Question for all polices/cops out there, how common is it to come over something this stupid?
961928
If the criminals were smart, they wouldn't be criminals...Good video and thanks for the link. Quotas! We give out four slice toasters at our department!
791848
I think you have retarded confused with stupid, and the police don't pick on stupid people they arrest them for the stupid stuff that they do.
249421
I think in most places it's not just up to the police; the local prosecutor's office usually makes the charging decision.  Also, if it seems that the police and prosecutor are not acting reasonably, you might be able to get a reporter interested in the story.  That can sometimes cause the authorities to take more action.
1080626
I don't think the cop could enter or interfere.  Maybe the best he could do is radio it in and wait for an answer.
209167
I am probably in the same camp as everyone else, but would want some clarification.\n\nMust people here seem to have taken the position the truck was being backed towards the officer, but that's not what was stated in the question.  The question says the truck "starts coming back towards the cop," which does not necessarily imply that it was being *driven* back...it might have been rolling because the drunk took his foot off the brake.  I don't know that I think it makes a difference, though...it just would be nice if we knew that the truck was indeed being intentionally used as a dangerous weapon (like maybe the engine racing, the backup lights coming on, etc).\n\nAnd I wonder if you're curious about the innocent passenger who was killed, also.  Was his death justified?  No.  But it was accidental, and I don't think what I've read here makes me think it was criminally negligent. \n\nAn interesting question.  I wonder what makes you ask?\n\nEdit 3.20.06:\n\nFor those who say the cop should have (basically) run away, or cowered and waited for backup, here's the law in California, and I'd guess in most states:\n\n835a.  Any peace officer who has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed a public offense may use reasonable force to effect the arrest, to prevent escape or to overcome resistance.\n   A peace officer who makes or attempts to make an arrest need not retreat or desist from his efforts by reason of the resistance or threatened resistance of the person being arrested; nor shall such officer be deemed an aggressor or lose his right to self-defense by the use of reasonable force to effect the arrest or to prevent escape or to overcome resistance.\n\nI still have my concerns with the whole thing, but to suggest the police should have to run (or hide) from criminals is just plain ridiculous.  You don't want to live in a society that tells its cops they have to back off when they're trying to do their job.
502496
No, that's unethical and illegal, and not correct law enforcement practice.  Take it up with a superior at your local police station and make them pay for it.  This is why I don't think much of cops...they always seem to want to abuse their power...
417954
I feel they do to some extent.  I feel people have a misconception as to what a police officer does.  I work for a city through the parks department and working with the public I can sympathize with police because, quite frankly, there are a lot of dumb asses out there.  And although there is a lot of politics involved, I feel when it comes down to it the police do there jobs.
971543
I think it is common today what you are saying. I hear stories like this a lot, and it's not getting better. They do stick up for each other and in a way I don't blame them. They have a tough job that I know I wouldn't want. I will say there are a lot of good Cops that get a bad reputation because of the bad ones. What would help is every six months have them take Drug tests, and a polygraph test.
140270
I think all police do their job well, but if you see a police officer do their job poorly, people suddenly yell that he is a pig or say dirty cop, and relate them with hanging out at donut shops...\n\nPeople make fun of police if they think the job is not being done well, but if it is done well, we all give thanks...\n\nThat pretty much fits almost any job though doesn't it???
837457
I don't believe it is rare. I was almost shot by a policeman with his .45 caliber gun. I am just a mild mannered, middle aged computer programmer who was coding a program all night at a software company. I left the building at 3:00AM and accidentally triggered the alarm that wouldn't reset after attempting to reset it for 10 minutes. So, I left the building carrying my black name and address booklet in my hand. Suddenly, a huge, towering man approached me from behind ordering me to drop what was in my hands and put my hands behind my back. There was no police car present, no motor cycle present, and he did not identify himself. I thought he was a night watchman. I explained that I was an employee and had accidentally tripped the alarm. He screamed that I should not look at him and should drop what was in my hands and put my hands behind my back. It was dark out, and I couldn't see him well. He shined a bright light on me and looked through some kind of viewer which I now know was a gun. Eventually, after he demonstrated severe and frightening anger, I obeyed him and was handcuffed. I figured he was just some angry security guard. Moments later police cars arrived, and I was relieved that some professionals showed up. Those officers were very nice to me. But, the big guy who had initially stopped me, then revealed to me his gun and how close he was to having shot me. He repeated that several times and also stated he thought my name and address book might be a weapon. And, I didn't find out until the next day that he actually was a real police officer who worked foot patrol. I thought he was a guard by his wearing of a blue shirt instead of the black police uniform the other police wore. Had he only identified himself as a police officer at the initial encounter, I would have obeyed immediately.
646710
Oddly, there are some really good answers here.  I usually have to wade through all the donut cracks and Patriot Act garbage to see anything worth reading.\n\nHowever, the question leaves something to be desired.\n\nYou've said you hate to generalize, but that's exactly what you done, and you've done it on a grand scale.  On what do you base your hypothesis that cops get annoyed when people exercise their rights?  Talking about the Los Angeles Police Department alone, there's right around 10,000 cops there.  Your question makes it sound like you've witnessed an awful lot of them get annoyed when people exercise their rights...and that's just Los Angeles.  I'm assuming you don't know, and haven't watched, even 0.01% of the law enforcement officers in this country do their jobs and yet your question assumes cops get annoyed when people exercise their rights, that "almost all" law enforcement officers want people to know as little as possible about their rights, and that "every" time people exercise their rights, the police are "always" there ready to violate them.\n\nSounds to me like you have an agenda.\n\nHaving said that, I'm sure some cops do get annoyed, that they do it for the reasons others have mentioned here, and probably for other reasons as well.  Some cops are jerks...and so are some lawyers, some dentists, some plumbers, some senators and some housewives.  As a group, though, we take an awful lot of precautions in the hiring practices for people who are given the authority they are...something few other career fields do.  \n\nPersonally, I am one of the exceptions you say "may" exist.  I dealt with a 16 year old kid recently who adamantly refused to allow me to search his car.  I was very impressed with the way he communicated his wishes to me and his exercise of his right to be free from unreasonable search - and I told him so.  Then I searched his car, because it reeked of marijuana (which, as it turned out, is because marijuana was in it).  And no, he didn't get a ticket...the weed was destroyed, I thanked him for his time, and he drove away somewhat surprised.  I know I am not alone in my profession when it comes to my respect for people exercising their rights.\n\nAnd having said that, I have two last comments:\n\nI have been annoyed by people who *thought* they were exercising their rights.  People who stand there and demand to have a lawyer before they decide which chemical test to take (no such right in California), people who demand to see a search warrant that allows me to search a vehicle (don't need one, in 99% of cases), people who think they know the laws of arrest ("you can't arrest me, you didn't see me do it") when very often we don't have to actually witness a crime to make an arrest.  I don't mind people asking, and I will bend over backwards to answer and educate them, but this holier-than-thou, I'll-have-your-badge, I-know-the-law-better-than-you, and of course, I-know-my-rights-and-you-can't-do-that attitude does get annoying after a while.  \n\nI don't make enough money to go around violating someone's rights because I couldn't afford the punishment if I did...I don't know a single cop who does.  I know there are certainly some idiots out there who have, but if you consider the total number of police officers in this country, and the relative scarcity of news related to this topic, I hope you'll see that perhaps you aren't giving the profession a fair shake.  Sure...when we screw up we do it BIG...but we really don't do it as often as you're making it sound.  \n\nSorry for the length...it's a subject I could talk about for quite a while.
703685
Well, if it's a small community and your friend's well-known it's likely that the officer was told when he went back to his car, "Hey, don't give this guy a ticket," either over the radio, his pager, or his cell phone, by either his dispatcher or the sheirff himself.  The good-ole-boy system's alive and well in my hometown.  Happens often.
278873
What made you think that way? May be you have some personal experiences. But a corruption is not a one way process its a two way process, so we are also to an extent responsible if such is the case. as far as incompetency is concerned, if a person is in police department then he must have cleared the rigorous tests before entering in here which is similar to every one so it would be wrong to say that they are incompetent.
10927
Corruption is the problem.  Be careful handing out cash.  If the cop is honest, you could be charged with bribing a law enforcement officer.
1020932
Mikey are you for real, they start on around £22,000 and things go up from there!!! In answer to the question yes I do think most police are dishonest send a thief to catch a thief as my dear old dad used to say!!! Also kilroymaster needs to open his eyes and see that the police condemn groups of people on a daily basis from the actions of a few, I ride a motorbike and come summertime can't travel more than two miles without being pulled because some bikers speed, use illegal cans and numberplates etc. look at their shoot to kill policy on trains, all of a sudden everyone carrying a back pack and running for a train is a terrrorist!!!
910139
It takes months and months of hard work, and hard evidence and misery for a lot of people (ie neighbours) before an ASBO is issued against someone.  Those that say they were given one for no reason are lying.  The Police don't go easy on someone because that person is a friend of a serving officer.  We deal with cold hard evidence.  If you get one, you deserve it.  What you might think is reasonable, may not be for the rest of the community you live in.
93936
If you can avoid a police cruiser chasing your butt down the highway, in any state, let alone Texas, you get an award for stupidity.  And if the vehicle isn't moving, where you going to hide, in the trunk? I know - crawl inside the gas tank and light a cigarette.  Nuff said.