Police officer Kills while D.W. I.

[12-34hom]

While watching the evening news i watched a story about a N.Y. police officer [while driving to work!] early AM? stuck and killed another auto; Killing a women & two children.

After bieng arrested He was released by a judge, [over the objections of police & D.A.] people were outraged in the town it occured in. His blood alcohol level was greater than.10

While watching this, i was disgusted and angry that someone who has been given the trust of the poeple whom he was supposed to serve, he commits this type criminal act against the very people he supposed to be serving.

These are the very reason [amoung others] that lack of trust and support & communication. The gap widens, increasing the lack of credability that police officers generally have.

From the F.B.I. down to small town city officers, incidents like this can be pointed to and refered as how the police are above the law and or if you got enough money you can get out of anything.

This has to be dishearting to to Men & Women officers who serve
honorably, to see this and wonder what brought this officer to the point where his total disregard for human life, his badge, and himself as a person caused this tragic incident.

I have no pity or sympathy for this person. Thru DUE PROCESS he should have his day in court, if found guilty should be sent to prison for the MAX sentence under law.

Your thoughts? 12-34hom.

 

[DorGunR]

12-34hom,
Remember the 10% factor? In the Army we always had about 10% that 1)Never got the word. 2)Was always late for formation. 3)Screw up's in general.
Well you get the idea......I'm sure the same thing applies to any outfit, company, Police Force, Engineers, Teachers, Doctors, (fill in blank).
But you are correct.......a few Cops screw up and we paint the whole group with the same brush.

 

[Keeper]

I had heard about it but I did not know that he was let go?!?! How in the hell did that happen. Anyone else, you and I included would be looking at spending 15 plus years in jail and rightfully so.

 

[dinosaur]

Keeper, he wasn`t let go.

He`s out on bail but the big stink is that the judge RoR`d him. IOW, no bail.

I was a NYC police officer for almost 20 years. I`m appalled at this but it`s nothing new. I myself was a drinker but gave it up because of health problems.
It`s easy for me to be self righteous now that I`m retired. There`s nothing worse than a reformed anything.

There was an article which I don`t have where a big boss for the NYPD blames the hiring practices for the problems of big city p.d.s. I believe it`s part of the problem but not all. People who drink are not usually criminals in the sense we tend to read about. Criminal acts by the police are different in this case. The rotten apples that are hired were rotten before they took the oath. A fool like this may have been a decent guy who will now face the consequences of his actions. So will his family which compounds an already tragic act. It`s a lesson for all of us I hope. There but for the grace of God...

 

[Steve in PA]

First, I have no pity for him. He deserves to have the proverbial book thrown at him.

Second, he'll probably sue the dept saying he has a "disease" (being an alcoholic) and get treatment/therapy/rehab at tax payer expense.

Third, I wonder how come we don't see headlines like...."steelworker-dui hits van", or "construction worker-dui hits pedestrian"........I know those aren't headline grabbers, just pi$$es me off when they run them like that.

 

[cuerno de chivo]

I remember a deputy in my state getting a DUI (U-turned at a DUI roadblock). The sheriff kept him on as a non-leo. He was an excellent grant writer specializing in getting funds for DUI enforcement which he could still do as a non-leo.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Maby because the steelworker or construction worker weren't being paid by the taxpayers to serve and protect.......and enforce the laws that this character broke a few of. He didn't even have to be driving, seemes he was pretty good at being armed and drunk.

Sam

 

[Southla1]

I agree with DorGunR about the 10% factor, but what I cannot understand is the fact that an agency KEEPS that 10%. I worked for damn near 30 years in the offshore oil industry, and believe me we had a "10%" factor too............for a short while. In short order they were escorted to the door of a Huey (or crewboat) waiting to bring them ashore for the last time. This was really bad with contract hands(a hellofa lot more than 10%)..........it got so bad for a while that I was waiting when they arrived at the production platform and some never got OFF the helicopter, or boat. Believe me when I say that they did not come back 2 or 3 weeks later either, one time and you are history. One time stud, and you are gone for good. There is a saying in the oilfield.........""there are only 2 'cant's' in the oilfield......if you can't get it you can't stay" This is also true in a lot of other industries also, why not LEO's? Search out the bad apples, and run their sorry a**** off, and keep the good ones, and give them a raise.

 

[Steve in PA]

[sarcasm mode on] But everyone belly aches about how LEO's are just like the average joe (see the "Us vs. Them" or LEO vs. Civilian threads)...no different. [sarcasm mode off]

By the way I don't refer to non-leo's as civilians, I refer to them as citizens.

 

[fastforty]

Few years back, in a neighboring county:
He was either the Mayor or the Chief of Police ( I forget which), but he DUI/TA'd late one night, killing his very young grandchild in the process. Turns out that just about every officer on the force had pulled him over for DUI at least a couple of times each, and always let him off. That child's blood is on ALL of their hands. Sure, he had a "disease", and everyone sworn to protect him & his family ignored it. And yes, he paid a VERY high price for his refusal to obey the law. (BTW, never heard another word about it after the initial report.)

 

[David Park]

It's not always cops that make the headlines, I remember the driver's education instructor at my high school being cited for DUI, but (luckily) there was no accident, just a routine stop.

 

[PreserveFreedom]

Under discussion here.

 

[badriver]

DWI

I, for one am tired of people saying that it is only the 10% or a few "bad apples" that give LEO's a bad name. If all cop were honest there would not be the 10% as the other officers would turn them in when they found out that they were "bad" cops. But that "blue code of silence" will never be broken and the corruption will be with us until it is...which will be forever!

Remember, never let you friend drive drunk...unless he is a fellow LEO.

 

[rowdy1]

badriver,
That's a crock and you know it! Do you also dislike the military??? The military has murders, rapists, etc, etc..... Hell, even priests can commit crimes. Name one profession that doesn't have "bad apples". Even Psychologists have been known to molest patients.

 

[badriver]

rowdy1

I don't hate the military. I was in the Marine Corps and in Korea in 1953 and we cleaned out our "bad apples" right quick as they could get you killed. What branch did you serve in?

All the other professions that you mentioned that have "bad apples" are not charged with the duty of UP HOLDING THE LAWS OF THE LAND... the LEO's are.

They are there to protect us not each other.

 

[LawDog]

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010810/ts/crime_police_dc_1.html

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010810/us/family_run_over_13.html

$250,000 bail.

Three other officers fired, 14 other officers suspended.

LawDog

 

[Dennis]

To the Marines:

First of all, thanks for being Marines. I'm here because of "a few good men."

However, to say the Marines get rid of bad apples begs for a definition of the term! Some years ago, judges often gave youthful offenders the choice "military or jail." Many (possibly most) went into the Marines.

A very good friend of mine was an NCO in the Marines. He got out when more than 50% of his artillery unit either had criminal records or became Marines because of a judge's option.

The term "bad apple" apparently carries a situational definition.

Now, before the Eagle, World and Anchor squish me flat....

In the Air Force:

One unit commander was arrested by MP's for DUI. He was so drunk the MPs had to help him out of his car and nearly carry him to their patrol car. This happened during the same week he punished several airmen severely for similar or lesser infractions. (I was there. I saw it.)

One Headquarters Squadron Commander came to work, reeking of alcohol, appearing dizzy, carrying deep gouges across one cheek. The APs (Air Police) noted he and his wife had experienced a late night (early morning) domestic dispute requiring the services of at least four APs! This was the same hypocrite who cancelled the driver's license of one of my men because of a car crash that happened while my man's car was legally parked!

In the Army:

A 1st Lt (Operations Officer) was test driving his Chevy on the way home from being repaired from a traffic crash. He ran off the road to avoid an ox cart. In the process, he wrecked his car again after leaving more than 300 feet of skid marks, going through a wire fence and sliding more than 100 feet across farmer Fritz's beet field! The speed limit there was 32mph (50 kph). I was the translator on the scene. This same Lt reported his men as security risks for having a beer with supper.

In our Sheriff's Department:

A deputy parked his patrol car and caught a few winks during his mid-night shift. Unfortunately he had turned his radio down enough he did not hear the dispatcher call him several times. Believing the worst ("officer down"), the dispatcher called other deputies - one of whom found Sleeping Beauty. He was sent home and fired a few hours later when the Sheriff came to work.
-----

Some bad apples violate their oaths, laws, morality and common sense. School teachers and clergy sexually abuse children. Firefighters force owners out of their homes (to "protect" the owners) and then steal money. Police become "dirty." Teen-agers do stupid and criminal things. Then people tend to classify all people in a group by the exception in the group.

As for violating oaths and responsibilities, we (as Americans) do likewise by electing officials who proudly, vociferously and repetitiously violate our Constitution. By so violating our reponsibilities as Americans we are every bit as immoral as the teacher-rapist or the criminal cop - it's just that our victims (our children and grandchildren) are not immediately on the scene!

I'm really becoming tired of the hypocrisy evident in bashing all cops because of a few bad ones while we destroy our American values and way of life.

Heal thine own self, physician.

 

[DAVID NANCARROW]

What Dennis said.....
Your occupation doesn't make you right, nor does it make you wrong. Thats YOUR responsibility.

 

[EnochGale]

Lawdog - before that happened, there were rather large street demonstrations in front of the police station. There was outrage of the people.

It didn't happen spontaneously because of the actions of the NYPD. Given to their own devices, the outcome might have been quite different.

 

[poacher]

(HIGH SARCASM).I say we take him out and slowly skin him alive over a fire after tying him to a wagon wheel, maybe we can even salt him down too. (OFF)

Now in all truth I'm in full agreement that if he is convicted he should be sentenced to the appropiate time. He should'nt get 5 extra years because he's a cop any more than since you shoot you should pay more in insurance cause you carry your weapons in the veh to get where you are going.

Should he have gotten OR'd rather than a bail ? well the arguement that he used is used a hundred times a day in court. Remember bail is used because the subject is considered a flight risk or unlikely to show up in court, NOT as a extra form of punishment. The big thing on this item is that he was or'd (own recongnicence) then after all the protests and threats he was hauled BACK into court and they put a bond on him. The fact that they went and found him and brought him back into court kinda shows he was'nt an flight risk.

Was he a good cop gone bad, was he a drinker, I do'nt know but I'm sure that before the trial has started his whole life and career will be an open book for us to look at.

Look not all cops are bad, as a matter of fact less than 1% of the nations police officers are corrupt but those that are.... whew. He screwed up royal and I'm sure he will pay the price, what are the chances of him getting a fair trial now? No matter what the outcome he's screwed think of it. maybe he should be maybe not.

Last but not least "Those without sin may cast the first stone"

I aint casting cause I'm not perfect.

Best wishes Best luck Poacher.