Re: an epiphimy
Okay, CastawayRay, first off, if you read the first post, The police were not laying in wait, they were DISPATCHED TO THE DISTURBANCE THE DRUNKS WERE CAUSING! They were sent there. <br /><br />Its so hard and frustrating to try, but Nobody in any profession will ever please Everybody. I once got called in on the carpet because I was stationary within a block from a Bar-room. The Chief felt like a jerk, when I explained my actions. I asked him, "Did you not ask us to write some Summons for all those loud boom boom boxes that you say are your number one complaint?" His answer was "Yes." I then explained that my reason for being in the dark on the side of the highway, where I sat, with my engine running, so I could catch the boom boom boxes as they passed by me, before they hit the Mississippi Bridge, and I had to chase them across that. I also pointed out that I tired to sit on the other side of the highway, but would have to cross traffic and could not catch up to the boomer before they hit the bridge. These are also the type of things that happens, that contribute to Officers having the mindset, well I get chewed out if I try to do what you ask, and if I just ride and wave, everybody must be happy, cause the Chief is the only one hearing complaints from the public. You end up with low or no motivation from you officers. Being in supervision, it is sometimes really hard to motivate guys that continuasly get called on the carpet, and interrogated, for tying to do what is asked of them, and do a good job. <br /><br />And Castaway, in my earlier posts, when I said I have been in that position. I have secured car keys, on more than one occasion, and told the driver, use yours or MY OWN PERSONAL PHONE, to call someone here to pick you and your vehicle up in 15 minutes, or we'll have to take another route of action. You also have to remember, at the time the above Troopers were dealing with Public drunks, at that time they were NOT dealing with Drunk Driver's, and I bet they probably told them to go home or leave the area and break it up. At that instance those officers did not know who was driving what, if they were drivers, or if they were passangers. Now once it broke up and numerous cars tore out of the parking lot, there were only two Troopers, they could have only stopped two of the cars (which they should have done, in my opinion) but as I said earlier, some of them were going to get past us. <br /><br />Castaway, I'm not going to say that there are not some officers that lay in wait around bar rooms. Some may do this, but as someone above said, even if they do, they don't make the Drunk get behind the wheel. It is not a crime to get Drunk, (I can do some damage myself) the crime is to get Drunk, then get behind the wheel and endanger other's life's and their right to a safe use of the highway. <br /><br />And Castaway, Yes I have been a Taxi, I have been instructed to take citizens of influence (you know the ones with big wallets at Election time) home, and I have brought the average Joe blow home, also. I once rode a public drunk, not a drunk driver, 8 blocks in my trunk with, at that time my Sergeant following me, because the drunk was so filthy, I couldn't stand it. The Sergeant followed to make sure he didn't try to get out, and hurt himself. <br /><br />Many things come into play with Motivation. You know at one time, I had the record of DWI's in our area, and never lost a case. Then all of a sudden I stopped a Rich Young Man, which didn't stop till he was right in the Middle of the Mississippi River Bridge. My probable cause for stopping him, and report was as complete as the previous cases that I had worked. I remember that two girls came and bonded him out of jail, cash money, no problem. But, even though the reports and facts were about the same, all of a sudden the Judge finds that there was Insuficient Evidence to find him guilty. But that same Evidence was good enough to convict just average old working Joe. So what do you think that did for my motivation to go through all the paperwork, hear all the interrigation of Don't you know who he is, fight all the new paperwork everytime some lawyer finds a new loophole, and someone makes another law or proceedure that we have to go through, just to convict some working stiff, of being a point or two above the limit, while the ones that really can afford the fine, or a taxi, or a chauffeur, (it they'd lose their license like the working stiff does) gets off Scott free cause he is rich, and has a lawyer. You have to remember, Judges are Lawyers, and don't ever think that deals are not made under the table. It's all about money! <br /><br />If you'll notice in the previous posts we have had opinions from tell me who those officers are and I get their jobs, to pour judgement remarks, to your position that the cops are laying in wait, to pick on or make money off Drunk drivers. Like I said, those Troopers were called there, not laying in wait, I believe (upon just the information posted, "I WAS NOT THERE AND DO NOT KNOW) that they made a pour judgement call, and could have handled that situation better. I understand people's frustration of an Officer failing to react as they think he should, make an arrest, etc. but some are convicting these two officers without a fair trial or a chance for them to explain their actions, or reasons, as to what else they had going on at the time. Now who among us, would want to be convicted of a Crime without a fair trial? Another reason for pour Motivation is many Police Officers have been stripped of their rights that citizens enjoy! Police officers are trained and have it pounded into them that they are to be held at above average standards, and then are not even given the same rights as the Criminals they chase. <br /><br />So Castaway, ever heard someone say "Look at that cop, he turned on his lights just to run that red light so he can get to his donuts." Ever consider this, that he got sent to an alarm, just as he passed though the Red Light, his radio goes off, and they say 10-22 or Never mind, the alarm was set off by a new employee at the bank without the code word. All I am saying is, that things are not always as they appear.<br />Ticket Quota's are illegal, and just so you know, like other systems, this is how ours work, out of a fine, 5% of the fine, goes into the City's general fund, for all the public works etc. Then 5% of that 5% goes to the Police Department. The rest goes to the COURT SYSTEM, THE JUDGES, WHICH ARE ALSO LAWYERS THAT WANT TO MAKE NEW LAWS THAT THEY CAN ARGUE ABOUT TO MAKE THEMSELFS MORE MONEY AT TAX PAYING CITIZENS EXPENSE. ALSO, I'M A TAX PAYING CITIZEN, AND I BET BUBBAKAT AND TROOPER251 IS ALSO. So it doesn't take a genius to figure out that the amount of a fine that reaches the whole Police Department, wouldn't even buy 1 cop a donut we are all supposed to be chasin.<br /><br />Bottom line, these Troopers may have made a bad decision. Has anyone else here made a mistake on their job or used pour judgment? Would you expect to get fired for a bad decision? At least give them the same respect as the Criminals they chase, and not convict them without a trial or hearing their side of the story. <br /><br />And Castawy, you have provided me with many a laughs, and I hope we will have more, but if you consider the point you were trying to make, these two Troopers missed their chance to get rich.
<br /><br />Just one of GodsBeast's
