OH: Woman assists beleagured police officer

[seamusTX]

In Dayton, Ohio, in December a police officer stopped a 64-year-old man who attacked the officer in a hand-to-hand brawl.

A woman who was driving by stopped and hit the "alleged" offender on the head until police reinforcements arrived.

Dayton police Sgt. Larry Tolpin warned that people could get seriously hurt when they jump into the fray -- even if it's on law enforcement's side. Still, he told CNN affiliate WDTN that Pierce deserved thanks for her effort.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not endorsing that citizens participate in this manner," Tolpin said. "But under this particular circumstance, it was very commendable of her."

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-12-16/just ... s=PM:CRIME" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.whiotv.com/news/26145505/detail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm surprised this story didn't get more attention.

- Jim

[Oldgringo]

In Dayton, Ohio, in December a police officer stopped a 64-year-old man who attacked the officer in a hand-to-hand brawl.

I'm surprised this story didn't get more attention.

- Jim

"Nice/good deeds" doesn't sell papers or TV time.

[seamusTX]

Amigo, the vast majority of newspaper readers subscribe (that is, they pay for and get the paper every day whether they read it or not) or habitually buy a paper with the morning coffee and doughnut.

The days of newsboys in knee pants yelling "Extra! Extra! Read all about!" ended shortly after VJ day.

To some extent the roving public attention span favors TV and other web sites, but it relies on e-mail, text messages, Twitter, and other such means to say, "Hey, look at this."

The problem here is that the dashcam video is blurred and short. I wouldn't want that woman mad at me, though.

- Jim

[DONT TREAD ON ME]

God forbid somebody actually tries to help out a Police officer. Some LEOs have the mentality that they are the only ones that have the ability/skills to do anything and that they will never need help. I will never understand that.

[KFP]

I'm surprised this story didn't get more attention.

- Jim

Fox did play it up for a day, but that was about all that I saw of it too.

[seamusTX]

God forbid somebody actually tries to help out a Police officer.

God didn't forbid this lady from jumping in, and I think the officer is lucky that she did. That old fart got the best of the cop. The "suspect" was quite a bit taller.

I wonder what his "problem" was. Now he's probably looking at aggravated assault on a public servant charges and prison time at age 64.

Of course, few people are willing to admit that they could use help, and especially not from a woman in a fight.

- Jim

[Oldgringo]

The days of newsboys in knee pants yelling "Extra! Extra! Read all about!" ended shortly after VJ day.
- Jim

Are you serious...

So, then why did this apparent good deed not play longer on the TV? Plagues, pestilence and other disasters run ad nauseum.

[seamusTX]

I already said, the information available was not bloody or sexy and did not involve celebrities.

People respond to alarming and dangerous events for a good evolutionary reason. If you are threatened by a rampaging fire or flood or enemies, you had better pay attention.

Events that go well are not news simply because they go well. Our newspaper prints stories every day about kids who got straight A's, church choirs that won contests, quilting demonstrations, barbecue cookoffs, and so forth. Nobody gets excited about them.

- Jim

[Katygunnut]

My initial thought from reading this post is that the cop probably got just a wee bit of ribbing from his colleagues.

"So you were getting beat up by a 64 year old guy, when the little lady came by and saved you from dat big bad man, huh?"

I know its deadly serious, but on the surface, it made me chuckle a bit.

[powerboatr]

hopefully the lady got a salute of thanks from the police or at least the officer

another good bit of news.
folks taking a stand to help those that are in need, no matter who they are

GOOD JOB lady

[ELB]

Awhile back one south Texas police department put on a course specifically for CHLs, partly at least because they figured sooner or later their paths would cross during an incident, and the cops thought it would be better if both sides understood each other a little bit better, and they were perfectly willing to accept help where they could get it. It was a pretty interesting course.

One of the instructors said he was was quite happy to get citizen help if he was getting his butt kicked by someone, and related how this had happened when he was young patrolman. It was a domestic disturbance call, he was alone, his radio wasn't getting out, and he could not get a very large angry woman under control. In fact, he was getting a bit thrashed in the process. Finally a neighbor came over and helped him subdue her. He made it sound pretty funny when he told it, but it sounded like it was a bit desperate at the time.