Justified taze?!? Link fixed

[Medic624]

This is an 08 dash cam video of an Austin LEO who pulls over a guy for doing 5 over...

I have my opinion on this one but do ya think this was a justified Taze?


http://www.break.com/index/trigger-happ ... eeder.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ChrisD]

Seems like the LEO over-reacted to me...
But, I wouldnt be stupid enough to ignore his commands no matter how rude or irrate he was.

[fishman]

I don't know. huh. Maybe yes sir, no sir, a little respect might go a long way instead of arguing with the leo right off the bat. Justified tasing? Maybe. The way I see it some people put themselves in a position thats not nessessary. That goes for a traffic stop, just hangin with the wrong people, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[steve817]

I always felt that TASER's were supposed to be an alternative to deadly force not a means of bending the will of someone else to your own. If the person came out swinging or acting like it, then by all means fire away. I have seen many examples of officers using them when there could have been another way. However I have never walked in their shoes.

[speedsix]

...come on, guys...this is the poorest excuse for an LEO...he started out totally rude and obnoxious...there was no reason for him to do so...then didn't give the customer time to reply or comply...he was verbally beating on him from the start...the guy's protests were reasonable and not out of line...he was complying with the demand...the officer's mouth was running nonstop, escalating at every second...and there was no reason to get him out of the car and even draw his taser...the guy needs to be gone...if I'd seen this behavior from one of my rookies, he'd have spent his days reading water meters...he doesn't need to be dealing with people...this man is not a professional...where's the "ashamed" emoticon? ah, yes hope his chief does the right thing...if he's this out of control over 5 mph, what would he do if you'd just shoplifted a beer...or run from him??? we've got a serious case of uncontrolled anger here...hope they deal with it before it gets to be a tragedy...his tone of voice from the first word out of his mouth said it wasn't going to go well...why???? who knows....

[speedsix]

I don't know. huh. Maybe yes sir, no sir, a little respect might go a long way instead of arguing with the leo right off the bat. Justified tasing? Maybe. The way I see it some people put themselves in a position thats not nessessary. That goes for a traffic stop, just hangin with the wrong people, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

...your expectations of professionalism, courtesy, and fairness from our LEOs need to be ratcheted up a whole lotta notches...most are FAR above this yahoo...this customer never had a chance...this kind of action takes me back to the 60s in the deep south...shameful...we've got cops and ex-cops on this forum who can/could get as tough as the situation called for, but I guarantee you none of them acted as some of these we've seen today...they had pride in the badge and lived up to it...this guy's a cheap bully...the respect you speak of goes both ways..."sir, I stopped you because..." would have been THE way to begin this conversation...

[speedsix]

...followup story:

http://www.thebuzzmedia.com/austin-cop- ... pologizes/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...another link says the officer got a three day suspension...in my oldpinion not NEARLY appropriate...

[fishman]

I never said what the officer did was right. What I meant was the BOTH started off on the wrong foot. As far as the 1960s, I did'nt know that courtesy went out of style.

[fishman]

Its good to the see the officer's apology, you sure won't see that too often.

[speedsix]

Its good to the see the officer's apology, you sure won't see that too often.

...the officer didn't apologize...the "department" did...he was on a 3-day suspension at the time

[gigag04]

TASERs are not an alternative to deadly force. They are an intermediate weapon.

That said, I can't pull up the vid but it sounds bad.

[CC Italian]

This is just one more example of what happens when you don't comply immediately with an officer and how quick things can go south. The officer was wrong but I would have not said anything but yes sir and not argue or say anything else. This has been talked about many times on this board and I think we all have come to the consensus that arguing with a LEO is never a good thing. If an officer tells you to do something, do it! They are holding all the cards not you! If you have a problem with the traffic stop address it with his superiors.

Fishman hit the nail on the head. Whenever I address someone at work or just when I am out and about I always say yes sir no sir as a sign of respect. Example: About a year and a half ago I was pulled over for an out front light in my truck. I didn't realize it was out or I would have changed it real quick. Anyways, the officer that pulled me over must have been straight out of the academy because he looked no older then 22 and when I addressed him or he asked me a question I started or ended with sir. I figure anybody who is making an honest living deserves to be respected.

Another thing I always do is give short exact answers when at a traffic stop. Keep it simple! Even though he was ten years younger then me I called him sir and I do the same with young men (teenagers) in school. I always call them sir. Even when I had that guy go crazy on my girlfriend and I in the Discount Tire I addressed him as sir. Kill people with kindness is a good motto.

[speedsix]

I never said what the officer did was right. What I meant was the BOTH started off on the wrong foot. As far as the 1960s, I did'nt know that courtesy went out of style.

...you prolly missed the 60s by just a little bit...the "norm" in a lot of the Deep South was to treat some people like animals...the first words out of their mouth were rude and insulting, then the customer was beaten for protesting...I had a lieutenant who told me "Son...if a black man walks up and talks to you without taking off his hat, knock it off his head"...I said to him "I'm glad I'm not your son...and your day is gone...thank God"...I'm just a little sensitive about the way officers talk to folks, and I don't mean in an adrenaline-drenched life or death scenario...I mean in the normal everyday job...like stopping someone for 5mph over the limit...
...there's more to it than meets the eye...I drilled it into my rookies that you get as tough as the situation demands, but you start out with "Sir, I stopped you because..." Why? Because, I told them, there's someone out there who's been pushed right up to his limit, and you go breaking bad on him and showing him no respect...and he'll take your life...treat everyone with as much respect as they'll let you...it's a two-way street with a double yellow line...all my guys got it...retired healthy and whole...prolly left a string of friends they'd dealt with along the way...

...do unto others as you would have others do unto you fits real well on both sides of the badge...

[fishman]

No sir I did not miss the 60s. I'm just my own man and I don't disrespect the police. Chances are if the same officer pulled me over for 5 miles over. Well slow down and have nice day. YES SIR!

[alvins]

hmm