150mph cop chase...

[Crazcnuk]

I got beat up by one of those 'great' guys at 18. I was in handcuffs at the time and about 150lbs. He was 220.

He beat on me until his buddies arrived and pulled them off. I had cracked ribs, fingers, nose, legs, and arms. 36 x-rays, and 3 rolls of 24 print film of all the bruising.

I had broken a plate at the local pizza parlor.

The crown prosecutor threw the case, but not calling any witnesses, even though they were all in the courtroom.

THis was his 3rd internal investigation, for beating people up while on the job, and his wife charged him with beating her, while he was awaiting trial.

I got attacked by the proprietor of a mini storage one day. The cops arrested me. It was thrown out of court.

I am on record saying I will never allow handcuffs again. One cop, so far, tried, and failed. The staff sgt phoned me a few days later and let me know they dropped the charges. I had exceeded the speed limit, coasting down a small hill, by nearly 5kph.

I had a 72 Super Beetle, when I was in my early 20s. It got so I couldn't take it out of the driveway without being pulled over, up to 3 times per day, even though I wasn't doing anything.

I put a red body on, and never got pulled over again.

I have about a million kilometers, have been all over the western US and across Canada from Vancouver Island to New Brunswick, and have never been pulled over ANYWHERE except in the narrow area between Edmonton and Hinton (about 200 miles)

Many believe I have a problem with authority, but my problem is with those that abuse authority. I am a commissioned Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces.

[Jerry]

Do you know that all our officers have to go through taser training, which includes being shot with a taser so they know what it feels like? Do you know they have to get pepper sprayed so they know what it feels like? When was the last time you *voluntarily* took either a taser or pepper spray hit?

Our officers have to pass mental and physical screeneng tests. Of those who apply, generally about 8 - 10 percent pass all the tests. Out of a group of 30 applicants, 2 - 3 may get a job offer based on extensive background checks and testing. My e-mail today included a note from our Professional Services Manager; he is going to Arizona to do face-to-face background checks with an applicant's former co-workers. Why? Because we have learned that in-person interviews yield more information about a candidate. In our office, getting a job is tough, and a whole lot of time and effort is spent in getting good people. This isn't unique in Sheriff's Offices in this part of the state.

I didn't always feel this way about police. However, I have been associating with this group for 4 years now, and having seen the daily work they do, and the situations and conditions they do it under, I have come to change my views. These are good people doing a difficult job, and they don't deserve to be classed as cowards and bullies simple because of the profession they have chosen.

[xs11jack]

Ivan what a scream!!!

I just hope that in my lifetime not a lot of that description of electronics comes true. I did, however, nearly blow coffee(Hazelnut) all over my monitor!!! Maybe when our sense of Humor fires up, we should be kind enough to make the first line of the post read: Please swallow coffee before reading!

[Ivan]

Re: Ivan what a scream!!!

Originally posted by xs11jack
I just hope that in my lifetime not a lot of that description of electronics comes true. I did, however, nearly blow coffee(Hazelnut) all over my monitor!!! Maybe when our sense of Humor fires up, we should be kind enough to make the first line of the post read: Please swallow coffee before reading!

Well, I have that problem with hazelnut flavored coffee, or hazelnut flavored anything. It tries to find the quickest escape route from my body possible, usually bringing some other stuff with it.

There are a few times when other people actually GET my very dry sense of humor, and they are good times indeed. I still get a lot of dumb looks though. I need to get some business cards that say "WTF?" and hand one to people when I know that's what they are thinking.

[strippedFJ]

Re: Re: Ivan what a scream!!!

Originally posted by Ivan


Well, I have that problem with hazelnut flavored coffee, or hazelnut flavored anything. It tries to find the quickest escape route from my body possible, usually bringing some other stuff with it.

There are a few times when other people actually GET my very dry sense of humor, and they are good times indeed. I still get a lot of dumb looks though. I need to get some business cards that say "WTF?" and hand one to people when I know that's what they are thinking.

Don't worry mate, us Aussies understand your humour.

[Crazcnuk]

"Do you know that all our officers have to go through taser training, which includes being shot with a taser so they know what it feels like? Do you know they have to get pepper sprayed so they know what it feels like? When was the last time you *voluntarily* took either a taser or pepper spray hit? "


Well, it really isn't voluntary is it? And some people taser themselves (idiots) to see what it's like.

Up here, the police are killing more people with tasers than with guns. In fact, they seem to use them at the drop of a hat, to save time since they are supposed to be non-lethal.

Back in the late 80's the Metro Toronto PD did a blind survey of thier several thoudand officers and were shocked at the results.

Over 90% siad thier #1 reason for joining the force was to carry a gun and wear a uniform! Needless to say, the officials were somewhat shocked. They have since revamped thier system.

We are not syaing they are bullies or cowards because they chose police as a profession, we are saying a lot of bullies and cowards join the police force.

If you don't believe me, watch the reality cop shows on TV and tell us otherwise! I can't beleive they record half what they show us AND ARE PROUD OF IT!

The other problem, you are having, is that when you are thier freind they seem like reasonable normal people, but that is not how they approach the general public. To them everyone is a perp, and they act like it.

[olebiker]

Craz that has not been my experience. I think that our local cops are the best I have ever encountered. They have far more patience than I will ever have. The horsemen I don't know a lot about. The Quebec provincial police are downright scary. I believe what you say might in some measure apply to them. The Ontario provincial police have an attitude problem. With them it is us vs them a lot of the time. It is not a job that I would want to take on. You should know that as an Officer in our armed forces that some of your peers are great folks and some are real *******s. I have many officers in my family. So I have some idea about them.

[Crazcnuk]

I understand, but in the military it's not a bully-hassle system.

I am not sure how you guage police efficiency in your area. As I said, the ones you know see you as a freind, and therefore act completely different towards you.

Around here, I have no idea what they do. They don't come to accidenents, they don't do anything about theft or vandalism. They don;t even really patrol the roads.

You can report stuff stolen, but it's never entered into the system (34' motorhomes even). They tell people you can't report things stolen, they don't investigate anythying, anf they do very little against drugs. They won't even check items that you suspect may be stolen.

So what exactly ARE they doing? From what I see mostly driving around breaking all the same laws everyone else does, and then some, and then handing out tickets to people for doing the same things they do.

[strippedFJ]

We used to have a great police force here in ACT back in the 80's. Considerate, helpful and effective.

But then we got self government (we were a federally administered territory prior to that), and everything has gone down hill. Now we have cops like what Craz mentioned above. While it's the cops on the street that are the *******s that we see, it's the dodgy vermin in charge (politicians and their senior appointees) that have created the problem, and many good cops have long since left the force, or been forced down to the level of politicians and peurile bureaucrats.

[DJinNH]

Originally posted by Ivan



Beat cops who the daily driver meets mistake themselves for the judicial branch of the government. How many times have i herd "You were doing 76 but I am only going to write you for 65"? Countless. Either they are lying, being unethical, or they think they have the right to decide if you broke the law, and by how much.

I never saw myself as "lying, being unethical, or thinking I had the right to decide if you broke the law..." when I allowed some guy to dump his personal use drugs overboard from his boat rather than causing him so much trouble over something little...arresting him, seizing his boat back in the "zero tolerance" days of South Florida.

I'm sorry you had some pretty bad experiences. Yes, there are cops who step over the line and that is why they have Internal Affairs. I can only speak for my past agency in that if anything ever happened like you mentioned, that LEO would probably be looking for a new job very soon, if not criminal charges.


Don
17 yr LEO (now Disability Retired)

[trbig]

I had wondered about this... An ex member showed me his Garmon GPS for his bike. He showed me that it will recall trip lengths, fastest speed, average speed, etc. This artical opened my eyes. They caught a killer using his GPS to prove where he'd been a YEAR before! Don't get me wrong, it's good they caught the killer... but they are watching. How long until your little Garmon or Tom Tom tattles on you on a trip while you passed someone or were feeling a bit playfull with the posted speed limits, and you have some speeding tickets waiting in the mailbox when you get home... or a police car probably in my case since my playfullness of the speed limits usually ends in an all out rape of them! lol.

GPS helps convict killer


Tod

[Nulle]

Well I guess you know I am a Cop for over 25 years and also an XS 1100 fanatic. Anyway it never ceases to amaze me that the original violation that starts these things gets twisted into the guy or gal that is trying to stop it and protect the citizens. If you wish to cop bash have at it and I will refrain from biker bashing, cowboy bashing, ATV bashing ect.
Anytime you disrupt the publics fun or what they think they should get away with You are the "bad" guy. Sorry but I have been to tooooo many fatalities including kids caused by people pushing the law.
I do agree that chases end in a mess and some of the younger officers need to learn that fast ! Thanks for the vent and I will shut up = have at it.

[Jerry]

Well, it really isn't voluntary is it?

Actually, its a condition of employment, as is the pepper spray training. You can choose to take it or loose your job.

When the policy was put into effect, about 3 years ago, not only did it apply to new hires but every existing officer, patrol or detention, had to go through the process. I have video clips of officers getting tased, both men and women. Same option...go through it or loose your job. To my knowledge, every officer went though the experience. Not something a coward would have done.

There are bad cops out there, my objection is the use of the phrase 'most are..' which in my experience is simply not an accurate description of the police agencies I have come to know.

[tarzan]

I have to agree a little with both sides here.I think we need police in a protect and serve capacity.I also believe since the reality cops show came on police have gained unbalanced power.When we first saw cops in foriegn countrys bullying their citizens everyone I knew said that it was brutality.Somehow that behavior became suddenly acceptable here in the states at least by law enforcement.It has gotten totally out of hand.Like has been alluded to already a simple traffic stop often is treated like a felony.And I think that seats a deep resentment in law abiding citizens.That is why people rebel and police now feel threatened.Also use the laws out of context in my opinion. My daghter was 17 a couple years ago and got pulled over in front of her school.She wasnt speeding and I cant remember the reason he pulled her over now but it was like she was parked on a side street at a corner and pulled out on to the cross street without stopping completely at the line.He had her in tears with the demeaner and language he used.She has always been a 3-4 point student dont use drugs involved in activitys with school etc. .It isnt like she was any kind of troube maker.Yet this officer had this need to bully a young kid.When I was a kid .If you were pulled over and even till about 10 or 15 years ago you could expect a cordial greetting followed by the reason for the stop and a request for your license and registration.You actually had to instigate a confrontation.That definitely isnt the case today.And this new thinking is not the premise this country was built on.It seems that sometimes authoities forget that the overwhelming vast majority of the population is law abiding community oriented people.Just my .02. Oh and have a great holiday weekend

[mro]

Cops are people too
Majority are ex military.
There are about 900,000 to 1,000,000 armed law enforcement types in the US.
Each state has it's "minimum standards" for one to become a cop, and each government body who employees em have to meet the states standards and most exceed them.

The testers, checkers of candidates are people too.
So if but 2 percent slip thru the cracks and become an officer then your looking at 18,000 to 20,000 potential problems.
If you live long enough and go enough places you may run into a "bad" cop but the vast majority follow the law and try to do there job.

Not unusual for the cops to get an attitude of there's us and everybody else. Partly comes from there training to be in control of every encounter with the public (rubs a lot a people the wrong way) and also the amount of crap they have to put up with dealing with the public day after day or the bad guys we want them to catch.

Personally have little problem with cops, it's the courts and politicians that piss me off.


mro