Lazy Police Officers

[friendofjimmyk]

I'm not sure if this belongs here or not but this is just freakin' crazy...

We received a call from a member who needed a tow because two tires blew out on his vehicle. Okay, no problem...

The driver arrived on location, there were two passengers in the vehicle, the engine was running and the windows were down, and they were passed out! The driver of the tow truck COULD NOT wake either the driver or the passenger up - they were stone cold drunk. MY guess is that they blew out the tires hitting something and stopped, called for service and passed the F out!

We call the cops, thinking for sure these folks would get arrested.....the cop let them go!

Supposedly the cop told the tow driver that, "Well, I'm getting off and I don't want to deal with it so I'm going to let you tow them."

I hope that some complaints are lodged. I hope some heads roll over this one!

[Erin]

Eeek!!

Where in Omaha was this?

[friendofjimmyk]

I honestly forgot where this was located...if I recall correctly somewhere around 50th & dodge, but that was this morning and I've fielded a lot of service calls since then so I am probably waaaaayyyy off!

[Rahmota]

friendofjimmyk wrote:Supposedly the cop told the tow driver that, "Well, I'm getting off and I don't want to deal with it so I'm going to let you tow them."

I hope that some complaints are lodged. I hope some heads roll over this one!

Sorry to bust your bubble but to be perfectly honest I doubt anything will ever be said about this unless the tow driver lodges a complaint. And even then it'll probably be ignored or at best a slap on the wrist for the officer as to a peace officer that was a total non-event there. Two people passed out drunk in a non-mobile car that I am guessing was not blocking traffic or otherwise being a problem at the end of shift isnt even worth a write up.

True they had no doubt been driving somewhere but since when the officer arrived they where'nt and if there had been no other reports on that car then under OHIO law there was no crime being committed so there was nothing really for the officer to do.

[Ree]

Hmmm...strange and lenient laws they have there.

I know someone who was parked in his own driveway with an open bottle of wine, and he was charged.

[Rahmota]

Ree said:with an open bottle of wine

Well that right there is the difference friend didn't mention that the tow driver or officer found an open container in the car or their possession. If there is an open container or there is probable cause of possession of controlled substance or such then that makes it cause for an investigation. Just being in a car that is not moving and drunk is not criminal.

I've been behind the badge and I have to tell you that it takes a special personality to do that job because it can be more stressful than you could imagine for reasons that you might not suspect. I mean everyone wants the police to do something about the criminals but they dont want too many of their personal freedoms infringed upon or their rights and freedoms interferred with. A police officer has to tread a thin line between enforcing the laws and causing a public relations fiasco. Everyone wants reckless drivers arrested and off the roads but dont want to have to slow down themselves. People want terrorists off airplanes but dont want to give up their nailclippers or wait in lines. It is a very fine line between personal freedoms and the protection of society that the officer has to walk.

Yes there are quite a few people who wear the uniform and the badge that misuse their position and their power. Just as there are quite a few who do their jobs to the best of their ability and are never thanked, never recognized and just fade away quietly into that good night. Just as there are those few who rise above the common and become heroes.

And sorry for getting on a soapbox there but I've seen the other side of the badge and I don't like LEOs getting bashed for stuff that may not be understood or their fault. Its a tough job and the officer on the scene has to make decisions based on the laws, operational orders and facts/evidence/probable cause as he is aware of on the scene. Sometimes his judgement is one people agree with, sometimes it isnt. But as long as he doesnt break any laws or regulations then there isnt much that is going to happen to him.

[Ree]

But, he was also parked on his own farm, and had no intention of going on the road.
The car wasn't even pointed in the direction of the road.

But, I guess I do see the difference in actually having the alcohol in your possession and just suffering from the effects of it, but still, had those morons not done something to disable their car, they would still be driving.

What a way for the law to split hairs.

My nephew is a police officer. My BIL is a retired forensic detective. I know just how hard the job is.

[Rahmota]

Ree. I am sorry if I came off strong but I've dealt with a lot of BS about that and all from people. I'm sure your nephew can attest to how much of a split personality people have when dealing with law enforcement. When the cops are going after the "bad guys" they're the heroes and when they come after them when they do something wrong they're jack booted thugs, is a lot of people's perceptions.

And yeah a lot hairs get split very often. Such is the american legal system.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Similar story of a cop not doing his damn job came out of Milwaukee about last week or so.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=510686

[Rahmota]

Oh and I am sorry if I may have mistated things. I worked security while I was in training and going to classes to be a peace officer. I made it as far as my ride alongs and was going to graduate when I wound up working a car wreck on the freeway. A car had tried to cross two lanes of oncoming traffic at an uncontrolled intersection in front of a dump truck. T bone. 3 year old girl was ejected from the vehicle, through the side window and killed. My wife had just had a baby daughter. I realized I didn't have that wall that has to be there to be a peace officer so that you can do your job and see all the ugliness of humanity and the world and not go starck raving insane. Ree you nephew and BIL have my deepest respect and sympathy.

About the news article. Sad to say the headline Police officer does job and goes home safe and sound to family doesnt sell much. So when an officer does do something bad it makes the papers. Do your job and you do it alone, mess up and the whole world watches.

[Becks]

Similar story of a cop not doing his damn job came out of Milwaukee about last week or so.

IPF, that was one hell of a story.

Am I the only one disturbed, though, that the story said that the police weren't sent out until AFTER THE THIRD 911 CALL?!?!?

[Jester]

Well that right there is the difference friend didn't mention that the tow driver or officer found an open container in the car or their possession. If there is an open container or there is probable cause of possession of controlled substance or such then that makes it cause for an investigation. Just being in a car that is not moving and drunk is not criminal.

Actually, that may depend on where you live. I have heard from at least one or two people about a local person here who got a DUI for being responsible. See, they knew they were far too drunk to drive, and they did not want to call a cab or could not afford one (I don't know which). So they acted in what I consider a responsible manner. They got into their vehicle, crawled into the back seat, and went to sleep, never once putting the keys in the ignition.

The cops discovered them and arrested them, charging them with DUI. Apparently the "D" part of the DUI (Driving) was conveniently ignored.

[jnd4rusty]

Actually in my city..from what I understand of our laws..if you are intoxicated and are in the vehicle and the keys are on your possession than you can and will be charged with DUI. They consider it the intent to drive, actually I would rather the cops arrested an intoxicated person who is in their vehicle..even if the vehicle is not started or such..because a person who is intoxicated will not think logically and may just start up the car and decide to kill off someones family. Better safe than sorry.

[symposes]

Speaking of seemingly unlawfull arrest via DUI
My stepbrother got trashed at a party, and got a ride from a Designated Driver.
I dont know why, i dont know how, but they got pulled over for something, and my stepbrother was charged with DUI.
THankfully his lawyer got that one dropped.
My stepmom asked about it. And was told, by the cop that did it, that just being drunk and in the vehicle was all he needed to give a DUI, EVEN IF THEY ARE A PASSENGER IN A CAB...
Not a lazy cop, but a power trip none the less.

[Argabarga]

Local laws are going to vary, but fundamentaly, to be charged with DUI, you must be, I think, "in control" of a vehicle. So I don't see how you could even charge someone with DUI if they are a passenger of a sober person's car unless the sober person was letting the passenger drive from the passenger's seat.

That's just dead wrong unless there's some law I'm unaware of, otherwise, what's the point of a designated driver? Sounds to me like the cop thought he had a sure-fire DUI, and when he found out he didn't, he was too much of a dick to admit his mistake and just charged them anyway....