Ridiculous Police News (Specific events)

[Melena]

I've been involved in one sobriety check point. Literally rolled my window down, was asked if i have been drinking, said I had one beer with dinner two hours prior, waved on through. Of course I got nailed 5 minutes later when I burned my hand with a cig and dropped it out the window and got a two hundred dollar fine for dropping a lit substance out the window.

[Melena]

Eh? Are people really under the assumption that cops aren't running plates all the time?

Most cop cars have a laptop built in and/or easily positionable near the driver, with internet access, and all it takes is a couple seconds of effort. I think it's BS to do that while driving around (distracted driving and such), but I'm still sure it's done all the time.

I doubt it'll be long before they have some software/camera combination that automatically scans and runs nearby license plates, if not already. I doubt there is much if any legal ground to stand on against it either way.

Also wish I saw this when I was posting on something else. We have 2-3 cars with cameras on the roof that are connected to a computer. That computer is connected to a national database of reported stolen cars. Every time you pass a car, it flashes the license plate on your laptop and lets you know if it's reported stolen or not.

[NynJa]

I've been involved in one sobriety check point. Literally rolled my window down, was asked if i have been drinking, said I had one beer with dinner two hours prior, waved on through. Of course I got nailed 5 minutes later when I burned my hand with a cig and dropped it out the window and got a two hundred dollar fine for dropping a lit substance out the window.

I've been through two.

Once I was heading somewhere to drink, I said I hadnt drank anything yet, am planning to and already have arrangements to stay there thenight. "okay drive safe", didnt ask for my license or anything.
Other time I was out watching the game with 2 friends. Cop asks if I drank anything, I said "me and 2 friends ordered a pitcher, I had one glass as I was driving and they had the rest". "okay, drive safe". Once again, didnt ask for license or anything.


I dont know what kinda check stops these people have been through where they have their license and shit checked through the computer. White privilege I guess?

[Xno Kappa]

The problem is they don't. I know Neph gave you the glittering gold example we could all look at and go, "well that's ok"...but the reality is how many times would they spend that much money on manpower and only get three people? How about never. Studies have shown less than 3% arrest rate for DUI at checkpoints. Then why are states doing 10k+ a year and investing millions of dollars in them? Oh, yeah, how about billions in revenue.

I don't get your point here. Are you saying people are being ticketed for no reason? Or that checkpoints are catching individuals committing various other offenses?

[archibaldcrane]

Checkpoints are barely legal under the guise of protecting public safety from drunk drivers, but mostly just provide a way to give lots of tickets/impounds for non DUI offenses.

[NynJa]

Hey, if you pull up to a checkstop, just remember these 4 words:
Good luck young man

[archibaldcrane]

Hey, I've been pulled over 3 times where I'd probably have blown over the limit - but answering "no sir" to the "have you been drinking?" question, combined with my excellent choice to be born a white American man keeps me plenty lucky.

[Nephlite]

Hey, I've been pulled over 3 times where I'd probably have blown over the limit - but answering "no sir" to the "have you been drinking?" question, combined with my excellent choice to be born a white American man keeps me plenty lucky.

Or you could have been cool and not an asshole. I dunno about Xno, but my interaction with you can go many ways depending on how cool you are. Especially if you're a Redskins fan (which is sadly a rarity in DC).

[archibaldcrane]

Oh trust me, I'm very pleasant when I lie to the cops about something that would cost me 15 grand

[NynJa]

Funny
Two weeks ago you were saying you act spitefully disrespectful to cops because you dont have to show them respect.

[djzombie]

didn't see this posted.

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/137...ook-3-million/

quotes are from the article above, but here is a huffington post article since i'm not really familiar with the source above, it was just the first one i saw.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2315330.html

Cleveland, Ohio – Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams were driving near downtown Cleveland on November 29, 2012, when Russell’s car backfired. Police in the area apparently mistook the sound for gunfire and gave chase.

What took place next was a stunning car chase that involved over 60 police cruisers and lasted almost a half hour.

It’s unclear exactly why Russell didn’t pull over, but what is clear is that when the chase ended, Russell and Williams were killed in a hail of gunfire after 13 officers unloaded 137 rounds into the vehicle in an elementary school parking lot.

Russell, the driver, was shot 23 times. Williams was shot 24 times while sitting in the front passenger seat. Neither one of the victims were armed, which was confirmed after no weapons were found in the bullet riddled vehicle.

Cleveland police officer Michael Brelo is charged with two counts of voluntary manslaughter, he was released on a $10,000 dollar bond. Brelo is accused of firing 49 of the 137 shots. Randolph Daley, Michael Donegan, Patricia Coleman, Jason Edens and Paul Wilson were all charged with misdemeanor dereliction of duty.

Brelo unloaded 49 shots, the last 15 as he stood on the hood of Russell’s car firing through the windshield well after the chase was over and the other officers on the scene had stopped firing.

Prosecutor Tim McGinty put things into perspective when he stated:
“Officers decided to ignore their department’s rules on November 29, 2012. The result was a protracted high-speed chase that put the public and officers in danger, the death of two unarmed people — one a totally innocent passenger — and a circular firing squad that nearly killed several of their own.”

[NynJa]

Not to victim blame, but he was chased by "over 60 police cruisers", and neither person in the car noticed? Bull shit

[Byrthnoth]

Perhaps their quasi-justified fear of police racial discrimination and stories of police brutality led them to make a bad decision (running from one cop car), which escalated and left them with no way to de-escalate the situation until they got trapped.

At which point, of course, their fears were completely justified and they were killed in broad daylight by a police force sworn to protect them because they were too poor to afford a car that doesn't backfire and too scared to not run from the cops.

[Aragon of Odin]

Who said neither person noticed? They were dead before they had a chance to be questioned

[Karbuncle]

This was an horrific display of excessive force... I mean... 149 bullets? We're they just not sure he was dead 148 in? Seriously I don't even... I can't imagine any police policy at all warrants this kind of force, especially not the part where a cop as standing on the car firing shots in still... though luckily he is being charged... he should be fucking charged and locked away.

That said... I'm having hard time sympathizing with the victims train of thought here. I mean, from the beginning wouldn't all they know/have thought of the situation would be a basic traffic stop? I mean, they didn't know from the first cruiser that they were suspected of firing a weapon, and in the beginning it would have been just one officer following them with the lights on yah? Or did it just begin with a bunch of them on him? Reading the excerpt posted its hard to determine if it was just 1/2 police attempting to pull him over then it became 60, or it just started with like 5+?

I just can't get behind the "Oh, this cop might be racist, better not pull over and just keep running" thing though... I'd like to think if they had pulled over instantly it might have ended better but I can't be sure of that so IDK what to say other than wtf at 149 bullets.

[archibaldcrane]

Funny
Two weeks ago you were saying you act spitefully disrespectful to cops because you dont have to show them respect.

What?

[NynJa]

Who said neither person noticed? They were dead before they had a chance to be questioned

Wut? Says who?

Im not justifying the actions of the excessive force since there was no threat against the cops, but thats some massive darwinism if the driver didnt notice 60 patrol cars chasing him.

[BaneTheBrawler]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle21651689/

cop speeding for no reason kills 5 year old in quebec, no charges

faux-cops are universal

[hey]

Wut? Says who?

Im not justifying the actions of the excessive force since there was no threat against the cops, but thats some massive darwinism if the driver didnt notice 60 patrol cars chasing him.

Of course they noticed but...how do you stop? What is the appropriate course of action when 60 patrol cars are chasing you? Of course, running in the first place was a big mistake, but at some point, it becomes too late to just stop, because then you're going to have cops jump on your car and shoot you 150 times.

Serious question, what is the best course of action at that point if you want to stop the chase? My only thought would be to call 911 and keep going until you get instructions from a cop, on exactly what to do, second by second. Because i would be too scared and have no idea wtf to do to make sure i didn't get shot otherwise.

[NynJa]

It didnt just magically turn into 60 cars as soon as the car backfired...thats a lot of escalation. Not once in that 30 minutes did the driver look in his rear view window? Be completely oblivious to the flashing red and blue lights? Not hear the fucking sirens?!?