Florida Highway Patrolman Sues over 100 officers and agencies for $1 million, page 1

So here’s the background on this: Florida Trooper Donna "Jane" Watts' observes the same Miami PD car on the turnpike driving in speeds in excess of 100mph weaving in and out of traffic. She finally nails him, officer Fausto Lopez , and arrests him. In turn she is subjected to months of harassment by other officers in other departments including her own.

The Florida Highway Patrol trooper at the center of firestorm after she pulled over a speeding cop at gunpoint said fellow law enforcement officers have created a "life-threatening" situation that caused her to be in such fear for her safety she has become a "hermit." Trooper Donna "Jane" Watts' 69-page lawsuit, filed in federal court Friday, seeks more than $1 million in damages. She is suing more than 100 police officers and agencies, and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The suit alleges 88 law enforcement officers from 25 jurisdictions illegally accessed her personal information more than 200 times, violating her privacy.

Now, as a part time LEO myself, I cant for the life of me understand the animosity directed towards Trooper Watts’. Sure, police extend some common courtesy to other LEO’s when it comes to minor (and I stress minor) traffic incidents like speeding and the like, but to expect to be let off the hook for repeated reckless driving really boggles my mind. In my department an officer extended the “courtesy” of allowing a neighboring LEO to call his wife for a ride when he was pulled over for a DUI (as is done with many people, police and civilian alike) but when he refused and told the officer to piss off he was promptly dragged into jail and charged with DUI, resisting arrest , and aggravated battery for trying to take a swing at the arresting officer. While it certainly caused some bad blood between the two departments, NO ONE in our department thought the arresting officer was in the wrong or questioned what he did.

I just cannot understand the mentality of the defendants in this case. If police don’t follow the laws, why should anyone else.

reply to post by SirMike

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The station of Police Officer is distinct from Sheriff and deputy. One is de jure, the other is de facto. The station of Police Officer is more likely to attract people who are power hungry.

reply to post by CranialSponge

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Dont get me wrong ... she was probably in the wrong to draw down on him, but the arrest was perfectly justified. One of things they stress at the Academy/PTI these days is to drive safely unless the situation warrants it. There's no faster way to a suspension/dismissal then a bad accident. Think of the civil liability the Miami PD is under when one of their officers drives like this on duty let alone when hes off!

reply to post by SirMike

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That's funny. I had a "minor" speeding incident (5 over, always courteous to LEO) that cost me several hundred dollars. Nobody extended to me any courtesy.

Also, I have never had a friend who has had a DUI get extended the courtesy of a ride home instead of a ride to the clink.

It's nice to hear that the laws don't apply to "you guys", and ironically, in a thread where we are discussing an officer who is getting harassed for upholding the law.........

reply to post by sixswornsermon

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Do you have any idea how many DUI's are escorted home, allowed to sleep it off, walk the rest of the way, call a ride? I would estimate that somewhere in the neighborhood of 25-35% of all suspected DUI's are given the soft treatment because they don't have a bad driving record and were cooperative.

And how did a minor speeding ticket cost you several hundred dollars?

reply to post by SirMike

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Are you calling him a liar because his experience has been different from your LEO experiences?

Originally posted by HandyDandy
reply to post by SirMike

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Are you calling him a liar because his experience has been different from your LEO experiences?

Clearly he doesnt have the facts, doesnt make him a liar, just ignorant.

On the issue of a 5mph speeding ticket costing him several hundred dollars, with several being between $300 and $700, unless he missed court repeatedly, didn't pay his fine, had his license suspended, etcetera, I certainly am calling him a liar.

reply to post by SirMike

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And how did a minor speeding ticket cost you several hundred dollars?

Good question, but just this last year I had a ticket for running a red light that cost me $176...

Seems like highway robbery...

Originally posted by SirMike
reply to post by sixswornsermon

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Do you have any idea how many DUI's are escorted home, allowed to sleep it off, walk the rest of the way, call a ride? I would estimate that somewhere in the neighborhood of 25-35% of all suspected DUI's are given the soft treatment because they don't have a bad driving record and were cooperative.

And how did a minor speeding ticket cost you several hundred dollars?

No I do not, and DUI should be punished for the sake of deterrence. My circumstances don't really matter TBH.

I'm just observing the cavalier attitude you seem to have concerning the application of laws, that is for "you" different than it is for "us".

Sorry, but that ticks me off.

Also, not a cop hater at all.....

reply to post by SirMike

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On the issue of a 5mph speeding ticket costing him several hundred dollars, with several being between $300 and $700, unless he missed court repeatedly, didn't pay his fine, had his license suspended, etcetera,

If he got that in DeKalb county, Ga. he might be telling the truth..

Originally posted by tsurfer2000h
reply to post by SirMike

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And how did a minor speeding ticket cost you several hundred dollars?

Good question, but just this last year I had a ticket for running a red light that cost me $176...

Seems like highway robbery...

Seems about right to me. And I wouldn;'t call $176 "several hundred dollars" either.

reply to post by schuyler

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I will restate the important part of my message:

" I'm just observing the cavalier attitude you seem to have concerning the application of laws, that is for "you" different than it is for "us"."

I was figuring in my time BTW, because that is how I looked at the total cost of the infraction. I went to court, argued, and lost.

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