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Cop has to pay $18,000 for arresting firefighter watch!

liveleak.com — A police officer in Hazelwood will have to pay $18,000 dollars for getting into it with a firefighter while he was trying to help an accident victim. His attorney says he's disappointed and that his client's conduct was not malicious in any way.

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  • DrPaul2008, on 02/17/2008, -37/+440Our police have lost any perspective on their purpose. Likely at least 10% of you belong in jail, and another 85% need to be replaced with real human beings.

    Sooner or later we're not going to be able to ignore this problem anymore. This absurd gang of thugs seems to think of us lowly citizens as an inconvenience. The consequence for abusive, &/or crooked, cops simply needs to be firing, with criminal charges. No more paid vacations. No more bs internal investigations. If you don't like it, quit and seek therapy, before you end up outnumbered, unarmed, and behind bars with a populace you, or your fellow gang members, have abused. You're not right for the job.

    It's still legal for a lowly citizen to dream, right?
    • tundra721, on 02/17/2008, -106/+25Wow...way to generalize. You understand that law enforcement receives little "good" publicity, right?

      By the way, this was taken place in 2003. This is how desperate people get while trying to give law enforcement a bad name. Just "Digging" up the past...
      • themastersb, on 02/17/2008, -2/+19Hence not including the remaining 5% in his stats.
      • Khannea, on 02/17/2008, -10/+44I simply do not trust US cops. Repeat, I do not trust US cops. What you gona do about that, tazer me?
        • lust, on 02/17/2008, -14/+5First I'm gonna have to find you. So any hints as to who you are or where you live. The sooner I taser you, the less painful this will be.
          • Khannea, on 02/19/2008, -0/+3Uhm... the Netherlands? They don't use tazers here. And cops, when they address you on the street, are invariably polite and nice.
      • IphtashuFitz, on 02/17/2008, -1/+30So the incident happened in 2003. Ever have to deal with lawsuits making their way through the US court system? It's no wonder it's getting publicity now since the trial is finally underway. Should we ignore this, and consider it desperate, just because the events in a CURRENT court case happened 5 years ago? There's a pretty good writeup of the proceedings at http://www.fireengineering.com/news/newsArticleDis ...
      • dOOBiEx213, on 02/17/2008, -4/+20This goes to show this type of ***** isn't new. Pigs have been in a power-trip forever.
      • lesosso, on 02/17/2008, -0/+29i'm a firefighter and everytime we go on the freeway for accidents we have to argue with cops who are supposed to be there for traffic, i guess they are frustrated that everyone sees them as a pain in the ass and us firefighters as people helper and most of the time good guys.
      • PlayRadioPlay, on 02/18/2008, -10/+3Digg is mostly potheads and computer nerds (illegal downloaders, hackers, etc.), aka People Who Break The Law. Of course diggers hate cops.
        • jftitan, on 03/11/2008, -0/+1Wow.... I don't like you. I don't like you at all.
          /2cents
    • arTech, on 02/17/2008, -0/+43http://www.firefightingnews.com/article-US.cfm?art ...
      Gives the best explanation on this dispute.
    • InfamousAtheist, on 02/17/2008, -2/+112I hate to generalize, but my personal experiences with the police (admittedly anecdotal) has led me to reach similar conclusions. Most of the cops I know or have interacted with (MOST, not all) have proven themselves to little more than meathead jock types on a power trip, taking out their frustrations for failing to make the NFL, graduate high school, or satisfy their daddy's demands on the rest of the population. They assume you're guilty of something illegal even if they have nothing more than suspicion to prove it. They're physically abusive and use fear and intimidation as weapons. They lie to innocent people and regularly (I've had a few cops I know admit this to me) falsify evidence, police reports, and testimony in order to get their way or make themselves appear right and suspects appear guilty.

      I know there are good, honest, hard working cops out there. Unfortunately, the bad ones I've met and heard about in the media make me fear all cops and generally avoid interacting with them unless I absolutely have to. The penalties for cops abusing their authority should be very high.
      • captainproton, on 02/17/2008, -15/+18I've been reading Digg for a long time now, and I think this is the first time I've really felt the need to jump in and make a comment. I'm a college teacher in Montreal - last year a gunman went on a rampage at one of our sister schools.

        While you're undoubtedly right about many police being less-than-ideal examples of civilization, it's these same people who put their bodies between the gunman and students (no, I wasn't there, but yes, some of my colleagues witnessed this) - they deliberately drew fire away from the civilians. So, yes, there are bad cops out there... too many. But even the bad cops are putting their lives on the line from time to time. While we *should* criticize the all-too frequent abuses, keep in mind that their job sometimes asks them to do the unthinkable.

        • lesosso, on 02/17/2008, -1/+18The cop that killed that Madman, is one of the worst cop in Montreal (check your story right) he's been on multiple disciplinary hearing and all the other cops knows he is a gung ho, he is just a trigger happy cop!!!
          That one time he was right but i wouldn't want to look like a crook when that cop's around.
          • captainproton, on 02/17/2008, -7/+5He's a trigger-happy cop who put his body between the gunman and civilians. That's my point. Even the bad cops, as part of their jobs, are called on to do the heroic from time to time. I commented only to point out that the binary (good cop / bad cop) or unary (I hate all cops!) mentality doesn't do justice to the question of how much power and authority we, as a society, are comfortable giving these people.
          • faskill, on 02/17/2008, -2/+15Heroic? Hypothetically speaking, if I'm a gunman and I see unarmed civilians then I see a police officer that is armed, my fire would naturally be drawn towards the armed individual. Perhaps the cop wasn't as much a hero instead just more of a prime target.
          • captainproton, on 02/17/2008, -6/+4"In the shooting rampage at Dawson College, these new tactics were all captured on TV or the video displays of dozens of cellphones: Young, almost baby-faced Montreal police officers rushing onto the campus, chasing, challenging and eventually cornering a young killer, their handguns versus his semi-automatic rifle."

            http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/realitycheck/she ...

            Again, not defending abuse of power... just pointing out that power / authority is a complicated question.
          • gyrfalcon, on 02/18/2008, -6/+1Canada is a socialist state, and the citizens can not even protect themselves like the police do.

            Canadian law enforcement is under no obligation to protect citizens legally.
          • Raian, on 02/18/2008, -1/+6@gyrfalcon: Inquire about a refund on your law degree.
          • hellotyler, on 02/19/2008, -0/+1Wow, asshole people can OCCASIONALLY act like normal human beings! Amazing! Most anyone with a gun would have done the same to put themselves and the people around them out of danger. He just happened to be in the right place at the right time, it doesn't change the FACT that he is normally an abusive asshole.
          • gyrfalcon, on 02/22/2008, -0/+1@Raian

            Truth hurts doesn't it?
        • browwiw, on 02/17/2008, -15/+9Too bad Canada is a fascist state that has disarmed it's citizens and turned them into victims. If someone had been legally armed at the campus then that shooter never would have gotten very far. The cops can't be everywhere and they're usually not even in the places they should be because they're goddam inept. Arm yourself.
          • kd1s, on 02/17/2008, -2/+12Please check the definition of fascist because in your example it isn't Canada that's fascist. The U.S. is a plutocracy though which leads to fascism.
          • browwiw, on 02/18/2008, -12/+6Please check the definition of my balls. Then suck them.
          • sb66, on 02/18/2008, -4/+5you gun freaks are always good for a laugh
          • gyrfalcon, on 02/18/2008, -2/+2@sb66

            So are unarmed victims, or that's what the thugs tell me.
        • xptoast, on 02/18/2008, -1/+9Most cops want to be badass and fire weapons so that to me does not qualify as good. That is like saying a bully helped me out one time...because he got to kick someones ass without getting in trouble.
        • longbow486, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1me and my buddies had this little incident a little while back
          http://www.techidiots.net/other/letter-sent-to-oxf ...
      • jessehadden, on 02/18/2008, -1/+7Personally, in my experience, it's the "few good ones" that are the myth. I believe they exist, mostly out of desperation, but I have never seen any proof of their existence.
        • gyrfalcon, on 02/18/2008, -2/+2I got drunk one night and punched a mirror off of a Truck with a bunch of bouncers in it... Long story short, I agreed to pay for the mirror and the cops gave me an my friends a ride home.

          There are some really nice cops out there, and hopefully if your ever in the wrong, you'll run into them.

    • TheTaoOfBill, on 02/17/2008, -16/+25Actually in this moment he was looking out for the people. He wanted to open up another lane of traffic. It was the fire fighter looking out for his own kind.

      However they both made good points and the cop was being rather anti-productive by arresting the firefighter. They should be working together in an emergency. That kind of fighting on the job can lead to someone's death in an emergency.

      Though they both had logical reasons for their opinions I'd have to say the Cop got what he deserved for jepordizing the people involved in the emergency over a silly dispute over where to park the firetruck
      • PepeGSay, on 02/17/2008, -1/+27Oh come off it. The cop was an idiot. He should have said "Move this" then when the Firemen said no, he should have said "Ok, I'll check back in twenty minutes after you guys get this guy worked on." He doesn't need throw all 200 lbs. of his dumb ass around because the Fireman want to protect themselves. The cop was trying to save people 15 minutes in traffic, the Firemen were trying to save lives. And the judge in this case is an idiot. The cop should have know he was doing wrong because he should know whether fellow public service personell have certain extended rights such as the ability to block traffic at their own discretion.
        • TheTaoOfBill, on 02/17/2008, -22/+2If you think this is about traffic speed you're kidding yourself. It's a well known fact that causing a funnel in traffic is a great way to cause additional accidents. The less lanes are closed the less danger you put drivers in.

          This is especially true on freeways.
          • ayeroxor, on 02/17/2008, -0/+22it's a well-known fact that your well-known facts are uncited *****.
          • TheTaoOfBill, on 02/17/2008, -17/+2Why would I cite something that's common sense?
            The more obstacles you give a driver the more danger you put them in.
          • lesosso, on 02/17/2008, -0/+5that's why instead of arresting the firefighter he should have blocked the lane in a prudent manner, there are procedures which are pretty good for slowing traffic down.
          • thecatcantalk, on 02/17/2008, -2/+6*****. The vast majority (about 3 out of 4) of auto accidents occur within 2 miles of the driver's home, at speeds below 40 mph. Highway wrecks are relatively rare, because the faster people drive, the more they pay attention: for example, wrecks at speeds of 80 mph are nearly unheard of.
          • MikeSD34, on 02/17/2008, -0/+4In a traffic funnel situation, traffic is moving MUCH slower, and as such should be much safer. They're not pulling into this funnel at 65 mph, they're likely not even doing 15 mph.
          • gyrfalcon, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2If the fire fighter wanted to block off the entire freeway to pickup litter... More power to him.

            The cop was an #%@^$#@.
            ,
    • whorunbartertwn, on 02/17/2008, -4/+35Being a cop is like playing cornerback... if you do your job well you won't make headlines.
      • TheTaoOfBill, on 02/17/2008, -14/+3Except the problem is being a cop is filled with risk taking decisions and it's almost impossible to be a good cop all the time and make perfect decisions all the time.

        You can be the nicest cop in the world but you might also be the most inefficient cop in the world. A balance between the two is needed but even if a cop has that balance it's hard to maintain it after years on the force. Police work is definitely a very stressful line of work and I'm actually surprised a lot more don't snap.
        • faskill, on 02/17/2008, -2/+8I don't require perfection... I require service. Remember when it was written on the cars "To Protect and |Serve|"? (Cop Cars from the California Locale)
          How about attempting to assist the public instead of assuming them guilty of a crime?
      • Khannea, on 02/17/2008, -3/+17Doing it well is their job. Doing it like a pigheaded fascist third world militia is not. You function or sooner or later vigilantes will be aiming for any passing cop car with a Parker Hale (and getting away with it).
      • KingGorilla, on 02/18/2008, -0/+4Niggas always want credit for some ***** they supposed to do.
    • ScottKeeler, on 02/17/2008, -1/+20This police officer should lose his job! This is pure incompetence on his part. Any self respecting law officer would have tazed the dangerous criminal first to make sure the situation didn't get out of hand.
    • gernblansted, on 02/17/2008, -0/+5Contempt of Cop! For some police, this is a serious offense, even if it is unwritten. "Contempt of Cop" is why some police departments have rules in place mandating that the police who are leading car chases aren't supposed to be the one's who actually arrest the suspect - the explosive reaction of the adrenaline filled cop who conducted the chase just costs the departments and cities/towns too much money, and dignity.
    • ludar, on 02/17/2008, -9/+3You gotta remember that these guys are under a lot of stress. Cops in general are good people, i've never had a problem with one. Sure there are a few bad eggs out there that gives the rest of them bad names, but if your respectful, listen, and not fight any charges until the court date you'll come out a lot better. Now with this situation the firefighters where in the right to block that lane, but if you look at it from the cops perspective and not knowing what the firefighters needed i can see why he saw that the firetruck was causing a greater hazard. he did act inappropriately arresting the commanding firefighter during the extrication process.
    • GuacamoleSan, on 02/18/2008, -6/+4lets get this pig's phone number and address up
      • Evildudetx, on 02/18/2008, -9/+3And do what? Hide in your Mom's basement like 99% of diggers? Send the guy a nasty letter? Ohhh, I know, you'll blog about how wrong the cop was.......

        Just STFU. Its over.
        • gyrfalcon, on 02/18/2008, -2/+3All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing
    • Schmich, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2Usually they get away with anything so I'm so happy seeing at least one of them not being above the law when it comes to court.
    • sakibomb222, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1Farva
    • Zuljin, on 02/18/2008, -4/+3Of all the blind foolishness on Digg, it is this kind of attitude that I find most upsetting. Please, stop and think for a moment. These people are trying to uphold society itself. They have one of the most dangerous jobs out there, and without them your life would simply not be safe. They have abysmal pay, and every single one of them is subject to terrible prejudice whenever a single one behaves with anything less than perfect conduct.
      Quit being a god-damn moron. Use your head. Don't just repeat whatever attitude all the cool kids have.
      • tingrin87, on 02/18/2008, -2/+1Quit being a goddamn moron. Use your head. Don't just go against whatever attitude all the cool kids have. formulate your own thoughts!
      • tundra721, on 02/18/2008, -0/+3And you still get dug down for that. That goes to show you that most diggers are mildly retarded. They don't get out much - the only incidents they have with law enforcement are the ones they see on YouTube...which explains a lot.
    • toastertester, on 02/18/2008, -2/+2OK, so I don't know any police officer's so I'm not sticking up for them out of personal experience, but I had this conversation just today with a former paramedic (She had to stop due to an injury): Apparently, there's this whole dispute between cops/paramedics (who actually train and are qualified to do what they do), and firefighters (who pretty much just have to lift stuff to get the job). Apparently they hate each other everywhere. This friend was telling me incredible stories that I was just shocked to hear -- like about a firefighter pushing the buttons on HER defibrillator (which he had no training on) as it was charging, without warning her, which could have led to her going back in the ambulance lying down. Often they refuse to pull over to let ambulances and police pass (who are most trained in actual lifesaving), in an effort to be first on a crash scene. Apparently they're complete glory hogs, and will do anything to be the ones who get recognition for anything that the emergency response squads show up for. It's pretty uinderstandable, considering that a large number of them are bottom-of-the-barrel high school dropouts -- the kind of guys who you probably hated in high school.
      Obviously I'm gonna get some flak over this because of the image they've polished, but this is at least how it is in my area, and this friend of mine swears that it's a common undercurrent that the public isn't aware of... She mentioned that she's spoken with paramedics and police from New York who are furious at how the firefighters hoard all recognition for 9/11 and largely refuse to acknowledge all the others who risked their lives and died that day.
      Anyway, this is a ramble, but I'm not feeling like going back to edit for coherency, cause I've got a feeling I'm just going to get thumbs-downed to -100 anyhow. Cheers all
    • CannibalTom, on 02/20/2008, -0/+1The only good policeman is a dead one.
  • toastgodsupreme, on 02/17/2008, -1/+443Because opening up another lane of traffic is FAR more important than protecting emergency workers who are attending the scene. Good show Mr. Cop.
    • OpenFuture, on 02/17/2008, -0/+109My thoughts exactly. Who in their right mind would interfere with a firefighter while the lives of the people in the accident are potentially at risk?
      • sk11, on 02/17/2008, -2/+50Officer small dick, super ego, sans brain, that's who.
      • Elliuotatar, on 02/17/2008, -2/+11Who in their right mind would detain and lecture an old man who is trying to get his dying wife to the hospital and begging to be allowed to leave because he was driving a bit fast and ran a red light, rather than immediately assessing the situation as being serious and escorting them to the hospital like a nornal human being? Oh that's right, A COP.
        • kubedawg, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1Generally if you have some sort of white cloth you can lower your window, stick your hand out with the cloth to signal to the cop something is wrong, put the cloth in the window, roll it back up, and get to your destination. Of course, it'd be better if you also had a cell phone to call 911 and notify the police what you are doing so they can give the officer who's following you the info.
      • Jashro, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1Someone who likes to shell out $18,000 for pride.
      • t3soro, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1Who in their right mind would send someone to jail for keeping plants in their house?
        oh wait
    • tundra721, on 02/17/2008, -29/+7In all fairness, the officer was probably just trying to prevent another accident from occurring. People, for some reason, like to run in to flashing lights:
      http://youtube.com/watch?v=CHatzIRzZFM
      http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vhiyls-T5yU
      http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q-hg0bpS7xc
      But he still shouldn't have arrested him.
      • strangewill, on 02/17/2008, -0/+14If anything the vehicle being hit proves the point that it needs to be there to create a wall so a car doesn't plow through people trying to help this guy.
      • firechris, on 02/17/2008, -0/+13That truck was position to protect the firefighters, emt, the police, and the patient. If a person was to wreck they would hit the fire truck not the people. This is how we are trained to protect the scene this keeps people safe.
        • joshblufs, on 02/17/2008, -13/+1so you don't give a damn about the poor bastard that hits the fire truck?
          • heliox, on 02/17/2008, -0/+17You mean the huge red thing with flashing red lights you can see for a mile in daylight?
            no
          • firechris, on 02/17/2008, -0/+5His job to be paying attention to what going on when he is driving.
          • Ataxia2008, on 02/17/2008, -1/+2lol
        • lesosso, on 02/17/2008, -1/+2no he/she should slow down, there is an accident up front, it's the freeway not a corner, man people like you are scared to scared!!!
        • diggrific, on 02/17/2008, -0/+2joshblufs, you made quite the "Troll" statement there didn't ya? Of course they worry about traffic and the drivers' safety.

          There are three issues at work here. 1. the victims 2. the emergency personnel and 3. the drivers of other cars.All three are important, and all three must be taken in consideration. But, the victim and the workers are more important. Drivers, should be very alert and slow down considerably around an accident scene. Because they all can't be counted on to do so, the scene must be made safe as possible.

          The fire engine placement could have been behind the police car to used as a block. Although, the placement used might have been appropriate depending on the layout of the crash and roadway. Hard to be 100% sure without seeing a full picture. Another police car is placed a 1/16 mile before the accident to alert and slow traffic.
        • tundra721, on 02/18/2008, -2/+1Sorry to break it to you guys, but police officers are the ones who handle traffic precautions, not firefighters. I think police officers have a little more experience with traffic precautions on a 70mph freeway than firefighters. Quit trying to kid yourselves.
    • elcaminos, on 02/17/2008, -0/+34Looks like Officer Farva doesn't like his authority challenged.
      • Boooohjoke, on 02/17/2008, -0/+3He does look hella like Farva doesn't he
    • slaizer, on 02/17/2008, -0/+15So the cop genuinely thinks it's a good idea to have cars driving 70 miles per hour 2 feet away from that stretcher?
    • roosterjm2k2, on 02/18/2008, -0/+4I have some family and friends who are fire fighters...

      the "Principal Participant" rule is on the books in VA. I've heard stories like this...but quick radio calls to the right people get the cops back in their cars.
      • gyrfalcon, on 02/18/2008, -1/+2Hard to make a radio call when you're shackled.
    • foofiejnooner, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1was it that guys first day or something? firefighters are allowed to and supposed to block that lane of traffic for their protection. it had to be that cops first day. and i dont understand why none of the other cops stepped in.
  • underdog138, on 02/17/2008, -0/+64Background: http://www.examiner.com/a-1220509~Jury_sides_with_ ...
    • jmkiii, on 02/17/2008, -0/+5ST. LOUIS (Map, News) - A federal court jury sides with a suburban St. Louis fire captain in a dispute concerning his arrest over where he parked a fire truck during a 2003 car crash rescue.
      The jury on Wednesday awarded $17,500 to fire Capt. David Wilson in his lawsuit against Hazelwood police officer Todd Greeves.
      Wilson testified he parked the truck in a way to protect rescuers freeing a victim from wreckage on Interstate 270. Greeves ordered the truck moved to accommodate passing traffic. He arrested Wilson for ignoring him. Wilson was never charged.
      But in the suit, Wilson claimed his civil rights were violated and that he suffered anxiety and humiliation.
      Greeves told the court the truck was creating a hazard and not adding to safety at the scene.
      • Grym11, on 02/18/2008, -0/+3I'm sure this varies from state to state, but in WV, the EMS have jurisdiction during any accident and interfering with them (even if you are a police officer) can actually get you arrested.

        I know a paramedic who had a state trooper arrest a *sheriff* who tried to get the ambulance moved for traffic reasons.
        • wrzhydr, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2There's traffic in West Virginia? Where?
    • modese7en, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1Since this happened in Missouri, state law says that you can not drive in the lane adjacent to an accident or arrest scene.

      Thus, the cop's whole stance was wrong from the get go.
  • kalleanka, on 02/17/2008, -80/+11Here is the local news coverage of the incident:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ7JuUADoCk
    • wontstoptalking, on 02/17/2008, -0/+12I think I just was almost Rick Rolled.
    • sum33t, on 02/17/2008, -7/+6You need to grow up.
    • TheTaoOfBill, on 02/17/2008, -3/+13Can digg just ban everyone under 15 already?
      • SteeleJK, on 02/17/2008, -9/+2Cry more.
        • TheTaoOfBill, on 02/17/2008, -2/+6Get a hair cut
        • Ataxia2008, on 02/17/2008, -2/+3***** off and get a hair cut you ***** hippy.
          • USAOwnz, on 02/18/2008, -2/+1Not all hippies have long hair, look at Glen.
          • SteeleJK, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1And not all people with long hair are hippies. I'll get a haircut when you learn to control your rage.
    • Nekiruhs, on 02/17/2008, -0/+5Wow. DoCk might be even more recognizable than uuiU...
    • RedViper1999, on 02/17/2008, -1/+1Wow thanks, my downloads jumped up to 200kb/s from 10kb/s once I clicked on the rick roll.
    • ryancxx, on 02/18/2008, -3/+1I'm not gonna lie, he got me.
    • Famicom, on 02/18/2008, -2/+2I just got Rick Roll'ed
    • ladbroke, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1If you're gonna RickRoll, at least have some class and post something interesting like this:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uZr3JWYdy8&feature ...
    • S1ngular1ty1, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1Yar !!!!!
    • xdevit, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1Memorize hQ7JuUADoCk ------ hQ7 - JuUA - DoCk
      Then you won't get Rick Rolled..

      I HATE DIGGS COMMENT SYSTEM IT KEPT EATING MY COMMENT!
  • orangekid13, on 02/17/2008, -28/+14what a douche
    what does he think is gonna happen if he gets in an accident and that same fire company responds.... he's definately not going to get a top notch response if they know it's him
    • iricund, on 02/17/2008, -1/+31Actually I would have thought that the firefighters would likely be the true professionals they are and treat him like any other human being in need of potentially life saving help, with the greatest of dignity and valour.
    • PatNolan, on 02/17/2008, -0/+29I dugg you down because most firefighters give 100 percent effort on every call.
      • lougoose, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1Most? ALL...they are way underpaid and should be given so much more respect than they are.
    • darkane, on 02/17/2008, -5/+3Go watch a movie called Crash.
      • faskill, on 02/17/2008, -0/+1And also rent some Monty Python... now why exactly are we recommending movies?
        • neuraxis, on 02/19/2008, -0/+0I think if you had seen the movie he is talking about, you'd understand why referenced it.
    • Lithpiperpilot, on 02/17/2008, -0/+5Like iricund said, firefighters always do their best, no matter what the call is, or who it is for. My dad is a fighfigher, and has had a call like that. One of our neighbors who tried to sue us before and didn't win out got in a car accident in town. Well, it was my dad's station that responded, and you know what, he did the professional thing and saved his life. Firefighters don't hold grudges like cops. They save lives.
  • Ganja420, on 02/17/2008, -11/+314cops are lame... fire fighters are way cooler
    • MasterThief117, on 02/17/2008, -3/+23You mean they are way hotter...?
      • ligyron, on 02/17/2008, -0/+5It's an interesting situation. From the fire fighter's point of view, he is equal or above the cops. He is there to help save a life. Probably told the officer, "No, we're going to keep the truck here to protect us" *goes back to patient*
        The officer was blown away by this attitude, because he sees the fire fighter as any regular citizen, so arrested him for not complying
        Would've been great if we could hear what was said
    • DangerCollie, on 02/17/2008, -5/+3I've seen the same thing happen to cops, firefighters and ambulance personnel. They'll lose it at a scene and start acting like total idiots. It's not any more likely to be a cop than someone else. I've seen people normally calm and focused come unglued about something totally stupid. I think it's akin to PTSD. On the job stress, trauma stress, job stress, tack on a divorce and some odd hours...something just pops one day. Like that deputy dumping that guy in the wheelchair. Everyone who knew her said that was out of character and I believe them. Likely this was out of character for the cop involved. They usually do a pretty good job weeding out the whackos. Still, there has to be consequences, no matter who you are. If you lose it on a scene, time to take a break. If you're a cop and you arrest someone in a fit of stupidity, you should have to pay to make it right.
      I've seen firefighters lose it on a scene...actually the chief. That's really awkward.
      But, yes, as a group firefighters are far more handsome, witty, charming and daring. S*** hot, wired tight and fully qualified to put the wet stuff on the hot stuff.
      Hu-rah.
      • Elliuotatar, on 02/17/2008, -0/+3I'll remember to use that "out of character" defense sometime when I'm in court after I snap and assault an officer who's being a dick.
      • jon30041, on 02/17/2008, -0/+2.... First time I've heard 'fully qualified to put the wet stuff on the hot stuff.' Holy crap, the innuendo that could be derived from that... Makes me proud that I'm trying to get into the best profession in the world =P
        • TheTaoOfBill, on 02/17/2008, -0/+3Super Model Sun Screen Applier?
      • jessehadden, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2That's all fine and good, but they have the guns, and the rules say that they can hurt us more if we defend ourselves. If we're going to grant them allowance for "being human," then we have to take a LOT of power away from them.
    • Rickler, on 02/17/2008, -2/+5Firefighters also make bank compared to cops.
    • tgc1, on 02/18/2008, -4/+3Yeah, Firefighters ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING.
    • Korra, on 02/18/2008, -3/+3I don't know about your personal experience with real firefighters, but many of the one's I've been around are arrogant, pompous douche bags (my father's been a volunteer deputy out here for years, and has seen his fair share of the guys). Their line of work, while undoubtedly noble and essential, inflates their egos to mammothian proportions---their "society's hero" tag carries with 'em off the job.
      Admittedly they're not all like that... plenty are humble, noble, and take their job as a chance to serve... but to say that "fire fighters are way cooler" is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration.
    • soupnrc, on 02/18/2008, -3/+1Agreed
    • stalzdiggity, on 02/18/2008, -2/+2my dad is the captain of my town fire department.
      • KingGorilla, on 02/18/2008, -3/+1well my dad has killed a man. Not that I'm too proud of that
  • satanatnmtedu, on 02/17/2008, -6/+193Why wasn't the cop fired?
    • trghpy, on 02/17/2008, -1/+45You really have to screw up to be fired.
      As long as you pass your ***** test the police union will defend you.
      • bagelpirate, on 02/17/2008, -0/+6Like dumping a parapalegic out of a wheelchair
    • user500, on 02/17/2008, -3/+15Probably made captain instead
    • TheTaoOfBill, on 02/17/2008, -18/+11I don't think this is worthy of being fired. It was just a bad judgement call. They both had safety in mind. The cop was thinking of the safety of the drivers and the firefighter was thinking of the safety of the emergency crew. They were both right.
      • peligro18, on 02/17/2008, -2/+2he jsut wanted attention!!! come on!!!!!
      • ventralnet, on 02/17/2008, -3/+3agreed... i mean how many of you have been all ***** off in rush hour traffic... the cop was trying to prevent some traffic
      • archimago42, on 02/17/2008, -1/+5A traffic jam is not equal to a human life. The cop should be fired.
      • Ajnag, on 02/17/2008, -1/+2Archimago42 has it right, people can deal with traffic jams in order to protect the emergency crew lives. This is a no-brainer.
      • dougmc, on 02/17/2008, -1/+3Both right?
        The cop was right to ask to move the truck. The firefighter was right to refuse. But arresting the firefighter? NOT RIGHT.
    • SIRBERUS, on 02/17/2008, -1/+9Because on a Cop's salary, he's going to need to work a long, long, time to pay off that fee for him being a jackass.
      • ventralnet, on 02/17/2008, -2/+1Yea, makes me hope the department has to pay instead of hte cop... wouldn't be right.. When you are hired for a company the company is then liable for the things you do on the job
        • StinkBait, on 02/18/2008, -0/+4Since when? Most companies will roll you under the bus without a moment's remorse if you embarrass them. At least, out here in the non-unionized real world.
        • thecatcantalk, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1FTA the judge excluded the police department as a defendant...so (I think) Officer Dicknose will be paying the $18,000 out of his own pocket.
    • MacSuxWindozSux, on 02/17/2008, -2/+6Cops defend each other as much as they can. They need to since a lot of criminals would just press charges, or sue.
      It spills over onto good people when they get harassed or hurt by police.
    • peligro18, on 02/17/2008, -5/+2yeah like...u r stupid ur fired!!!
  • thechr0nic, on 02/17/2008, -22/+6the actual award was $17,500, but I guess ill let that small detail slide :)
    • inspecality, on 02/18/2008, -1/+4How generous of you. Thank you so much.
  • wontstoptalking, on 02/17/2008, -2/+270At least it wasn't a cop arresting a cop. That's like dividing by zero.
    • Niglix, on 02/17/2008, -12/+2Like dividing by zero, there are often ways to deal with it.
    • loroleg, on 02/17/2008, -1/+9*paradox*
    • kh99, on 02/17/2008, -0/+13It causes an exception?
    • kodek, on 02/17/2008, -1/+28Well, you can always take the limit as a cop approaches another cop to arrest him.
      • hydrophonics, on 02/18/2008, -2/+1we'd need to make sure the cops are differentiable first
      • whatwhatwhoa, on 02/19/2008, -0/+2Dugg for using calculus in real life (;
    • GorfTron, on 02/17/2008, -0/+1Deadlock and Starvation.
    • 3amboo, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1so its undefined?
    • auzy07, on 02/18/2008, -10/+4hey, if your dividing 0 by 0 you might want to try l'hopital's rule and take the derivative of both the numerator and the denominator, then try to complete the integral or limit. thats right, im an engineering student with waaayyy too much calc knowledge.
      • Wisgary, on 02/18/2008, -1/+6I logged on just to digg you down. Sounds more like you are an over-excited engineering student in your first year thinking you are very smart.
      • chicken59, on 02/18/2008, -2/+1Everyone who takes calculus 1 knows that, you're not special.
      • DSizzle, on 02/18/2008, -1/+3I'm really excited because I buried you to -5.
    • Cynic66, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2OH SHI
    • kubedawg, on 02/18/2008, -2/+1IT'S OVER 9000!!!!
    • S1ngular1ty1, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1I can divide 0 by 0.
    • morninglorii, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1No, it's like taking the integral of x^x
  • brentinkc, on 02/17/2008, -1/+89Good to know that Farva is alive and well, arresting firefighters.
    Seriously, I just watched it again. That is definitely Farva.
    • pastaaaa, on 02/17/2008, -0/+5the snozberries taste like snozberries
    • bagelpirate, on 02/17/2008, -0/+5Hey Farva, what's the name of that restaurant you like with all the goofy ***** on the walls and the mozzarella sticks?
    • manicmailman, on 02/17/2008, -1/+2i dont want a large farva i want a goddam litre a cola!!!!!
      • matt.rubin, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1Does that look like spit to you? Yeah. Ahh ***** it.
    • Beowulf2112, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1He does actually look like Farva
      • corourke, on 02/18/2008, -0/+0Freakishly so. It probably explains the guy's powertrip mentality.
  • trghpy, on 02/17/2008, -3/+42Police agencies have captains...
    How stupid do you have to be to do the political mathematics.
    Never screw with someone closer to the rank of chief than you are to their rank.
    Especially when they're on duty.
    • IphtashuFitz, on 02/17/2008, -0/+17If you read some of the other articles that people have linked to you'll see that the cop release the fire fighter after checking with a supervisor, and that no charges were actually pressed against him. Pretty pathetic that the cop had to rely on his superiors for a dose of common sense.
      • strangewill, on 02/17/2008, -0/+14I'd like to know what the supervisor said...
        "You did what?! Get him out of the car and remove the cuffs you idiot!"
        • IphtashuFitz, on 02/17/2008, -1/+4I'd be willing to bet there was a lot of profanity in the response:

          "You did what?! Get him out of the f*ck*ng car and remove the g*dd*mn*d cuffs you f*ck*ng idiot!"
    • nick0909, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2Police do have Captains, but they are way higher than a Fire Captain. A PD Captain is equal to the Fire Chief. A Fire Captain (which is the rank of the guy arrested) is about equal to a Police Sargent, as the Captain/Sarg is out in the field in charge of a small group of works one or two ranks just below him.
    • tundra721, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1A fire fighter's rank doesn't even matter to an officer. You think Fire Fighter Captains have any authority over law enforcement? Well, maybe if a camp fire gets out of hand.
  • sk11, on 02/17/2008, -2/+103"Greeves told the court the truck was creating a hazard and not adding to safety at the scene."
    Except for ensuring the safety of rescuers, who were actually doing their jobs by helping an injured motorist, you ***** moron!
  • dnafrequency, on 02/17/2008, -7/+33Police thug, pay up NOW! Finally, some good news!
    • IAmLegend24, on 02/17/2008, -6/+1The Cop will not pay a dime the tax payers will pay the $18,000.
      • ventralnet, on 02/17/2008, -3/+1hopefully.. i mean on a cops salary 18 grand could be the difference of feeding his kids and not feeding his kids
        • jjesusfreak01, on 02/17/2008, -1/+2Well, an appropriate punishment in my opinion would be to make the officer apologize to the fire fighter, and officially reinforce the policy that in this type of emergency situation, cops are not to interfere.
          • ventralnet, on 02/17/2008, -2/+2True... but i think the digg community would rather see him burn at the stake
    • tgc1, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1"YOU PAY NOW!"
  • bfrank72, on 02/17/2008, -4/+37Think of all the doughnuts that can no longer be bought.
  • MasterThief117, on 02/17/2008, -5/+39What is up with cops lately? It is like they all have a ***** pole up their asses.
    • MizuhoChan, on 02/17/2008, -1/+12Lately? It's always been this way. This was in 2003, 5 years ago.
    • Frost9999, on 02/17/2008, -1/+16Cops haven't changed - it's the internet that's arrived to show the world what they are really like.
    • Elliuotatar, on 02/17/2008, -1/+8It's not lately. Cops have always been like this. It's just that America's Funniest Home Videos didn't show all the cop beating videos people submitted for whatever reason.

      The internet only became really popular less than 10 years ago, but now that it's here these sorts of incidents can't be glossed over. Maybe now your average joe will come to realise that there's a serious problem with the police forces in this country abusing their power and something will get done about it.
  • Crath, on 02/17/2008, -11/+8898% of cops suck.

    The other cool 2% are always fired for not doing their job right.
    • logan074, on 02/18/2008, -4/+4I don't really agree with that. With the internet you are only seeing the worst examples of police. In my experience the vast majority are good people
    • lougoose, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2Yeah, sorry buddy, you're not right. I don't understand why you are getting dugg up.
      Sure, police may be a little unfriendly and focused, but that doesn't mean they suck. They are trying to do their job. Their job is to remain calm in any situation, and situations like that can get out of hand really fast. They like to do everything by the book to prevent things from going wrong and so that if something does go wrong, it is not their fault.

      Apparently this will be buried, but I don't care. It's the truth, get used to it.
    • tundra721, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2Wow. Did you conduct that survey all by yourself? Great work!
  • daxsymbiont, on 02/17/2008, -8/+59I for one support the 1% of cops that are fine.
    • IAmLegend24, on 02/17/2008, -9/+7Its more like I support the 95% of cops that are not assholes.
      • ScottKeeler, on 02/17/2008, -7/+7Yeah right! 95% of cops aren't assholes? You either are one, or are related to one, because pretty much every cop is a unintelligent (too high an IQ will keep you off the force), steroid loving jock with the attitude of a high schooler that needs to abuse people weaker than they are to make them feel normal.
        • IAmLegend24, on 02/17/2008, -11/+4So you have met every cop in America? Every cop i've dealt with has been very nice except one state trooper who was kind of a smart ass.
          • jhuebel, on 02/17/2008, -3/+4Agreed. If you treat a cop with contempt, how do you expect the cop to act in return? Seriously, I've only met one cop who was a jerk and that was clear up in traffic court.
          • dougmc, on 02/17/2008, -0/+3A cop should be completely professional and polite, even when treated with contempt.
            And good cops are.
            Mediocre cops are professional and polite as long as everybody else is. But if somebody starts being a jerk,
            they join them.
            Bad cops turn everything into an opportunity to assert their authority, and if they even _think_ you're not
            buying it, look out ...
        • jseres, on 02/17/2008, -7/+3Judging by your grammar your IQ isn't too high either.
      • jessehadden, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1The other 4% are "undecided."
  • jubilee123, on 02/17/2008, -3/+12so he only has to give up a month of krispy kreme and mcdonalds?
    • ogremidget, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2He'll still get free drinks at convenience stores though.
    • Wesside, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1Cops dont get paid 18k a month my friend.
  • pittpat, on 02/17/2008, -1/+48I usually don't comment on these "cop gone bad" things...but WHAT A ***** DIP *****!
  • shadowmoose, on 02/17/2008, -15/+2Did it say that happened in 2003?
  • catfarmer, on 02/17/2008, -0/+205The Firefighter probably called him "man" or "dude". I hear that sets them off...
    • kipcrist, on 02/17/2008, -1/+2...Only in Baltimore City
    • gba1, on 02/17/2008, -0/+2I learned that the hard way. Oh and its not only in Baltimore City.
    • PizzaPops, on 02/18/2008, -0/+3I made that mistake with one of my profs... he's been on my case since. Then if you tell them to "chill out" then they get really mad...
    • odganarb, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2To be fair, it is fairly disrespectful to use a term of familiarity with a person in a position of authority. This, of course, does not excuse people who choose to become an irrational ball of rage when they're being disrespected.
      • fatcatman, on 02/19/2008, -0/+0Cops do not have authority. They only think they do. Their power only goes so far as you choose to let it. Their "authority" is only valid when you have done something wrong, and then only to the extent it takes to arrest you, or issue you a fine and send you on your way. In other words, when I'm minding my own business and some pig rolls up and gets up in my face, he is not in any valid position of authority and I will treat that "dude" to only as much respect as he shows me.
  • bpacana, on 02/17/2008, -1/+28Power trippin son of a bitch!
  • GeorgeStone2, on 02/17/2008, -1/+20What a douche!
  • mintynomad, on 02/17/2008, -0/+38Looks like the cop never learned one of the basic rules of getting along in life: don't ***** where you eat.
  • TymonBrown, on 02/17/2008, -5/+13what is it with all these videos being posted recently about douchebag cops? I know this video is old, but it's like... there's been a rush of these videos; there's video, there's the officer Rivieri video, there's the taser cop video... what the hell is going on? Cops seem to be getting away with waaay too much ***** these days.
    • heartsblood, on 02/17/2008, -0/+6no, there's just more cameras around.
  • Khannea, on 02/17/2008, -4/+9*****, someone tied the US shoelaces together, it's like a retard bastard child of monty python and the keystone cops. One would expect incompetence and heavyhandedness in places like azerbaijan. What the ***** is happening in that country?
    • ptrcd003, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2Hey, azerbaijan was awesome, $10 to the cops and you're on your way..
  • Subriot, on 02/17/2008, -4/+134♫♪ ***** THE POLICE ♪♫
    • cabooglio2, on 02/17/2008, -1/+18Word.
    • nycmac247, on 02/17/2008, -0/+33dugg for musical fontage!
    • NOFXY, on 02/17/2008, -2/+4Leftöver Crack?
    • bxblox, on 02/18/2008, -0/+8All hail the character map.
    • zinc6471, on 02/18/2008, -0/+3straight from the underground
    • kajoob, on 02/18/2008, -7/+5waddya think you're some nigga that's got it bad cause you're skin is brown?
      • digichris, on 02/18/2008, -3/+1dugg down for not completing your fail with the word "nigger"
        • kajoob, on 02/18/2008, -1/+4I get dugg down because not a single one of you knows NWA lyrics??
        • odganarb, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1yes you do, because rap isn't a worthy form of human interaction.
      • IChazI, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1You suck bitch. ***** THE ***** POLICE!
  • ZephyrNinety, on 02/17/2008, -18/+1That video sucked.
  • kaspertech, on 02/17/2008, -1/+8You go away to jail now, A-hole!
  • Mrdudeperson, on 02/17/2008, -3/+26WTF? why would any cop do that *****? All these bad cops ending up online are giving the good cops that actually do there job right a bad name.
  • Zephyr350, on 02/17/2008, -0/+23Why I respect firefighters waaay more than cops.
    • pencilneck, on 02/17/2008, -0/+6That is because no firefighter rolls up to you and sprays you down with high pressure water and then later claims you were on fire.
    • dougmc, on 02/17/2008, -0/+3Everybody is happy to see the firefighters arrive.
      Cops aren't quite so lucky.
  • tehmacuser, on 02/17/2008, -0/+17Officer Rivieri strikes again!
    • heartsblood, on 02/17/2008, -0/+1no way, the rescue worker wasn't in school therefor Rivieri wouldn't have messed with him.
  • bradcrc, on 02/17/2008, -0/+33fire that asshole. clearly a case of "contempt of cop"

    "how DARE he not do whatever I tell him to. even if I'm wrong."
  • silentvelcro, on 02/17/2008, -5/+5Its just more proof that cops are doing their "job", but by job I mean committing acts that are not contributing to the "serve and protect" attitude that they are supposed to be enforcing... firefighters 2,000, cops 0
    • Knucklecallus, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1You see, you would actually be correct if this has occurred 2,000 times, and each time, the firefighters won.
  • IphtashuFitz, on 02/17/2008, -1/+12That cop is damned lucky that his actions didn't result in further injury or death to the victims in the accident or to other rescue crews. If he'd pulled the fire fighter away while in the middle of moving the injured driver the cop could have ended up in much worse trouble. Similarly, if he got the truck moved and one of the fire fighters got struck by a passing car, he could also end up in more legal hot water.
  • ryan83189, on 02/17/2008, -0/+23Do we need anymore proof that cops no longer give a ***** about the people and have some sort of god complex?
  • Wronghead, on 02/17/2008, -3/+52Do you have to be mentally retarded to be a police officer these days?
    Really?
    Seriously?
    Arrested a firefighter?
    REALLY?

    Please excuse me, I need to go cut myself.
    • bruce86, on 02/17/2008, -0/+3well there is a IQ cap on being a police officer.... so in essence yes.
    • rya854, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1The cop will nab the medics before they can get you back to the ambulance.
  • Frostman3D, on 02/17/2008, -2/+10Good, ***** the police. They don't protect and serve us anymore, they just get their rocks off lording their authority on everyone, and racking up fines for their precincts.
  • Enfenestrate, on 02/17/2008, -0/+27They were using the truck to protect themselves from traffic. Cops do the same thing all the time, so I don't see why this is even an issue. Also it's retarded because the guy is sending the message that protecting the lives of everyone on the scene, both victims and responders, is less important than ensuring optimal traffic flow.
    • nick0909, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1He must have has his training from the CHP, that is their mindset. I think all they do is learn how to say "Gotta keep the road open."
    • Knucklecallus, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2Hey, man, you have to keep the sheeple calm and unaware. If you stop their daily intellectually smothering routine, they may wake up.
    • TheSkinsFactory, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1There's even a new law in Florida that says if you see a police officer pulled over on the side of the road during a traffic stop, that you can't be in the lane that's next to them. For the same reason the Firefighters parked there.

      I do hate when people act like every cop out there is like the ones we see here on Digg or youtube. I've met some awesome cops.
  • Chaoticfist, on 02/17/2008, -7/+16Just remember that not all cops are morons like this idiot, or Officer Rivieri. This douche is just representing the 5% of cops that are dicks, while giving the other 95% a bad name.
    • IAmLegend24, on 02/17/2008, -5/+7This is Digg land of the absolutes all cops are assholes, everyone from the south is a rednecks, all christians are bigots.
      • ArchiePelago, on 02/18/2008, -0/+0Southern Christian cops are the biggest ***** of all.
    • 41k1d0k4, on 02/17/2008, -1/+6You're not black are you...
    • inobla, on 02/17/2008, -1/+6Point taken, but I think you've got your ratio backwards. The 95% ego monger douche bags give the 5% honest and decent cops a bad name. That's more realistic per my life observations (which excludes everything I've seen on the internet).
      • hoco, on 02/17/2008, -1/+3If that were really true (95% vs 5%) there would be so many more stories posted. I think that maybe 15-20% are assholes, but mostly keep it under control, so that only 5% are really out of control. The rest really are trying to be good cops, putting their life on the line every single day they work. Would you be willing to risk your life daily? That doesn't excuse abuse of power, but again, I don't think that most are abusing their power. We just hear about the cases where they are.
        • tgc1, on 02/18/2008, -1/+0We're just getting warmed up. Put your cameras on kids, the stories are going to start pouring in. As if they haven't already. Cops are out of ***** control.
        • thetechkid, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1Pretty much from all life experience, cops are either a). wanting to start a fight or show off some power or b). wanting to some how make you get a ticket.
    • OscLate, on 02/18/2008, -1/+1Here is your glass of water with 5% *****,drink up!
  • neio, on 02/17/2008, -4/+11Take America back from the fascists.
  • gotamd, on 02/17/2008, -0/+7What an idiot. He could have at least waited until after they had gone about rescuing the accident victims to arrest the guy (which I think is silly and unnecessary in the first place). There were still two lanes open to traffic, and had traffic been moving along the lane the truck was in, there would have been speeding cars in the lane directly adjacent to where the firemen and police were trying to work. That would be even more dangerous than the situation already was.
  • bonlebon, on 02/17/2008, -2/+15"Who watches the watchmen?" Time to get rid of police, it simply doesn't work as it is.
    • Enfenestrate, on 02/17/2008, -1/+3This is a joke, right?
      • xptoast, on 02/18/2008, -0/+3The current police yes. Revamp is needed.
    • zariok, on 02/17/2008, -0/+2No One!
      • jon30041, on 02/17/2008, -0/+3They're supposed to watch each other... instead, they all watch out for each other.

        The police chief's main job should be to weed out the bad cops. Screw having internal investigations... their priority is to the police force, not to justice.
    • tgc1, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1Again, where is the oversight on cops? They need to have an authority that nails their asses to the wall when they do stuff like this.
      • exeprime, on 02/18/2008, -0/+3Internal Affairs, etc?
        • tgc1, on 02/18/2008, -0/+0'Cause as we all know, Internal Affairs makes all police behave nice and help old ladies across the street. Is this the same IA that recommends they go on paid vacations?

          /s
          I mean A REAL oversight group. Hell, MULTIPLE oversight groups. So one of them can't be purchased and corrupted from the inside.
        • ordig, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1cops should be elected. or at least fired by public initiative.
    • TheSkinsFactory, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2And replace them with what? Vigilantes? Militia? You going to investigate if there is a crime? Now i don't need you to protect me, that's what i have my Kimber, Beretta and my AR15 for, but I'd like to know if you're going to direct traffic if a street light goes out, investigate if i have a break in when i'm not home and look for a missing child if someone gets kidnapped. If not, then you need to retract your statement. They're needed, they justs needs to be better oversight like tgc1 said.
    • Pureeviljester, on 02/18/2008, -0/+2i agree the police system needs an make-over but replacing them with nothing definitely isn't an option.
  • Radical5, on 02/17/2008, -6/+3lol $18000 thats like an entire years pay for him
    • Crath, on 02/17/2008, -3/+4More like a month for this guy.

      The more of an asshole you are, the more you get paid, being a cop.
    • harriman714, on 02/17/2008, -1/+9are you kidding??? cops can earn anywhere between 50,000 and 120,000 depending on their rank and how many detail assignments they work. Playing security guard at high school dances and football games can earn a cop about $100 an hour.
    • Andrewbot, on 02/17/2008, -3/+2I really hope you're joking.
    • ventralnet, on 02/17/2008, -0/+2not far off.. as a veteran police you prolly make 50-60k /year... and remember after taxes that turns into 35ish... The real money is if you work for an understaffed force and get a lot of overtime pay like in baltimore city.

      /**
      * @see http://www.examiner.com/a-728410~City_spends_milli ...
      *
      */

      • julianp, on 02/18/2008, -0/+1Aye. For example, up here in the north bay area a number of officers made upwards of $150,000-200,000 last year in cities where the police department was short-staffed. The general idea is that it is cheaper to pay enormous amounts of overtime than train/hire/insure another officer. One officer in particular I remember reading about in the city just south of me made something like $215,000 last year.
  • footfwd, on 02/17/2008, -1/+15The dash cam says 2003. Is this now just getting resolved?
    • kenplaysviola, on 02/17/2008, -0/+12Yes. The court system moves fast these days
      • terrordactyl, on 02/17/2008, -1/+4But wait, it's 2008. That's not fa.......

        Oh, i see what you did there.
    • reventlov, on 02/17/2008, -0/+4You may not notice it when Law & Order cuts down a 2-month investigation and 16-month trial into a 1-hour episode, but I sure do. The legal system is slow on a good day, backlogged on a bad day, and of the two they only have the latter.
  • JointVenture, on 02/17/2008, -18/+2Wow there sure are a lot of scumbags on DIGG, you all seem to be having a lot of trouble with the police.

    Ive been smoking pot for 20 years and have never had a problem with the police.
    WTF are you people doing that has you constantly at odds with the cops?
    Obviously by the posts here the you ALL have had run ins with the law. What gives?
    • ligyron, on 02/17/2008, -4/+5You must be new here
      • JointVenture, on 02/17/2008, -6/+1No not new, just laughing at all the middle class wanna be thugs.
        • ligyron, on 02/17/2008, -0/+2Says "Joint Venture" who calls Digg scumbags and randomly brought up that he's smoked pot for 20 years
    • darkane, on 02/17/2008, -0/+6Your 20 years of pot smoking has obviously resulted in a superhuman ability to not make any sense at all.
    • pintomp3, on 02/17/2008, -0/+5i've never had any run ins with the police, but i am a big fan of civil liberties and oversight. i don't agree with bashing all cops, but i also know that there are many people who get off on the power trip. recruiting is getting harder too, the starting salaries of cops have been getting lower so you end up scraping the bottom of the barrel. they are not some kind of gods with badges, they are public servants.
    • DiogenesJr, on 02/17/2008, -0/+2I became sick of the lifestyle and the mindset for a lot of reasons. There where times when I was a cop when cops who didn't know me would not return a simple "hello" because I wasn't in uniform and they thought I was simply a member of the public. I would get the condescending look up and down with the swift "turn and do something more important" afterwards.
      Obviously, not all cops are asses. I wasn't and the few people I associated with outside of work weren't. But this is a profession dominated by simple minded people who hold in contempt anyone who makes more, knows more, or can achieve more than them. Being a political conservative, I disagree with many members of Digg on many issues, but I am in total agreement with most here when I say there needs to be real oversight and real accountability for police. Stories like this need to be aired widely and awareness raised.
      The police have the power to, at the least, take your money (fines), your freedom (prison), or your life is they feel they can justify it. They need to be scrutinized and their actions need to be evaluated tirelessly by objective members of the public they serve. This needs to happen even when there is no appearance of wrong doing. If you are a cop and you don't like public scrutiny, you need to find a new profession immediately.
    • logan074, on 02/18/2008, -0/+0I agree, I have never had a cop be an asshole to me more than the average citizen. If anything the police save me the trouble of having to deal with idiots who think they can yell, scream, and steal. I think the society we live in is in more peril, than the police force protecting it.
  • diadem2, on 02/17/2008, -0/+57how scary would that be.. if you were trapped in a car and the people who were there to rescue you got arrested for trying to rescue you?
  • gincarnated, on 02/17/2008, -2/+2Where's the news article?
  • ligyron, on 02/17/2008, -9/+12
  • ESTEBEVERDE, on 02/17/2008, -5/+7Pieces of *****.
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