Tasered over speeding ticket

[Nick_W]

With all due respect to you, your link has absolutely nothing to do with the OP's video link and is not at all a good comparison.

White guy in a car on the highway caught for speeding as opposed to a black man coming out of a gated section 8 housing development. Both should be handled differently regardless of what race card of prejudice you may call later.

I'm sorry, but it really shouldn't. There have been officers killed by white guys they've pulled over for speeding and some of the nicest guys I've met were black guys coming out of section 8 housing.

A situation should be handled based on facts, levels of force should be used to meet threats as they exist, not as preconcieved notions and prejudices dictate.

 

[bvmjethead]

Excellent post Nick. (On the end of page 6)

Furthermore, it's my understanding that you should not un-holster a weapon unless your intent is to use it to stop a deadly threat. If that is the case it's wise to do just that, not hold it 2 feet from your body making conversation. Just point and shoot with the intent of stopping the threat.

The young man will get off and his family will get alot of cash in an out of court undisclosed settlement witch the people of Utah will have to foot the bill for.

I'd bet money on it.

 

[bvmjethead]

I'm sorry, but it really shouldn't. There have been officers killed by white guys they've pulled over for speeding and some of the nicest guys I've met were black guys coming out of section 8 housing.

A situation should be handled based on facts, levels of force should be used to meet threats as they exist, not as preconcieved notions and prejudices dictate.

You're right again Nick.

I stand corrected.

Boy do I feel stupid.

 

[Nick_W]

Excellent post Nick.

Furthermore, it's my understanding that you should not un-holster a weapon unless your intent is to use it to stop a deadly threat. If that is the case it's wise to do just that, not hold it 2 feet from your body making conversation. Just point and shoot with the intent of stopping the threat.

The young man will get off and his family will get alot of cash in an out of court undisclosed settlement witch the people of Utah will have to foot the bill for.

I'd bet money on it.

That is partially correct. Whether its an expandable baton, OC spray, a taser, or a firearm, the weapon should not be drawn until the situation calls for that level of force. Once the weapon is drawn, if the situation allows for it (which it did here) a very clear warning should be given. "Stop moving or I will taser you" would have worked here.

Yes the driver did present a threat when he walked back to his vehicle. But that could have all been avoided from the start and there were about 10 other opportunities for the officer to control the situation and not have to have it come to where we are now.

 

[Nick_W]

You're right again Nick.

I stand corrected.

Boy do I feel stupid.

No need to feel stupid. That's why law enforcement officers go through extensive training in an attempt to drill it into them to react subjectively to a situation.

 

[bvmjethead]

Yes the driver did present a threat when he walked back to his vehicle. But that could have all been avoided from the start and there were about 10 other opportunities for the officer to control the situation and not have to have it come to where we are now.

I completely agree. This cop made one mistake right after the other.

 

[ReefHound]

For those of you who are not defending the officer's actions, what should the officer have done? Let him return to the car? Would it change your opinion if the officer did a textbook stop and then the driver tried returning to his car?

The driver should have never been out of the car. Utah does not require the driver to sign the ticket. The officer can write "refused to sign" and the ticket is still binding. Arrest is an option but I don't think it was intended for this kind of situation. In any event, I don't recall the officer ever saying the alternative to not signing was to be arrested. The first time I ever heard him say "arrest" was when he was applying cuffs to the driver after he was on the ground from being tasered. The driver may not have known arrest was even an alternative to not signing a ticket. When asked out of his car he may have had no idea it was to be arrested thus the surprise when ordered to put his hands on the car.

Furthermore, the officer drew his taser as he was giving the first command. The driver was given no chance to comply voluntarily and was tasered within 3 or 4 seconds of being targeted.

And everyone keeps assuming the driver was returning to his car. I kinda think if he intended to get to his car to escape or get a weapon he would have been running back, not walking slowly while talking to the cop. He wasn't anywhere close to his car door. When people are upset, they tend to pace back and forth. I think that's what he probably was doing.

 

[Nick_W]

The driver should have never been out of the car. Utah does not require the driver to sign the ticket. The officer can write "refused to sign" and the ticket is still binding. Arrest is an option but I don't think it was intended for this kind of situation. In any event, I don't recall the officer ever saying the alternative to not signing was to be arrested. The first time I ever heard him say "arrest" was when he was applying cuffs to the driver after he was on the ground from being tasered. The driver may not have known arrest was even an alternative to not signing a ticket. When asked out of his car he may have had no idea it was to be arrested thus the surprise when ordered to put his hands on the car.

Actually, from what I've read, I think Utah does require the driver to sign the ticket, I could be wrong thought. I agree with everything else here.

And everyone keeps assuming the driver was returning to his car. I kinda think if he intended to get to his car to escape or get a weapon he would have been running back, not walking slowly while talking to the cop. He wasn't anywhere close to his car door. When people are upset, they tend to pace back and forth. I think that's what he probably was doing.

I think you're right here also. What I see is more of a "what the hell is going on" nervous and/or flight response than an attempt to actually escape or get a weapon.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Anyone gone diving today...oh sorry, wrong forum....

 

[Nick_W]

Anyone gone diving today...oh sorry, wrong forum....

Actually, yes, I'm headed out in about 30 minutes.