.

Still, it definitely appeared to be a cop that just got pissed and arrested the man because of it.

 

[George Costanza]

This is a combination of two things. On the cop's side, it would appear that it was the passenger in the vehicle that was inserting himself into the situation and questioning what the cop was doing. Police officers are very sensitive about third parties who attempt to get in the middle of an arrest that does not involve them. The cops know that such third parties are usually disruptive because they think they are not at risk of being arrested. So, cops get very short, very quickly, with intermeddlers who stick themselves into the situation with negative comments.

There are a lot of things against the cop in this scenario, however. The main thing is, he never warned the passenger that he would be arrested if he continued to mouth off. The second thing is, what this passenger did was not worth an arrest - if he was, in fact, arrested. The cop might just have cuffed him and put him in the squad car to defuse a potentially explosive situation.

Assuming he was arrested, however, this cop has way too short a fuse. The question was asked, what crime was committed? In the trade, we call it Contempt of Cop. All too many police officers are authoritarian bastards with egos bigger than the nearest mountain.

 

[TheBrain]

This is a combination of two things. On the cop's side, it would appear that it was the passenger in the vehicle that was inserting himself into the situation and questioning what the cop was doing. Police officers are very sensitive about third parties who attempt to get in the middle of an arrest that does not involve them. The cops know that such third parties are usually disruptive because they think they are not at risk of being arrested. So, cops get very short, very quickly, with intermeddlers who stick themselves into the situation with negative comments.

There are a lot of things against the cop in this scenario, however. The main thing is, he never warned the passenger that he would be arrested if he continued to mouth off. The second thing is, what this passenger did was not worth an arrest - if he was, in fact, arrested. The cop might just have cuffed him and put him in the squad car to defuse a potentially explosive situation.

Assuming he was arrested, however, this cop has way too short a fuse. The question was asked, what crime was committed? In the trade, we call it Contempt of Cop. All too many police officers are authoritarian bastards with egos bigger than the nearest mountain.

There is no obligation for LEO to warn a person that their behavior can get them arrested.

 

[William Joyce]

All too many police officers are authoritarian bastards with egos bigger than the nearest mountain.

Ever worked a beat?

 

[TheBrain]

All too many police officers are authoritarian bastards with egos bigger than the nearest mountain.

Ever worked a beat?

Read some of his posts. He hates police and thinks they are all bad.

 

[Ernie S.]

I used to hate them too, back when I had no respect for the law. Got my ass arrested and the crap kicked out of me a few times too. I eventually figured out that, if I gave them no reason to get tough with me, they were really pretty much average guys with a damned hard job to do.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

All too many police officers are authoritarian bastards with egos bigger than the nearest mountain.

Ever worked a beat?

Read some of his posts. He hates police and thinks they are all bad.

No he does not. More than once he has spoken up in defense of cops if the situation warranted it. Sometimes even if it did not.

 

[George Costanza]

All too many police officers are authoritarian bastards with egos bigger than the nearest mountain.

Ever worked a beat?

No. You ever cross examine a police officer? I do it every day.

 

[George Costanza]

All too many police officers are authoritarian bastards with egos bigger than the nearest mountain.

Ever worked a beat?

Read some of his posts. He hates police and thinks they are all bad.

I qualified my comment ("all too many"). You did not ("he hates police").

I hate authoritarian bastards who wear police uniforms. And there are all too many of them. There are also many good cops, who work hard, are honest, and who do a great job. These guys (and gals) have my total support and admiration.