Jerk Cop Harasses Skaters

reply to post by AnAbsoluteCreation


I had a situation in Arizona with 2 of my sons who skate. They were handcuffed and taken to jail because they were skating in an area that had put up no skate signs the day they got caught. No charges were placed on them, but because they were minors I had to go to the police station to pick them up.

After that time, they were randomly stopped by the same officer any time he saw them walking with skate boards outside of a skate park, just so they could be asked where they were heading with their boards!

I finally had to call the police department and talk to the commander of this fellow and tell him if this guy did not stop, that I was going to have to get a lawyer involved. Thankfully the harrasment stopped after that.

reply to post by AnAbsoluteCreation


This guy did two major things wrong. First and foremost he committed assault and battery on a minor. That is a felony no matter who you are. The second thing was the threat to this young man's life.

This cop needs to go to jail himself and find out a new way to handle children.

reply to post by Enthralled Fan


The only real harassment I have experienced and seen with an authority figure is that of teachers etc. Not all teachers do this, but there are many cases I have personally seen where they would be suspended or even lose their job if caught.

I have even intervened in the past with a number of other students against a particular teacher who was routine in harassment. He thereafter stopped.

I hope the send that cop to jail, then he can see how corrupt police that get caught get special treatment inside. I don't have children, but if that was my child, or a relative of mine, I would sue that police department so hard that they would think I was the Church of $cientology.I would also go for as much media attention as I could to give the city a political black eye.

If he worked for me,

I would have immediately sent him home, suspension without pay, start formal dismissal procedures and contact the States Attorney to begin criminal proceedings...

The one sure thing about Police Work is the necessity for ALL officers of the Law to be restrained and professional in their actions and demeanor..

He is a disgrace to my profession.

Semper

reply to post by semperfortis


I've said this before and I'll say it again. You sound like one of the good police officers out there semper. Keep up the good work. We appreciate and respect good ones like you.

Originally posted by semperfortis
If he worked for me,

I would have immediately sent him home, suspension without pay, start formal dismissal procedures and contact the States Attorney to begin criminal proceedings...

The one sure thing about Police Work is the necessity for ALL officers of the Law to be restrained and professional in their actions and demeanor..

He is a disgrace to my profession.

Semper

Thats the trouble, you get people like that officer, and it gets so much headlines and exposure (rightfully so ignorance of the law is no excuse when you are sworn to uphold it),that the good officers that are truly trying to make a difference and make the country safe for us get associated with the negative actions of a handful of men.Someone like that man got into the police for all the wrong reasons.Immediate dismissal of someone like that is pretty much a necessity to uphold the publics trust and perception of the police force.That nonwithstanding, having someone like that is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

"I'm not man, I'm not dude. I'm officer Rivieri.......and I'm unemployed."



It's sad that we need video camera's to police the police.

Originally posted by semperfortis
If he worked for me,
I would have immediately sent him home, suspension without pay, start formal dismissal procedures and contact the States Attorney to begin criminal proceedings...
The one sure thing about Police Work is the necessity for ALL officers of the Law to be restrained and professional in their actions and demeanor..
He is a disgrace to my profession.
Semper

And you are an asset to your profession, and in the majority. The Neanderthals we hear about courtesy of mass media are the minority, by far. But they make better copy.

If anyone doesn't believe that most law enforcement isn't out there protecting and serving the public every day while we go about our business, get yourself a police scanner. Then you'll understand the reality of what they're doing out there for you and gain more respect and appreciation.

The media never gives you a balanced view of any subject.

Originally posted by semperfortis
If he worked for me,

I would have immediately sent him home, suspension without pay, start formal dismissal procedures and contact the States Attorney to begin criminal proceedings...

The one sure thing about Police Work is the necessity for ALL officers of the Law to be restrained and professional in their actions and demeanor..

He is a disgrace to my profession.

Semper

I am glad you weighed in on this one.

This was against every police protocol I ever learned. I agree with your course of action semper.

This was a blatant case of assault and breach of peace, with the officer in the wrong.

This guy is going to be the poster child on the use of excessive force for a given situation.

It will be added in the training vids for sure.

What do you think Semper?



[edit on 13-2-2008 by Realtruth]

reply to post by Realtruth


HAHAHAHAHAHA

You beat me to it!!!!!

I teach an Ethics Course to new officers about twice a year and I have downloaded this video and added it to the presentation...

(As what not to do of course)

Semper

Semper, I knew you'd have a rational response to viewing the video. Thanks for your input. Glad to know that there's still some good guys out there fighting the good fight.

If my mother had gotten hold of this egomaniacal power tripper all the righteously indignant people who witnessed this outrage would have cheered. She once caused a cop to QUIT the force rather than have to keep dealing with her. Of course, she's also the reason I wasn't allowed on the force. Cops have long memories. LOL.

Ah, society is a wonderful thing.
Criminals do what ever they want, our guns are taken away, and now, you'll be beaten if you ride your skateboard in public, and video games are blamed for every shooting that happens

Ah... life

That police man thought he was a GOD!

Man I would talk back to him any day. He needs to be taught a lesson.

Respect!?? he talks about respect? maybe he should learn it first.

[edit on 13-2-2008 by _Phoenix_]

This is another sad case of a power-hungry 'cop' whose emotions were out of control, who abused the authority to uphold the laws NICELY and forgot that children have the right to having fun, not be harassed. It gives a 'bad' image to these public servants.

I wonder if background checks are done to ensure the safety of the public. I sure wouldn't want taxpayers' money to fund some nutball off the streets, just to shoot and kill, err I meant, 'defend' themselves from us peace loving citizens, either.

reply to post by pikypiky

I wonder if background checks are done to ensure the safety of the public.

They are but....

You know as well as I that they are not going to admit to their inherent psychological difficulties during the hiring process and no matter how rugged the testing, some will slip through..

Also remember, a bully is never a brave individual, so they probably do not have a history of violence; not toward adults anyway....

With something around 750K Police Officers currently sworn, there are some bad apples...

It is up to all of you to expose them, hopefully before they do any real harm..

Semper

That dude( LOL) has what unfortunately happens to lots of people in a position of power. God syndrome. They believe that no matter what they say or do that it is right.

The kid on the other hand is not completely innocent in this either. He appeared to be a spoiled brat but he did not deserve that at all, and if that had been my son I promise you I would visit him on or off duty. I tell my kid this and his parents should tell him, when someone in authority tells you to shut up you better do it.I see a lot of disrepctful kids now days. Also they know that skateboarding is illegal in most areas so they have probably been told before to leave. If he had a problem with them he should have issued citations and called their parents. End of story. He needs to be fired.

It is kind of a catch 22 though. You try to raise your children to respect cops, and then you see something like this and you have a hard time doing it.

Just another case of these law dogs thinking they own the world. I tell you if that kid was my little brother I would have given that cop a bloody nose.

Update to this story: Kid has been identified and his mother is now involved. She's filed a formal complaint. And you can bet attorneys are beating down her front door.

www.baltimoresun.com...

Edit to add: Another complaint was filed against the same cop by another kid who was kicked by him.

[edit on 2/14/08 by kattraxx]

"There's always more to these videos than meets the eye. It's not just how this retard cop is acting, it's how there are people walking past as if nothing is happening when a man easily two times the size of this 14-year-old is wrapping his arm around the kids neck and pushing him to the ground.

People just walking on by, because after all, it isn't them and it's best they don't get involved... "

The problem is that what is anybody going to be able to do about it? He may be a bastard and he definantly is quilty of assualt on a minor. But the main problem is that he is a cop and if anyone dares to step in and interven, the cop would charge them with assault on a police officer! I feel that under certain circumstances that citizens should step in and forcably restrain out of control officers! These same so called officers should face charges and for serious offences they should be ether fired and or serve jail time. Just recently I had two seperate run ins with jerk cops! One was simply walking accross a intersection using a crosswalk just after the light had turned green. The motorcycle officer quickly yelled at me to get back, which I did right away. What a SOB! I should have kept walking as he had no right to yell at me for doing something totally legal. My guess is that the SOB didn't want to wait for me to cross the street! This peice of trash works for the City Of Whittier in California and IMHO has a anger issue. The second incedent happened a few months later when riding my bicycle home and I had a Sherrif cruiser pull up on me and the jerk started going off on how it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk and how I need to pay attention to the signs. For starters there is no posted signs anywhere that says anything about no bike ridding or skateboarding on the sidewalk. Two he had an attitude which made me want to be rude back because he was being an A hole! And third I had not broken any laws, he was just getting off on harassing a guy on a bike! There is no state statute that says you can not ride on the sidewalk. There are many instances where it is not safe to ride a bicycle next to the curb. It is to close to traffic and to many people do not pay attention and it's to easy to end up getting hit! I will continue to ride on the sidewalk and those two cops can go to hell! I hope they lay there hands on my so I can get a lawyer and deal with the cop, police department and the city and it will cost them!

To many cops think they are above the law and that they can talk to you like you are there 8 year old child. I am not there child and they are not my masters. I obay the law and do my best not to give any cop a reason to detain me or to waste my time. I will not allow a cop to disrespect me or to talk down to me like I am a criminal, ever!