Tasered over speeding ticket

[ReefHound]

Great video, I'd seen it on TV before. I'm not sure it's that the cop is super patient but that the cop is just enjoying it more watching the guy have an apoplectic fit than it would be to arrest him. Calmly making the guy pick up the litter was priceless.

Now to flip 180 degrees, I think this cop erred a bit in letting the driver carry on so much. When people like this driver get that upset they can work themselves into a self-sustaining frenzy to the point *they* may cross a line that requires a forceful response. Anger is best nipped in the bud. By the end, I was concerned about the driver's state of mind and his fitness to be driving off.

 

[SteveAD]

Right, the paitient cop should have Tazed this spaz about halfway thru the incident.

 

[Spragg01]

Now to flip 180 degrees, I think this cop erred a bit in letting the driver carry on so much. When people like this driver get that upset they can work themselves into a self-sustaining frenzy to the point *they* may cross a line that requires a forceful response. Anger is best nipped in the bud. By the end, I was concerned about the driver's state of mind and his fitness to be driving off.

The last time i watched the video, I had the same thought as you as he was pulling away: an angry driver is a dangerous driver. That being said, I don't see an obvious way that the police officer could have activly calmed the driver down (verbally, that is). Seems like taking the high road and letting the driver tire himself out through his temper tantrum was a good call (though he did let him drive away worked up).

Perhaps we should evaluate using the Russian method of controlling hysterical people and tranq. them. That seems pretty effective.

BBC News | EUROPE | Angry Kursk relative drugged

Best,

 

[Nick_W]

Do we have a right to argue with police officers? Yes, we do.

Should we argue with them out on the side of the highway to the extent this guy did? No, not unless you're looking for more trouble than you have already!

And no one is going to argue it is a good idea to argue with a police officer on the side of the road.

But, and this is a huge but, just because it isn't a good idea doesn't mean it is an arrestable offense that should lead to a tasering.

Like I said before, "respect my authority or I'll shock the hell out of you" is not a principle upon which America was founded.

Great video, I'd seen it on TV before. I'm not sure it's that the cop is super patient but that the cop is just enjoying it more watching the guy have an apoplectic fit than it would be to arrest him. Calmly making the guy pick up the litter was priceless.

Now to flip 180 degrees, I think this cop erred a bit in letting the driver carry on so much. When people like this driver get that upset they can work themselves into a self-sustaining frenzy to the point *they* may cross a line that requires a forceful response. Anger is best nipped in the bud. By the end, I was concerned about the driver's state of mind and his fitness to be driving off.

Yeah, threatening him with a littering ticket just about brought tears to my eyes I was laughing so hard.

I agree with you though, I'm not really sure letting that guy drive off was the best idea.

 

[jeraldjcook]

Like I said before, "respect my authority or I'll shock the hell out of you" is not a principle upon which America was founded.

I agree, but I'm not sure it's any worse than the other attitudes so prevalent in today's society, namely, "your not the boss of me and I can do whatever I want" closely followed by "I'm not responsible for my own actions, McDonald's is making me fat".

 

[ianr33]

And another one here in Austin

MEDIA PLAYER

 

[mrjimboalaska]

One of the first things I like to tell new officers in my classes is, if you want to work in a place where no one is allowed to argue with you and must unflinchingly obey your every command, move to North Korea. Otherwise, welcome to law enforcement in America, where suspects still have rights.

QUOTE]

Suspects have rights, but when an Officer tells you to put your hands on your head, you refuse to do so, and start to flee, ALL BETS ARE OFF, if you teach anything otherwise, you are going to lose some former students.............
I think overall I would rather be shocked than be KBar'd to the kidneys and ribs and head......

and as far as other countries, the list is VERY LONG where you will get your A kicked AND go to JAIL, I've seen it in Japan, S.Korea, France, Germany, Austria and Italy, and an especially bad beating in Spain....
makes you respect the system WE have.

 

[Tigerman]

...
Like I said before, "respect my authority or I'll shock the hell out of you" is not a principle upon which America was founded.
...

No, the principle america was founded on was more like "Let me do as I please or Ill blow your brains out and make a civil war" wasnt it?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The "patient" police officer did an effective job as he never escalated the situation, never raised his voice, never took the abuse personally and never felt the need to demonstrate or prove he was in control, he just maintained control of the situaton. He also recognized the difference between an angry suspect venting and a potentially violent suspect. As for letting the driver drive off...driving while angry is not against the law, not smart maybe, but not aganst the law and as such not a situation where the suspect could be detained or an arrest made. And frankly the guy was past the point of being as mad as he was going to get.

I also do not feel that the officer would have calmed the guy down by being more assertive, or by insisting the guy calm down, it would have just escalated the situation as the guy woudl have been madder at being told he could not be (ie: had no right to be) mad.

A suspect may get mad, yell, swear etc, and deny they deserve the ticket, but inside, more often than not they know they are being treated fairly and as long as you continue to maintain your cool and treat them with respect, they will calm down, accept it and move on.

I also firmly agree that suspects have the right to be mad, to be jerks and have the right to argue as that behavior is clearly allowed under a constitutional right to freedom of expression. Those rights only stop where the rights of another are infringed and verbally abusing a officer may be extremly impolite and disrepectful, but it does not rise to the level where physical force would ever be justified. If you want to be an LEO, plan on not being liked by all who meet you and plan on being called every name in the book on a regular basis. It's usually balanced by totally opposite treatment from other members of the public you serve, but it is still part of the job you better be willing to live with.

More importantly, if we adopt the idea that we unquestioningly obey authority, then we are giving up both are our right and responsibility as citizens to constantly and unceasingly question our government and our elected and appointed officials. That is what made us free, that is what keeps us free and that is what makes us different than every totalitarian regime on the face of the earth. Unquestioning obedience to authority invariably leads to abuse of power and to a police state.

 

[jeraldjcook]

More importantly, if we adopt the idea that we unquestioningly obey authority, then we are giving up both are our right and responsibility as citizens to constantly and unceasingly question our government and our elected and appointed officials. That is what made us free, that is what keeps us free and that is what makes us different than every totalitarian regime on the face of the earth. Unquestioning obedience to authority invariably leads to abuse of power and to a police state.

I don't think anyone here disputes this. But there is a proper time, place, and manner to question that authority. I just can't hop the White House fence and demand answers from GW, even though I voted for him twice, and feel justified because I'm questioning authority. Just because someone is arguing with an authority figure doesn't necessarily mean the are justified in relying on the "questioning authority" defense. Can "unquestioning obedience to authority" lead to abuse of power and to a police state? Sure, but I don't see the connection to the present situation. If it was the UHP's policy to immediate taser all drivers pulled over for speeding if they open their mouth, yeah, I'd question it. Just not after I was pulled over for speeding.