La. Police Doing BP's Dirty Work [Video]

Not sure if this has been posted before, I did a quick search, no results.

This is appalling! What gives BP the right to confront our citizens? He was not breaking the law! What are everyone's thoughts on what transpired?

--GeminiSky

Here's the key exchange:
Wheelan: "Am I violating any laws or anything like that?"

Officer: "Um...not particularly. BP doesn't want people filming."

Wheelan: "Well, I'm not on their property so BP doesn't have anything to say about what I do right now."

Officer: "Let me explain: BP doesn't want any filming. So all I can really do is strongly suggest that you not film anything right now. If that makes any sense."

Not really!

Shortly thereafter, Wheelan got in his car and drove away but was soon was pulled over. It was the same cop, but this time he had company: Kenneth Thomas, whose badge, Wheelan told me, read "Chief BP Security." The cop stood by as Thomas interrogated Wheelan for 20 minutes, asking him who he worked with, who he answered to, what he was doing, why he was down here in Louisiana. He phoned Wheelan's information in to someone.

Wheelan says Thomas confiscated his Audubon volunteer badge (he'd recently attended an official Audubon/BP bird-helper volunteer training) and then wouldn't give it back, which sounds like something only a bully in a bad movie would do. Eventually, Thomas let Wheelan go. "Then two unmarked security cars followed me," Wheelan told me. "Maybe I'm paranoid, but I was specifically trying to figure out if they were following me, and every time I pulled over, they pulled over." This went on for 20 miles.

Which does little to mitigate my own developing paranoia about reporting from what can feel like a corporate-police state.

motherjones.com...

"Let" him go?

Why'd he even submit to the questioning in the first place? BP has no policing powers! If they wanted that information, the gentleman being interrogated should have referred them to a lawyer.

This is why its so bad. People allow themselves to be bullied. I'm not on BP's side, but why is this guy such a pushover?

This video was already posted. Might be why it's quiet here.

reply to post by RicketyCricket


If he acted up he may have been in more trouble. I understand where your coming from, but I think that he was being fully cooperative on purpose, that way they couldn't say he was disturbing the peace or something like that.

Heres an update, it turns out the police officer was OFF DUTY and working for BP!!

* Correction/Update: This story originally stated that a Louisiana state police officer pulled Wheelan over, per Wheelan's recounting of the incident. My apologies to the state police for misreporting their involvement. After many calls made and messages left, I've finally confirmed that the cop in question was actually a sheriff's deputy for Terrebonne Parish. The deputy was off official duty at the time, and working in the private employ of BP. Though the deputy failed to include the traffic stop in his incident report, Major Malcolm Wolfe of the sheriff's office says the deputy's pulling someone over in his official vehicle while working for a private company is standard and acceptable practice, because Wheelan was acting suspicious and could have been a terrorist.

[edit on 23-6-2010 by GeminiSky]

reply to post by ~Lucidity


That thread does not seem to discuss this particular article and the information presented here.

It seems to focus more on Propylene Glycol? Thats why I posted this article here which came out yesterday, June 22nd.

As Lucidity has already noted, this video has already been posted!

I understand that you feel that it needs to be updated, but shouldn't the proper place for an update be at the existing thread?

[edit on 6/23/2010 by Tunatarian]

reply to post by Tunatarian


You may be right! An unrelated question: is a tunatarian someone who strictly eats tuna and nothing else?

MOney is law, and law is money. When money is around there is no law.

reply to post by GeminiSky

Whatever. I prefer to see all information and participate in one topic. I would have just added it to that topic. There's just way too much going on to have have hundreds of seemingly similar threads. I think we're missing a lot of vital information because of that. But that's just me.

reply to post by GeminiSky


Indeed! I was given the nickname of Tuna because of my love for the "other white meat."

But back to your thread, it will certainly get worse before it gets better on this front. Why our local law enforcement seems so easily jaded is beyond me. (Jaded may not be an appropriate description, but you get the point)

I for one have always maintained the belief that if the SHTF, our military and local law enforcement would side with the public. But videos like this make me question that faith!

I pray they will never have to make that choice, as I'm sure many of you do!

Originally posted by Tunatarian
As Lucidity has already noted, this video has already been posted!

I understand that you feel that it needs to be updated, but shouldn't the proper place for an update be at the existing thread?

[edit on 6/23/2010 by Tunatarian]

Where is this posted, what is the name of thread I have been unable to find it.
And I must say that cop is just (snip) awful, BP is (snip) awful also, they should put them both in a canvas bag and throw them off a bridge, with oilie water under it.

Here you go, even if only for the information there. I wish there was a magical Thread Combine option.

[edit on 23-6-2010 by ~Lucidity]

abovetopsecret

reply to post by Tunatarian


The other white meat!! lol thats classic!

Anyways I think if SHTF the cops would side with ANYONE who gave them money and a way to protect THEIR family.

Its every man for himself when and if this happens IMO.

Agreed! Sometimes there's just too much info here to find what your looking for. It frustrates me to do a search, find nothing, begin a thread, and be told instantaneous that "it's already been discussed here." Sorry to have been "one of those responses." I suppose it could always be worse though!