Maryland cops arrest man for posting video of an overly aggressive traffic stop.

I have a big "what if":

What if that guy wasnt a cop, but a citizen with a gun? He was LEGALLY making a citizens arrest, or detaining the accused until police could arrive. I just looked up the citizens arrest law, and if he was not a cop, everything he did would actually be legal, if he saw the motorcycle racing and appearing to get ready to run from the cops.

Instead of drawing his weapon, wouild you rather have had the off duty run up and tackle the guy off the bike?

If htis had been a Joe Schmoe with a 9mm stopping a mexican "lawbreaker", most of the people here wouldnt have an issue. But since this is a cop stopping (what everyone assumes to be) a white male, everyone is up in arms about their freedoms and excessive force.

reply to post by Raustin


Are you insane? You must be a cop? The guy did not properly identify himself as a police officer. Some dude in an unmarked car plain clothes and no visible badge brandishing a weapon tells you to get off the bike a couple times then says state police and no visible badge still... I am thinking yeah right state police prove it buddy, do I risk dying trusting this idiot? Where I live he would likely be dead.

I don't know if the guy on the bike saw the cruiser behind him but had he shot that cop in fear for his life and I was on the jury I would acquit him!

I have had non uniform cops approach me before in situations and they all make it point to show their badges. Course where I live lots of folks are armed.

Originally posted by aching_knuckles

Secondly, as a motorcycle rider, I hope they throw the book at the crotch rocket guy. I am so sick of these guys thinking that because they have a fast bike, they can drive like retards and put mutliple lives in danger, not just their own. In fact as I write this, I just the whine of a crotch rocket flying by on the expressway. Its a sad day when I say this, but maybe they start to need limiting the power/speed of these bikes, because too many kids are acting like idiots.

What's more dangerous, the speeding "crotch rocket" or you typing a post to this ATS thread from your car on the expressway. I hope you weren't in the driver's seat with your car moving down the highway! Better clarify my friend, because as it stands, your post sounds like you were doing as bad or worse than the "crotch rocket" guy.

Originally posted by aching_knuckles
I have a big "what if":

What if that guy wasnt a cop, but a citizen with a gun? He was LEGALLY making a citizens arrest, or detaining the accused until police could arrive. I just looked up the citizens arrest law, and if he was not a cop, everything he did would actually be legal, if he saw the motorcycle racing and appearing to get ready to run from the cops.

Instead of drawing his weapon, wouild you rather have had the off duty run up and tackle the guy off the bike?

If htis had been a Joe Schmoe with a 9mm stopping a mexican "lawbreaker", most of the people here wouldnt have an issue. But since this is a cop stopping (what everyone assumes to be) a white male, everyone is up in arms about their freedoms and excessive force.

You cannot make a citizen's arrest for a traffic infraction in most states. A citizen who pulls a gun on someone for a traffic infraction is guilty of felony assault! Nothing the motorcyclist did suggests that he was about to run from the cops. That's your imagination going wild.

Originally posted by dubiousone

Originally posted by aching_knuckles

Secondly, as a motorcycle rider, I hope they throw the book at the crotch rocket guy. I am so sick of these guys thinking that because they have a fast bike, they can drive like retards and put mutliple lives in danger, not just their own. In fact as I write this, I just the whine of a crotch rocket flying by on the expressway. Its a sad day when I say this, but maybe they start to need limiting the power/speed of these bikes, because too many kids are acting like idiots.

What's more dangerous, the speeding "crotch rocket" or you typing a post to this ATS thread from your car on the expressway. I hope you weren't in the driver's seat with your car moving down the highway! Better clarify my friend, because as it stands, your post sounds like you were doing as bad or worse than the "crotch rocket" guy.

What the hell are you talking about? I dont even understand the point you are trying to make, Im at home on my computer.

And Im a rider and watch these kids every day think that they can defy death and nothing bad will ever happen..."it cant happen to me! itll be the other guy!"

Ive had a friend hit a deer at 80mph on his rocket. Ive had another friend go down at only 30 on a big hog. Both were doing things they shouldnt have been.They are lucky no one besides themselves got hurt, and that they are still alive to tell the tale.

When you are out on the road, riding basically a projectile at over 30MPH (try riding 30MPH on a bicycle with no helmet, and youll see how fast 30 really is) you are putting EVERYONE at risk, not just yourself. What happens when you pop a wheelie, fall off, and cause a 6 car pileup behind you, killing 3 people? No one wants to worry about that, everyone just wants to look cool popping a wheelie.


[edit on 11-6-2010 by aching_knuckles]

At 00:31 into the long version of the video, the motorcycle pops a wheelie at 65-75mph. So he totally deserves a traffic stop, no one argues that.

The cop pulling out his gun - whatever - probably should pull out his undercover badge for traffic stops if he wants to reduce his chances of getting shot by someone thinking they are being jacked by a criminal. WHATEVER.

The part I have problem with is getting arrested for posting the video on YouTube. If that undercover cop is so concerned about getting ID'd, maybe he shouldn't be pulling over motorists on the byway. Every driver going by could have taken a picture of the event.

This is designed PURELY to protect police officers from prosecution for wrongful acts THEY KNOW occur in the field.

Originally posted by dubiousone

Originally posted by aching_knuckles
I have a big "what if":

What if that guy wasnt a cop, but a citizen with a gun? He was LEGALLY making a citizens arrest, or detaining the accused until police could arrive. I just looked up the citizens arrest law, and if he was not a cop, everything he did would actually be legal, if he saw the motorcycle racing and appearing to get ready to run from the cops.

Instead of drawing his weapon, wouild you rather have had the off duty run up and tackle the guy off the bike?

If htis had been a Joe Schmoe with a 9mm stopping a mexican "lawbreaker", most of the people here wouldnt have an issue. But since this is a cop stopping (what everyone assumes to be) a white male, everyone is up in arms about their freedoms and excessive force.

You cannot make a citizen's arrest for a traffic infraction in most states. A citizen who pulls a gun on someone for a traffic infraction is guilty of felony assault! Nothing the motorcyclist did suggests that he was about to run from the cops. That's your imagination going wild.

Youre right, a traffic stop you cannot make citizens arrest. However, citizens arrest is allowable to stop commission of a felony - this guy was driving so fast, it could ceonceivably be a felony, not to mention (if you watch the second video) he is constantly checking his rearviews, looks like he is running from the police cruiser, which is definitely a felony.

I am a motorcyclist, and if you want, im sure you can go through my posts to determine my anti-police state views, but this time, I see nothing wrong. The problem we have with watching the police is that we have to find the injustices and excessive force, not people whining because they got caught doing something illegal, those cases destroy our credibility.

Furthermore, you state that "nothing he did indicates he was going to run"....what video were you watching? he IS running. He only stops because the road clogs in front of him, and he doesnt turn off his bike, it seems like hes thinking of the best way around when all of a sudden a guy with a gun jumps out and says "Get off the bike! Geto ff the bike! GET OFF THE BIKE! STATE POLICE!"

[edit on 11-6-2010 by aching_knuckles]

Originally posted by harrytuttle
At 00:31 into the long version of the video, the motorcycle pops a wheelie at 65-75mph. So he totally deserves a traffic stop, no one argues that.

The cop pulling out his gun - whatever - probably should pull out his undercover badge for traffic stops if he wants to reduce his chances of getting shot by someone thinking they are being jacked by a criminal. WHATEVER.

The part I have problem with is getting arrested for posting the video on YouTube. If that undercover cop is so concerned about getting ID'd, maybe he shouldn't be pulling over motorists on the byway. Every driver going by could have taken a picture of the event.

This is designed PURELY to protect police officers from prosecution for wrongful acts THEY KNOW occur in the field.

This. Exactly right my friend.
Second line, this post is perfect.

Originally posted by aching_knuckles

What the hell are you talking about? I dont even understand the point you are trying to make, Im at home on my computer.

Thanks for clarifying that, aching_knuckles.

I'm relieved for you and the motorists on that expressway. Your post made it sound like you were in a vehicle on the road.

But I get it now. Your home is right next to the expressway and that's why you were able to hear the whine of a motorcycle. By the way, the "whine" of a bike doesn't necessarily mean it is speeding. The "whine" has much to do with the gear it is in.

Do your knuckels and body ache from the muscular tension induced by living next to the expressway or, now that we know you're also a motorcyclist, from holding onto the handlebar grips?

[edit on 6/11/2010 by dubiousone]

Originally posted by dubiousone

Originally posted by aching_knuckles

What the hell are you talking about? I dont even understand the point you are trying to make, Im at home on my computer.

Thanks for clarifying that, aching_knuckles.

I'm relieved for you and the motorists on that expressway. Your post made it sound like you were in a vehicle on the road.

But I get it now. Your home is right next to the expressway and that's why you were able to hear the whine of a motorcycle. By the way, the "whine" of a bike doesn't necessarily mean it is speeding. The "whine" has much to do with the gear it is in.

Do your knuckels and body ache from the muscular tension induced by living next to the expressway or, now that we know you're also a motorcyclist, from holding onto the handlebar grips?

[edit on 6/11/2010 by dubiousone]

They ache from the punching bag
And trust me, I know the whine. I live right next to the expressway in the city, and I listen to them all night long playing poker, they race around the inner loop, you can hear them coming and going. Id go out and play with them, but the roads suck too much up here in NY, get me back to VA where the roads are nice!

[edit on 11-6-2010 by aching_knuckles]

reply to post by FortAnthem


Another example of our corrupt government.

They film us all the time - then issue us tickets.

Someone should invent a video system that can be easily mounted in any citizen's car at a reasonable price, with real-time streaming to YouTube or some other remote location so that it cannot be confiscated. In fact, a nationwide company providing that equipment and service would make a fortune in this land of nearly 160 million drivers. If such a system existed, with multiple cameras pointing side, front, and back, with audio, then I dare say the instances of police misconduct during trafic stops would take a massive nose dive and we'd also be able to get rid of many bad cops.

The laws regarding interception of private conversations only require that the other party be informed they are being recorded. A key element is that it is illegal to record "private" conversations. A cop's interaction with a citizen during a traffic stop is NOT intended to be private.

[edit on 6/11/2010 by dubiousone]

How do you know he didn't properly Identify Himself? We are looking at the situation through the view of a straw. What does the State Law say a Undercover PO has to do to Properly Identify himself during a commission of a crime? If you don't know, how can you say he didn't do something?

Originally posted by dubiousone
Someone should invent a video system that can be easily mounted in any citizen's car at a reasonable price, with real-time streaming to YouTube or some other remote location so that it cannot be confiscated. In fact, a nationwide company providing that equipment and service would make a fortune in this land of nearly 160 million drivers. If such a system existed, then I dare say the instances of police misconduct during trafic stops would take a massive nose dive and we'd also be able to get rid of many bad cops.

with smartphones, I could see an iphone app or something of this nature. I think more than cops, I would use it against other drivers. I get a lot of road rage, I seriously believe 85% of the people driving shouldnt be riding anything more powerful than a go-kart.

reply to post by harrytuttle


That's the part I have a problem with as well.
Agree with your post entirely

reply to post by arcnaver

There was no badge visible on the man brandishing his weapon. Since the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, the officer knows (because of training) that verbal declarations are not going to be heard by the subject, so he needs to have visual declarations.

Short of doing that, the motorcyclist had every reason to believe that he was smack dab in between a criminal being chased and uniformed officer in pursuit behind him - hence the reason he was backing his bike AWAY from the criminal.

In short, that situation could have gotten ugly REAL FAST had that motorcyclist been armed and trained to defend himself.


[edit on 11-6-2010 by harrytuttle]

An unmarked car & no uniform tries to stop a driver?

And then has the NERVE to get out waving his gun around?

That guy needs to join the huge number of Americans already in the unemployment line & give one of them a chance to behave more responsibly on the job.

[edit on 11-6-2010 by slank]

reply to post by FortAnthem


This is so infuriating!

So let me get this straight..... Its ok for them to put cameras on every intersection, film/photograph us, then use the footage to send us a ticket for some horrendous amount of money. But if we film them in PUBLIC, we get arrested and have to shell out more money?! How does that make any sense to law enforcement?

That guy looked like such a dick when he got out the car with his gun. He looked like he was going to attack the guy! If I was armed, I might have drawn on him with good cause. A guy wearing no uniform jumps out of a unmarked car, walks aggressively towards me with a gun and I'm supposed to just sit tight and hope for the best?

NO

THANK

YOU!

[edit on 11-6-2010 by WhiteDevil013]

Originally posted by harrytuttle
reply to post by arcnaver

 

There was no badge visible on the man brandishing his weapon. Since the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, the officer knows (because of training) that verbal declarations are not going to be heard by the subject, so he needs to have visual declarations.

Short of doing that, the motorcyclist had every reason to believe that he was smack dab in between a criminal being chased and uniformed officer in pursuit behind him - hence the reason he was backing his bike AWAY from the criminal.

In short, that situation could have gotten ugly REAL FAST had that motorcyclist been armed and trained to defend himself.


[edit on 11-6-2010 by harrytuttle]

Yes it could have. Lets say the Motorcycle guy was armed and did not know that the Police Car Behind him was chasing HIM and that he too was armed. He could have done something even stupider and pulled his gun out too.

I believe you are assuming way to much here. Assuming the motorcyclist didn't know he was being tailed by a cop. Didn't know he was breaking the law and driving recklessly. I suppose you could make that case.

In that case, the ununiformed cop is lucky he didn't get shot at and the motorcyclist is lucky that he didn't shoot at him, because the uniformed cop surely would have popped him. Never mind the collateral damage from 3 guns.

[edit on 11-6-2010 by arcnaver]
sp

[edit on 11-6-2010 by arcnaver]

I think most of us are thinking along the same lines... the guy riding the bike was being a DoucheBag and many people feel the cop was out of line. (Me notsomuch)

But to all of you rambos out there wanting to sign your death warrant saying you are gonna draw on someone who has a gun at the ready , you are living in pure fantasy land ... I don't care WHO you are , It ain't gonna happen, you'll never make it off the X & you're gonna get swiss cheesed up. ***NOW BACK TO REALITY***

My sources are FBI statistics and the simmunition welts that I got last year testing out similar scenarios.