Just more proof that the police are untrustworthy.
Video of cops unhappy with body cam, DUI arrest of their LT
- Thread starter AR10ShooterinNC
- Start date
- Replies 45
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I must have missed something. Seems they treated him much like any other.
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That's what makes it a man bites dog story. If it only went down that way because of body cams, maybe that's the answer.
Ultimately he was arrested. I find that encouraging considering how corrupt people CAN be.
Wow. Talk about begging to be cooperated with. I have never been asked that many times to be handcuffed. Imagine if the cameras were not there. Funny how they acted about the cameras also.
He was only arrested because the cameras kept the officers honest. Listen to the dialog.
At about 15:30 he asks who called. And the response was "you know you will be able to find that out". I hope that was just him being appeased so the situation was not elevated. Otherwise, that's just effed up.
Bull. That had special treatment written all over it. They basically admitted that if it weren’t for the cameras and their LT mandating they go by the book, they would have let him go, or probably gotten that 3rd bearded guy to drive him home. They weren’t going to cuff him and almost let him sit in the front seat on his way to the station. They weren’t going to impound his truck, until they had no choice. They would have never been anywhere as passive with his “resisting” if it wasn’t their boss. They even commented that hopefully it’s like other times where it just goes away and they come right back to work. (Now there’s a scary thought). Anyone who thinks that’s how they would have treated a common subject has a distorted view of reality.
They were more concerned with protecting their buddy on their side of that damned blue line than they were about getting a dangerous driver off the road. That’s how the video reads.
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It’s ****ed up it’s was a friend but in the end they done the right thing. I guess it’s like having to arrest family. Just looking at it from a human aspect.
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Do you think you would have ever seen the video if they had let him go?
They made some comments like "I hope he gets the help he needs" and the documents referenced "had not been to work in five days". Reading between the lines, it sounds like the LT had an ongoing drinking problem, and it was known around the station.
It was the disgraceful end of a career, another tragic milestone in his downward spiral, and a serious impact to his family, people that the officers probably knew. If you worked with someone like that, you'd likely be saddened to see it happen as well.
It was the disgraceful end of a career, another tragic milestone in his downward spiral, and a serious impact to his family, people that the officers probably knew. If you worked with someone like that, you'd likely be saddened to see it happen as well.
fishgutzy
Senior Member
Not really.
Any mere mortal would have been removed from the car within seconds to do the FST and blowhard test.
Video maybe 3 minutes stop to cuffs.
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fishgutzy
Senior Member
Particularly NJ. Has among the highest levels of public corruption.
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That wasn’t the first time for Lt.
He was well composed for a .036 early in the morning.
He was well composed for a .036 early in the morning.
Here in NC, there was a case seems like about five years ago, where a Highway Patrol Major was so intoxicated ("very 10-55") that he was on the side of the road unable to drive any more. A rookie cop from a small town made the stop, and you could tell from the radio traffic that it was one of those "what do we do with this?" moments.
I also recall that Gov. Easley's son, probably college age at the time, had an accident where he was DWI. The Governor was called to the scene, I guess as any other parent would be. To the Governor's credit, he told the officers on the scene to "do their job", and the son was arrested.
I also recall that Gov. Easley's son, probably college age at the time, had an accident where he was DWI. The Governor was called to the scene, I guess as any other parent would be. To the Governor's credit, he told the officers on the scene to "do their job", and the son was arrested.
Goes to show that the cops work for the politicians. Protecting or serving the people is a partial side effect. Guess that also explains their behavior in places like Portland.
I have said that I am opposed to policing as an institution. I think the evidence speaks for itself as to why the nations founders did not want armed agents of the State going around enforcing law.
I have said that I am opposed to policing as an institution. I think the evidence speaks for itself as to why the nations founders did not want armed agents of the State going around enforcing law.
I watched the entire video. If that happened in Horry TODAY and everybody's actions had been the same, it would have been handled the same way. 20 years ago when I spent 100s of hours in Patrol cars armed as a ride along, it would NOT have been handled that way. We live in a different world now.
I think they were pretty straight up. Without video would it have went a way? very possible but that said I bet 35% of all dwi stops go away and people don't realize it. I didn't really see any resisting just more drunk people stuff and they usually put up with a good bit until they can't. These guys don't want to fight with a coworker so they put up with a little more which is understandable.
Yeah most people that blow a .36 should be at a hospital.
His failure to comply when they told him he had to be cuffed and ride in the back was resisting.
At 15:15 he fails the tests, they ask him to go to the patrol car, he waits to answer until 16:16,
'I'm not doing that'.
One cop turned off his lights after they realized it was LT. 'gonna kill my lights too' at 8:00
If it was anyone else you would be outta that car in less then 5 min. for testing.
I also recall a similar NC LEO DWI case, the PD took the guy to a motel to sleep it off, he got a taxi ride back to his parked car
and took off, they arrested him.
At 15:15 he fails the tests, they ask him to go to the patrol car, he waits to answer until 16:16,
'I'm not doing that'.
One cop turned off his lights after they realized it was LT. 'gonna kill my lights too' at 8:00
If it was anyone else you would be outta that car in less then 5 min. for testing.
I also recall a similar NC LEO DWI case, the PD took the guy to a motel to sleep it off, he got a taxi ride back to his parked car
and took off, they arrested him.
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Easy to fix this type of situation, since the driver was on the same department as officers, they should call a sister department,
Sheriff or State Police or SBI for example, then notify the State DA office, the officers who stopped him would be off the hook and
become witnesses to the crime vs arresting officers.
Sheriff or State Police or SBI for example, then notify the State DA office, the officers who stopped him would be off the hook and
become witnesses to the crime vs arresting officers.
I completely get that it is uncomfortable, maybe similar to laying someone off.
I don’t fault them for going full CYA knowing this video will be highly scrutinized if there is any “getting off on a technicality”.
It is still kind of sad that they have to specifically be told that they can’t extend him any courtesies.
I don’t fault them for going full CYA knowing this video will be highly scrutinized if there is any “getting off on a technicality”.
It is still kind of sad that they have to specifically be told that they can’t extend him any courtesies.
My take was that the lead guy hated doing it but knew he had to and didn’t want to make it any harder than it had to be. The second officer at the scene was not very smart, he was ready to let him go in spite of the video. The LT on the phone, maybe he’s just had enough of this guys problems and it never hurts to clear some space as you move up the ladder.
In the end it went well and they released the video to show that the officers do what they must and that the cameras are working.
Of course there is other stuff going on, both on and off video, that we’ll never hear about.
In the end it went well and they released the video to show that the officers do what they must and that the cameras are working.
Of course there is other stuff going on, both on and off video, that we’ll never hear about.
Great observation And advice for life.
Yes there was the one point early in the video the arresting officer says” can we turn these off for a conference”. It’s clear as day only reason it went down that way was due to body cams. If wasn’t for them they would have followed him home and said “good day”
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Yep, but if the Lt on the phone had told them to turn them off then it wouldn’t have mattered. It would have been swept under the rug. The cameras only work of decent, moral leaders are watching. The bearded guy would likely have killed a puppy to get that drunk LT out of it. Cameras are not the solution. Good people are. Cause the bad one’s will figure out a way around technology. They always do.
DrPhudd
Joe thinks I'm clever
I saw this as a problem
I am willing to bet that somewhere along the way in their training they were told to handle the arrest of a co-worker just like anyone else.
They made it personal instead of business, never took his DL and the insurance card.
The written police report was candy coated. Plus over 30 min, they hoped to let him get under the limit but
had no idea how bad he was over.
The written police report was candy coated. Plus over 30 min, they hoped to let him get under the limit but
had no idea how bad he was over.
List of issues.
1. You can tell that the officer that made the phone call was only calling into his LT because it was another LT/officer. Would he have made that same call if it was a non officer.
2. Officer number 2 says he doesn't smell alchohol, now he may not, but man did he sure seem hesitant to answer and at .36 I would think you could smell it.
3. The LT is not wanting to comply with commands, and the statement is made, you know things are recorded now so we HAVE to do this. Implying that if the cameras weren't there they didnt have to.
4. They were going to let someone else take the truck, probably against policy due to evidence and liability.
5. Waled away from him mutiple times with out him or the truck being secured.
6. States around the 24:00 mark that " there's nothing we can do, trust me I would have, he's my first sargent.
The last one rings true the most along with the statement" we have had guys get these before and go back to work"
1. You can tell that the officer that made the phone call was only calling into his LT because it was another LT/officer. Would he have made that same call if it was a non officer.
2. Officer number 2 says he doesn't smell alchohol, now he may not, but man did he sure seem hesitant to answer and at .36 I would think you could smell it.
3. The LT is not wanting to comply with commands, and the statement is made, you know things are recorded now so we HAVE to do this. Implying that if the cameras weren't there they didnt have to.
4. They were going to let someone else take the truck, probably against policy due to evidence and liability.
5. Waled away from him mutiple times with out him or the truck being secured.
6. States around the 24:00 mark that " there's nothing we can do, trust me I would have, he's my first sargent.
The last one rings true the most along with the statement" we have had guys get these before and go back to work"
The obvious (and perhaps even likely) explanation is that they were protecting one of their own. But there might be a different explanation. The patrolmen would have known that this was going to be on the news and viewed thousands of times. Cognizant of that, maybe they wanted to ensure that everything was handled correctly and in a way that didn't further embarrass the department and the community, or even end his own career. One of the patrolmen at one point says something about keeping their jobs.
The paperwork states that once the LT was in the car the smell of alcohol was obvious, so I agree with you, #2 was probably trying to find any way he could to just make this go away.
I have two friends that are cops, and one thing I've come to appreciate from being around them is the importance of deescalating a bad situation. I was also present at the arrest of a friend's son, and the Sargent told my friend "the law says 'shall' arrest, we don't have any choice here". I later grabbed the BLET manual from my cop buddy and read that chapter and it clearly stated "may" arrest. So the Sargent lied to my friend, which caused my friend to back off from confronting the officers and it deescalated the situation. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? I'll let you make your own decision, but I think it shows they are trained make restoration of order a priority (above telling the truth, apparently).
I read that as "we've had officers get a DWI before and it wasn't the end of their career, they were able to get it together and resume their career". I understand if you saw it differently.
I looked at BAC charts and none go that high. .017 for a 200lb man is @ 9 drinks. Looks like he shotgunned a fifth.
Most charts say hospitalization at that point. Professional drunks can drink like that and be fairly stable. I would say there is definite possibility he is a working alcoholic.
There is a 30 minute observation required before any test is given by law.
If a Chief, Sheriff or even a supervisor learns about an arrest of one of their own from reading the daily reports there's likely going to be more than one head rolling down the hall.
I've known a few cops who got to take a ride in the back seat in my time. They are worse arrestees than doctors are as patients. One of them even got pepper sprayed at the jail.
DrPhudd
Joe thinks I'm clever
20 minutes by the docs in the video... 20 min that started long after he was arrested