this guy didn't even notice how lucky he was to be alive

[Cooter]

"If police cars in chases have to exercise care and caution when handling a criminal then it should apply to officers on their feet as well, and they have to take into account the possibility of casualties on ALL sides."

Taking a stab in the dark here on this one, but I'm thinking everything changes when you have a gun pulled and pointed on you face to face instead of trying to shoot from a car moving @ 55MPH. Chances are face to face your more likely to get a kill shot...Just a thought.

[68 Bullitt Charger]

Hello "myk" and "Fred",

"myk" I just to say I appreciate and respect your feeling's, as I do for everyone however as you hae said, you are not an Officer and really do not know how hard and the decision making that needs to be done everyday and in split seconds which can determine the public and Officer's fate. I do think MOST of the Public has excellent common sense, law biding, respectful and most important, would never place themselve's or an Officer in such a negative, and or dangerous situation.

Although I disagree with you about what course of action the Officer took or should have taken, the Officer clearly saved his life as he made no attempt to want to save his own life. This behavior is typical with a criminal minded person, and or a suicidal person who has no regard for anyone including himself. It is so easy to Monday morning quarter back, make fun of the Officer, say disrespectful thing's like some Member's above here have however when your Family or Yourself is in serious trouble or seriously hurt, the Public call's us to help or save you as best as possible. We are the first person there along with the Fire Dept and EMS/EMT's.

When I saw the disrespectful post from a couple People above I saw RED! I never treat any person, whether they work in IBM or the Morgue, with any negative judgement and or disrespectful comment's. I find it best to appreciate People for who and what they are and enjoy meeting new People. Once again I appreciate your feeling's and hope you can understand why I fired back on my other post.

"Fred" you are 100% correct Sir. The respect you give is the respect you receive in LIFE!

Thanks Guys,
Joe

[Cooter]

At the end of the day, what have we learned class?


When the taser is mentioned(IE Last warning) you either comply, or you will be forced to comply. (Albeit crying and whimpering on the ground like a little b*tch), but you WILL comply.

[2Gunz]

I have a few questions that I would love answered.

Why did the Officer pull him over in this location to begin with?
    He obviously knows its dangerous as he approaches from the passenger side.
     Why not the next exit or further of the shoulder?


Why did he get tasered exactly?
      From what I see the cop got spooked when he decided to run, and shot him.
      I personally think it was a horrible call based on the danger of the road.  But I get it, split second to react. Fine.
      It is what it was. I get it.  I bet if he had a chance to do it again he would have picked differently. cool.

       But what I really dont get is this. Why did he pull out the taser to begin with? The officer should be trying to defuse
        the situation. Instead hes throwing fuel on the fire.

        If you pull the taser on me and start telling me your going to "pop" me.  Suddenly its fight or flight time.
        I dont care if your the police or Jesus Christ, if you have something that can hurt me......  my brain is now racing through
        my options.

     
And why continue to taser him on the ground?

If the officer though he was in danger, why not put him in cuffs after exiting the vehicle?
              Ive never been arrested.  But I live in LA and Im pretty sure if Im out of the car Im in cuffs.



my thoughts..

       



     

[myk]

"If police cars in chases have to exercise care and caution when handling a criminal then it should apply to officers on their feet as well, and they have to take into account the possibility of casualties on ALL sides."

Taking a stab in the dark here on this one, but I'm thinking everything changes when you have a gun pulled and pointed on you face to face instead of trying to shoot from a car moving @ 55MPH. Chances are face to face your more likely to get a kill shot...Just a thought.

Agreed, but in the video I don't recall seeing anything resembling a weapon coming into play.  Again, I wasn't there, maybe the officer DID feel a weapon was about to be used on him.  In that case, well, as far as I'm concerned anyone who brandishes any sort of malicious intent, especially a weapon such as a gun towards a police officer will deserve whatever happens to them...

[Fred]

Put yourself in the place of the Officer. Would you take a chance on this possibly being your last day on Earth.
It's hard to judge what today's delinquents will do when confronted. Consequences don't come into it and mostly they're not even remorseful afterwards.  And dead is dead however sorry the perpetrator might be after the deed. They risk their lives on our behalf every day. It's a job I wouldn't want. Once again...........more power to them.

[Mike DC]

          
The cop asked the  guy to turn out his pockets, and the guy kept resisting doing it, particularly once the cop focused in on a certain pocket.  Then the guy made a dash for the cab of his vehicle.  Either of those things is individually enough to suggest trouble, potentially a weapon.  


The cop "threatening" to zap the guy is one way to look at it.  

Another way to look at it would be the cop was warning the guy that he was starting to feel threatened.  Therefore the guy should start doing exactly what he's told to avoid a zap.  

[myk]

Just how many times did that idiot get tazed anyway?  Aren't those things capable of dropping most people with one or two hits?  Maybe the driver was under the influence of something...

[General_01]

Any time somebody doesn't want to comply with a police officer's request, they are asking for trouble. It means you are trying to hide something. The police are not mind readers nor do they have x-ray vision. They don't know if you are hiding drugs, a weapon or if your just embarrassed to pull a condom out of your pocket. All I know is that NO officer is going to risk their life by ASSUMING you mean no harm. 
   

[Fred]

Just how many times did that idiot get tazed anyway?  Aren't those things capable of dropping most people with one or two hits?  Maybe the driver was under the influence of something...

And that's what makes him so dangerous!

[bull]

Everyone is an expert on the actions of cops when it comes to hindsight. For some reason people really get off on cops "overreacting" once the entire scenario has played out. The fact is, cops are no more psychic than anyone else. They don't know if the people they just met are getting ready to run, trying to get a gun, heading back into the car for a snack, etc., and so they rely on procedures and compliance on the part of the suspect. If you are too stupid to follow directions the cop has to assume you are up to no good and will put self-preservation at the highest priority. I would too if I had that job. I wouldn't give anyone the benefit of the doubt because that's a good way to get killed in that line of work. If I were a cop and I was dealing with a suspect that wouldn't follow instructions, I'd tase him until he filled his shorts and started speaking a new dialect of Klingon before I'd run the risk of getting killed.

[Mike DC]

Everyone is an expert on the actions of cops when it comes to hindsight. For some reason people really get off on cops "overreacting" once the entire scenario has played out. The fact is, cops are no more psychic than anyone else. They don't know if the people they just met are getting ready to run, trying to get a gun, heading back into the car for a snack, etc., and so they rely on procedures and compliance on the part of the suspect. If you are too stupid to follow directions the cop has to assume you are up to no good and will put self-preservation at the highest priority. I would too if I had that job. I wouldn't give anyone the benefit of the doubt because that's a good way to get killed in that line of work. If I were a cop and I was dealing with a suspect that wouldn't follow instructions, I'd tase him until he filled his shorts and started speaking a new dialect of Klingon before I'd run the risk of getting killed.

Agree.  

People forget that the cop didn't get any replays of the incident.  No slo-mo shots.  He didn't know the title & description of the youtube clip ahead of time.  He didn't get to discuss it with anyone else and spend a few minutes or hours coming to a conclusion. He only had one real-time shot at making the right decision and his life may have been on the line.

[bull]

Also, the viewers seem to forget all the stuff leading up to the arrest. The cop was courteous and polite when he asked for the suspect's paperwork and it was after he ran his history that things got a little tense. Obviously the results showed that he had previous trouble with the law. I don't know what all that history showed (and none of the armchair cops do either) but it might have showed the suspect had a propensity for violence. Maybe it didn't but either way it showed that he had priors. So in that case, when you see a criminal fidgeting in their pocket for something you cannot see, anyone with a brain and even a mild sense of self-preservation would probably get more than a little nervous and want to do all they can to protect themselves. The suspect lived to see another day despite himself and for that I think he should be very grateful. He could have very easily gotten a couple of 9mm rounds to the chest and then gotten run over by a semi but he lived because the cop did his job.

Here in Oregon it's now law for passing traffic to get into the next lane over to avoid situations like this. Not that I think we need more laws on the books but it should be common sense for passing drivers to give cops and suspects a little breathing room when they're right next to the fog line like that.

[68 Bullitt Charger]

Hi again Fellas, Just back from the 100+ degree Carlisle Event....   Anyway I just started again to read the comment's, feeling's, etc regarding this situation as well as other Police encounter's that happen day in and day out. As some here know already, I am a recently retired NY Highway Patrolman and had 18.5 year's in and retired 9-11 sick from the WTC. I would like to jump in here if you Folk's do not mind.

There are some wonderful posts I have read here from my fellow Member's and even a Member who may not agree and or understand the Officer's action however he asked question's and was very respectful. The video display's the sign's of 1 of 2 type of People meaning either the Motorist's was DWI/DUI and or Criminal minded with something to hide. The action's taken by the Officer IMO, under the circumstance's are very much justified as the Officer warned the Motorist several time's and I feel the Motorist's in this case was well aware of the danger's to himself and the Officer however he appeared not to care either way making this situation a Crime. The Taser is designed to "zap" a person once and usually make the person comply which would then lead to handcuffing and arrest. In this case the Motorist was "Zapped" however the Taser effect sometime's does not have the same from one person to another therefore the treat is still very present and real toward's the Officer. The Officer has second's to make a decision that can change their live's as well as the Civilian's life and Officer's are only human being's. As a Man, when my life was threatened I reacted in hope's that a correct, unviolent and fair judgement was made to protect both the Civilian and Officer.


Please try to keep an open mind when it come's to making slit second decision's as no one person is perfect nor do they know everything good and bad. Remember, the Public know's who we are however we never know who you are. Thank's for listening and God Bless.

Regard's,
Joe C NY