Thread: Do you think the officer was justified?

dont taze me bro

I'll tell you what. That was completely assinine. He did not, at any time prior to stepping out of the vehicle, do anything that warranted getting arrested. The officer brought this situation on himself. If the guy didn't want to sign the ticket, the officer should have written in the signature block that is provided for the accused to sign (WHICH ONLY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE OFFICER ADVISED THEM OF A SUSPECTED VIOLATION AND HOW TO FOLLOW UP) that the driver refused to sign.

The ticket then is given (a copy of course) to the operator, and a copy to the officer for his/her records, and a copy to the court, and a copy to the jurisdiction issuing. Whether the operator throws it in the trash is irrelevant. If the operator of the vehicle who was cited doesn't show up to court to dispute the ticket then further actions may be taken to penalize him/her up to and including jail time and a $10,000 fine.

HOWEVER, the main point here is, THE OFFICER HAD NO, I repeat, N O, CAUSE TO FORCE THE DRIVER OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND DRAW ANY WEAPON ( WHICH IT IS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR HE WAS GOING TO ARREST HIM JUST BY THE MERE FACT THAT HE PUT HIS TICKET BOOK DOWN AND STARTED REACHING FOR HIS TASER AND HANDCUFFS ).

And just for the record also, I speak from experience, having served both as Military Police and a police officer after leaving the Marine Corps in California. And just to put minds at ease, California is THE MOST liberal state in the country, which means that actions by police officers are WAY more closely scrutinized than anywhere else.

While I'm at it, lemme just say one MORE thing! Whatever led up to the officer initiating a stop on that vehicle, while irrelvant to the story, was OBVIOUSLY N O T something that warranted arrest, as if it were the officer would never have bothered asking for a drivers license, proof of insurance and registration, then taken the time to walk back to his cruiser, run the information for wants and warrants, write the actual ticket and then walk back to the suspect vehicle only for a signature.

Originally Posted by Tractorpull

LOL cleric watch again, and i think I have explained this to you before. The officer told him he was under arrest very clearly and for what reasons. At this point, IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY WITH AN OFFICERS ORDERS YOU ARE RESISTING ARREST!!! Doesn't matter if you resist with physical force or not. The man protested, he was ordered to lean against the front of the car, with his hands behind his back. Strike one, the officer could have tased him then, and still be in the right. But he didn't. He listened to the man dick around for a few more seconds, and then the man tried to walk back to his car. That is called fleeing, and in that context, is a second strike of resisting arrest. In the past, an officer wouldn't have been able to tase the guy, they would have had to draw their pistol, or forcibly restrain the man. Say what the want, but the taser is a valuable tool, and causes less permanent damage than the bullet or the officers fists, which were the alternatives in that situation.

Tractor, you are missing one VERY important detail. DID THE OFFICER HAVE CAUSE TO ORDER THE OPERATOR OUT OF THE VEHICLE

The answer is, simply, N O. Everything that happened pursuant to that action is irrelevant!


The officer was in the wrong from the get go, and hence all other actions are Fruits of the Poisonous Tree!

As it is, I will be surprised if that officer is not fired, charged with assault, kidnapping, unlawful arrest and detention and terroristic actions.