I can't believe you pulled your gun..

[MinnesotaEric]

Follow the money.
Rohnert Park officer being sued for drawing gun on innocent man | abc7news.com

As soon as anybody familiar with law saw the video, and this type of law is what they practice, they'd reach out to the video guy. That there is now a lawsuit is not surprising.

However, if for the sake of argument we assume video guy tried to bait the police:

1) It was opportunistic, since he did it from his front yard.

2) It was opportunistic, since he stopped hitching up his boat.

3) Clearly he found a police officer arrogant enough to react poorly.

What this means is that even if the guy hitching up his boat in his own driveway in his front yard was baiting the police, and video guy's whole intent is to create the basis for a court case, then the court case will create the basis for that department to get its training together, or if the department has its act together, create the basis to discipline somebody who is abusing his office as a police officer.

Underlying videoing police these days is the growing suspicion of militarized police departments and an us against them mindset rather than a protect and serve mindset. Everybody here likely wants police who are "with" and "for" their communities, not suspicious of the communities in which they work.

FWIW, here is a video of "activists" who really are baiting the police and an awesome police response to them.

Notice that the police officer tells the second guy off camera to remove his hands from his pockets and to step away from the armed guy videoing the encounter. The police officer having received a "man with a gun" call approaches armed people, one of whom has his hands in his pocket, all without drawing his weapon and without significantly escalating the situation while also telegraphing by way of explanation why he has been dispatched there, what he is doing, and why it is legal to perform a meander stop.

Those defending the police officer in the OP link think about these two situations and the different response and different outcomes because of the different responses.

Off-topic: I'm not for open carry because the police must respond to all "man with a gun calls" and the practice needlessly wastes time.

 

[MoKelly]

Interesting. I really only see one side of the pictures and can't judge. However, it is certainly non-typical behavior by the citizen.

Anyway, this will fade away soon. Just anothet YouTube video.

However, just image the national news coverage this would have received had the citizen been black.

MoKelly

 

[300UGUY]

As soon as anybody familiar with law saw the video, and this type of law is what they practice, they'd reach out to the video guy. That there is now a lawsuit is not surprising.

However, if for the sake of argument we assume video guy tried to bait the police:

1) It was opportunistic, since he did it from his front yard.

2) It was opportunistic, since he stopped hitching up his boat.

3) Clearly he found a police officer arrogant enough to react poorly.

What this means is that even if the guy hitching up his boat in his own driveway in his front yard was baiting the police, and video guy's whole intent is to create the basis for a court case, then the court case will create the basis for that department to get its training together, or if the department has its act together, create the basis to discipline somebody who is abusing his office as a police officer.

Underlying videoing police these days is the growing suspicion of militarized police departments and an us against them mindset rather than a protect and serve mindset. Everybody here likely wants police who are "with" and "for" their communities, not suspicious of the communities in which they work.

FWIW, here is a video of "activists" who really are baiting the police and an awesome police response to them.

Notice that the police officer tells the second guy off camera to remove his hands from his pockets and to step away from the armed guy videoing the encounter. The police officer having received a "man with a gun" call approaches armed people, one of whom has his hands in his pocket, all without drawing his weapon and without significantly escalating the situation while also telegraphing by way of explanation why he has been dispatched there, what he is doing, and why it is legal to perform a meander stop.

Those defending the police officer in the OP link think about these two situations and the different response and different outcomes because of the different responses.

Off-topic: I'm not for open carry because the police must respond to all "man with a gun calls" and the practice needlessly wastes time.

These guys were real idiots. If I saw them walking down my street, I would call the cops also. The cop was very professional. I think in a urban area, where cops get shot at sometimes, ( I'm a Detroit boy ) the cops would have simply shot them, and thrown the camera in a dumpster.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

These guys were real idiots. If I saw them walking down my street, I would call the cops also. The cop was very professional. I think in a urban area, where cops get shot at sometimes, ( I'm a Detroit boy ) the cops would have simply shot them, and thrown the camera in a dumpster.

Do you think it is okay for police to break the law because they're cops or are you envisioning what you would do if you were a cop regardless of laws?

 

[Tompet]

As soon as anybody familiar with law saw the video, and this type of law is what they practice, they'd reach out to the video guy. That there is now a lawsuit is not surprising.

However, if for the sake of argument we assume video guy tried to bait the police:

1) It was opportunistic, since he did it from his front yard.

2) It was opportunistic, since he stopped hitching up his boat.

3) Clearly he found a police officer arrogant enough to react poorly.

What this means is that even if the guy hitching up his boat in his own driveway in his front yard was baiting the police, and video guy's whole intent is to create the basis for a court case, then the court case will create the basis for that department to get its training together, or if the department has its act together, create the basis to discipline somebody who is abusing his office as a police officer.

Underlying videoing police these days is the growing suspicion of militarized police departments and an us against them mindset rather than a protect and serve mindset. Everybody here likely wants police who are "with" and "for" their communities, not suspicious of the communities in which they work.

.

Agree...and in particular your last paragraph.

 

[300UGUY]

Do you think it is okay for police to break the law because they're cops or are you envisioning what you would do if you were a cop regardless of laws?

Neither. But the area in Washington these fools were playing in is pretty safe. If it were night or in a high crime area, the cops might shoot first, ask questions later. Kids have been killed playing with toy guns, the cops roll up, see something they think is a threat, and somebody dies. I am pro 2nd amendment, but I think the open carry stuff is silly.

 

[Glocker]

If the phrase I'm pro second amendment is followed by "but",you're not really pro second Amendment. Open carry is legal and there is no law that says you have to bow down to somebody with a badge. Cops have no more or less rights than the rest of us. I applaud open carriers for educating the public and the police.

 

[rmk700]

Do you think it is okay for police to break the law because they're cops or are you envisioning what you would do if you were a cop regardless of laws?

Nobody is perfect.

Would you feel better if there was no state police and only federal agencies doing ALL the policing?

 

[GrumpyJoe]

I wish some of you guys could walk a mile in the shoes of a cop once. Its not like the movies at all. It takes a certain person to be in Law Enforcement. One that wont walk away from confrontation. Willing to help someone you never met. Hold the hand of a dying person. Comfort a lost child. Tell a parent that their kid was just killed by a drunk driver. Some of you guys just have no concept of what really goes on. You just sit back and "Monday morning quarterback" all the You Tube vids out there. I am VERY PRO 2nd amendment and also pro open carry. But, and I will say but. There is a difference between open carrying your pistol and open carrying a M4 on your back with a camera rolling waiting for a Law Enforcement Officer to roll up on you. I have rolled up on TOOLS like that many times. All they are looking for "likes" for their You Tube Vids. Thats all. When I carry it is never seen and I never tell. But I always carry. Because unlike some. I'm never off duty. I took an oath along time ago to "Serve and Protect". That means 24-7. I am obligated to do something. Anything. I have already stepped in front of a man with a baseball bat and leveled my weapon at him so he wouldn't hit his wife. Did I know her? Nope. Why do it then? Because it's the job I chose. And yes I have pulled my weapon on someone and put it at my side who had his hands in his pockets. Please don't think Law Enforcement are the bad guys. We are there to protect you from the bad guys. As hard as that might seem.

 

[Glocker]

I missed the meeting where that was the only two options.


QUOTE=rmk700;4213966]Nobody is perfect.

Would you feel better if there was no state police and only federal agencies doing ALL the policing?[/QUOTE]