imported post
First let me just say this - Judging by the tape, I strongly believe the officer over-reacted. As far as all the outrage, especially that directed to KCSO, I think it is a little misplaced. The guy was suspended the next day, the Department is distancing themselves from him and is in no way, shape, or form defending him. There is a reason these things go the way they do. If they get info from him for a department invesatigation, it can't be used in court. If he is convicted in court, it makes the department investigation much easier. There are all sorts of laws, rules, rights involved and that is why it plays out the way it does. Yes, it does kind of suck that he is going to continue to draw a paycheck until this is settled, but that is standard. How many cops do you think there would be if they could be suspended without pay once suspected or accused of wrong-doing?
He has been charged and is going to go to trial (assuming he doesn't take a plea). Regardless of the outcome, it is a pretty safe bet he will never wear a badge again. As to the man he shot and killed a few years back, he was investigated and cleared. There were multiple witnesses, even the prisoner that he was transporting acknowledged the events as they occured. That has nothing to do with this and this has nothing to do with that.
It is unfortunate that he let that 15 yo get under his skin, but he has lost his carreer and will likely end up with a criminal record because of it. While that certainly casts a shadow on his other work, it doesn't undo previous good work, just as previous good work doesn't excuse this incident.
As to him being involved in multiple incidents over 8 years, that isn't uncommon. Especially for officers working the graveyard shift. Especially, especially offciers working the graveyard shift in the areas that have higher crime problems. Guess what, most of the more violent stuff happens on that shift.
As far as beatings go, it wasn't much of one. If she is prone to disrespecting her parents and authority, stealing cars, and behaving in such fashion at 15, it likely isn't her first and probably won't be her last. While she certainly didn't deserve it and probably never thought it might be an outcome, she is the one that put herself in the position for it to happen and shares some of the responsibility.
He didn't just pick someone off the street to give a smack-down. She was in a car that was reported stolen (driver I believe), and when the officer called the car owner to see if she had permission to be driving it, he was told no she didn't and that the owner wanted to pursue it as a vehicle theft.
By the way, this was the girls mother who the car was stolen from and who told the cops to treat her car stolen and her daughter as a car thief. I think that says something about mom in addition to an indication that daughter was no angel at home. I am on my 4th teenager, and while we have certainly had our trials and tribulations over the years, none of mine have ever taken off with the car. If any of them had done so, and if the cops called me a 3 in the morning asking about it, I would be getting dressed and heading to collect my car and child, not asking the officer to start my childs felony arrest record.
While that certainly doesn't excuse the cops behavior, it also can't be ignored. Her decisions and behavior put her in a position to be in contact with the cops. She just had the unfortunate luck to come across the wrong cop, at the wrong time.
We have a system in place to deal with that. As much as folks may not like it, cops have the same rights as everyone else. He is just as entitled to a presumption of innocence and his day in court as the alledged car thief is.
For all those who will whine about how he will get off because he is a cop, let me remind you all sorts of non-cop bad guys get off too. Lots of folks get convicted of Aslt4 and don't do any time in jail. I'd even venture a guess that
MOST of the Aslt4 convictions don't result in any jail time. Where is the outrage on those cases? What about
those victims (many of whom are much more innocent than this one)He sholdn't get any preferential treatment having been a cop, but by the same token he shouldn't be treated any harsher because he was one.
Why is it Aslt4 and not something more serious? Because the way the law is written, the circumstances fit for the definitions of assault from the RCW
(
http://search.leg.wa.gov/pub/textsearch/ViewRoot.asp?Action=Html&Item=2&X=301093244&p=1 )
I am sure Aslt4 is just the first of the court processes he is going to face, no doubt the family will sue him civilly and there is also the possibility of the Feds going after him for a civil rights issue. Poor, poor 15 yo girl getting a smack-down, caught on video, that is the stuff media and lawyer dreams are made of.
The poor girl will get her payday and when all is said and done, that really is the important part isn't it? I bet she gets enough to buy a really nice car so she don't have to go stealing one.