Utah HP tasers John Gardner

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by SoCalCoug

Alhtough I don't deal a lot with cops, my partner handles police misconduct cases; needless to say, I don't have any sort of blind reverence for cops. I thought the driver was asking for it. You don't turn your back on a cop asking you to put your hands behind your back. He was ignoring the cop, walking back to the car - once he reaches the car, who knows what he's going to do?

I'm okay with the cop tasering a whiner like that guy. He's probably a Ute, anyway.

Notice he's driving a mini-van. That increases the odds of him being a Y fan exponentially.

[Colly Wolly]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

Notice he's driving a mini-van. That increases the odds of him being a Y fan exponentially.

Looks like a Durango to me.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by Colly Wolly

Looks like a Durango to me.

I looked again and you are right. It is a Durango.

He may very well be a Ute.

[Venkman]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

I looked again and you are right. It is a Durango.

He may very well be a Ute.

But no goatee. Hmmm, this is a tough one.

[woot]

Originally Posted by Venkman

But no goatee. Hmmm, this is a tough one.

He was clean-shaven, well-spoken, and a bit "gentle" on CNN, so that tells me Y fan.

[Sleeping in EQ]

The citizen wasn't following instructions, but the cop flipped out.

I agree with those who've said that it seems like the cop wanted to use his taser. It wouldn't bother me in the least if he lost his job.

[smokymountainrain]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

The citizen wasn't following instructions, but the cop flipped out.

I agree with those who've said that it seems like the cop wanted to use his taser. It wouldn't bother me in the least if he lost his job.

it doesn't bother me in the least the guy got tasered. he deserved it.

I'm not going to comment on whether the cop was right or wrong, because without walking in his dangerous shoes everyday, it's hard for me to make a judgement. But I have walked in the driver's shoes and I chose not to act like a dickhead. And I didn't get tasered. Funny how that works.

[woot]

Originally Posted by smokymountainrain

it doesn't bother me in the least the guy got tasered. he deserved it.

I'm not going to comment on whether the cop was right or wrong, because without walking in his dangerous shoes everyday, it's hard for me to make a judgement. But I have walked in the driver's shoes and I chose not to act like a dickhead. And I didn't get tasered. Funny how that works.

But you must admit that your attitude is tacit approval of a police state. The cop knew his job was going to be potentially dangerous, but he still took it. He has a responsibility to serve and protect the citizens of his jurisdiction, and to uphold the constitution. Being a dick isn't illegal. Tasering someone without provocation is.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by smokymountainrain

it doesn't bother me in the least the guy got tasered. he deserved it.

I'm not going to comment on whether the cop was right or wrong, because without walking in his dangerous shoes everyday, it's hard for me to make a judgement. But I have walked in the driver's shoes and I chose not to act like a dickhead. And I didn't get tasered. Funny how that works.

The cop is the professional, and relying upon the "I can't judge until I walk in his moccasins" mantra doesn't work for me.

The cop's training is and should be to de-escalate a rather simple matter. The tasering should be the last resort not his quasi-first resort. In the hands of a good attorney, the citizen will be compensated and the cop stands to lose his job.

He should have simply explained the consequences of not signing. The cop was trigger happy.

[smokymountainrain]

Originally Posted by woot

But you must admit that your attitude is tacit approval of a police state. The cop knew his job was going to be potentially dangerous, but he still took it. He has a responsibility to serve and protect the citizens of his jurisdiction, and to uphold the constitution. Being a dick isn't illegal. Tasering someone without provocation is.

Like I said, the cop may or may not have been in the wrong. I can't speak to that.

I will even agree that the officer was in the wrong for the purposes of this discussion. That doesn't change my overall sentiment that the guy deserved to be tased. At some point, people have to be held responsible for their actions rather than blaming anyone and anything for the misfortune in their lives.

Was the cop power hungry? Possibly. Did the cop make a grave mistake that could cost him his job? Perhaps.

Could the situation have been avoided if the guy would have simply complied with the police officer's requests? (requests that wouldn't have hurt anybody and were very simple to obey, btw - it's not as if the cop was asking the guy to perform fellatio on him) Definitely.

Why test the cop? It's just ludicrous to even go there. It's like treating a McDonald's employee rudely and then being shocked when he spits a loogie in your hamburger.