OH - LEO Notification goes BAD, really BAD.

[wharvey]

Old thread but I haven't seen mention of the results of the trial on this forum. After the prosecution, although I think persecution would be the proper term to use, presented their case the defense make a motion to dismiss the charge and the judge agreed. Ended up only paying a small fine for stopping on the roadway.

Saddest thing is there has still been no disciplinary action taken against the joke of a cop. Ohio has always had a bad reputation with regard to their police. Do a some research. You will also find a lot of issues with property confiscation; been mentioned on many motorcycle forums. Ohio doesn't rank as high as NJ or NY as states to stay out of but it ranks up there, at least in my opinion.

[E.Marquez]

Asked and answered..
Case dropped by judge.. Next up civil case.

http://texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=49592" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Old thread but I haven't seen mention of the results of the trial on this forum. After the prosecution, although I think persecution would be the proper term to use, presented their case the defense make a motion to dismiss the charge and the judge agreed. Ended up only paying a small fine for stopping on the roadway.

Saddest thing is there has still been no disciplinary action taken against the joke of a cop. Ohio has always had a bad reputation with regard to their police. Do a some research. You will also find a lot of issues with property confiscation; been mentioned on many motorcycle forums. Ohio doesn't rank as high as NJ or NY as states to stay out of but it ranks up there, at least in my opinion.

[Jumping Frog]

Saddest thing is there has still been no disciplinary action taken against the joke of a cop.

His hearing is in December. He is currently out on "medical leave".

[C-dub]

Old thread but I haven't seen mention of the results of the trial on this forum. After the prosecution, although I think persecution would be the proper term to use, presented their case the defense make a motion to dismiss the charge and the judge agreed.

Outstanding!

Can't wait to hear how the civil case goes.

[Katygunnut]

That's less than two a year. We wouldn't think less of a neighbor just because he was arrested 16 times in a dozen years, as long as he was never convicted, right?

I'm not sure where you live, but I don't know that any of my neighbors have been arrested more than once in the 4 years I have lived at my current residence. The only arrest I am aware of was a domestic violence call after a husband accused his drunken wife of having an affair and she hit him across the head with a frying pan. He dropped the charges (they since divorced), but yet I still think less of her even with only the one arrest and zero convictions.

[davefrmmrfy]

Here is the latest news posted by the Canton Repository about an hour ago.

Harless discipline decision due by mid January

CANTON — The safety director has until Jan. 16 to issue a disciplinary ruling in the case of Patrolman Daniel Harless.

Harless is accused of violating Police Department rules in a controversial traffic stop involving a man with a permit to carry a concealed handgun.

More here http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x30118847 ... -for-today" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[RoyGBiv]

Officer Harless was fired. Plans to appeal.
http://ohioccw.org/harless-fired.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.indeonline.com/news/x6383393 ... lice-force" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chasfm11]

“Obviously, it’s an unfortunate set of circumstances that transpired,” Adams said. “We feel that due to the fact that (Harless) has PTSD, that nobody realized it for eight-plus years, for it to come to light the way it did ... this is not a way we wanted this to play out. PTSD is obviously a disease.

One of the articles is interesting. In the above quote, it says that noone realized Harless had PTSD for eight years. It another point, it says that he was diagnosed with PTSD multiple times. I'm sure that the truth lies somewhere between those alternatives.

While I understand that PTSD, like many other mental illnesses, is difficult to diagnose and treat, someone who has it bad enough to have created the video taped situation needs to be in a different line of work. I"m glad that is the way that it worked out.

[pcgizzmo]

I totally agree. I appreciate his service even though he acted like an [deleted profanity] and he certainly doesn't need to be working as a LEO. He needs to be working in a florist shop or something where he can be in a peaceful situation. Either that or go back into the military and be a drill sergeant. I had drill instructors that acted like him.

[testersbc]

per NRA blog officer harless was fired today!!

[E.Marquez]

per NRA blog officer harless was fired today!!

As noted a few posts above yours.

Officer Harless was fired. Plans to appeal.
http://ohioccw.org/harless-fired.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not sure what the basis for appeal would be, but I’m sure it will be entertaining.

[E.Marquez]

“Obviously, it’s an unfortunate set of circumstances that transpired,” Adams said. “We feel that due to the fact that (Harless) has PTSD, that nobody realized it for eight-plus years, for it to come to light the way it did ... this is not a way we wanted this to play out. PTSD is obviously a disease.

One of the articles is interesting. In the above quote, it says that noone realized Harless had PTSD for eight years. It another point, it says that he was diagnosed with PTSD multiple times. I'm sure that the truth lies somewhere between those alternatives.

While I understand that PTSD, like many other mental illnesses, is difficult to diagnose and treat, someone who has it bad enough to have created the video taped situation needs to be in a different line of work. I"m glad that is the way that it worked out.

My Opinion, based on a few years of service in the job arena that most uses the PTSD tag line is, it is way over used, used as a excuse, rather than a possible reason when applicable, or when accused of wrong doing (it's not my fault, the PTSD made me do it). It is very much over diagnosed, which then only cheapens the diagnosis for those that are truly affected and crates distrust in all other cases.

As In: I have had several cases over the last 10 years that a Service member being considered for involuntarily separation from service for misconduct (theft, DUI, robbery, murder), chemical dependency, AWOL, ect , who go though the mandatory psyche eval, and are returned to the unit with a diagnosis of PTSD, yet those service members are enlistment, no prior service first term, never deployed.. Their personal actions, and the militaries consideration for separation is being countered with a diagnosis for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

As well as, what is used to help identify PTSD, is easily faked, or mis diagnosed.

Three areas looked at: intrusive memories, avoidance and numbing, and increased anxiety or emotional arousal (hyperarousal).
Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:
Flashbacks, or reliving the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time
Upsetting dreams about the traumatic event
Symptoms of avoidance and emotional numbing may include:
Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
Feeling emotionally numb
Avoiding activities you once enjoyed
Hopelessness about the future
Memory problems
Trouble concentrating
Difficulty maintaining close relationships
Symptoms of anxiety and increased emotional arousal may include:
Irritability or anger
Overwhelming guilt or shame
Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much
Trouble sleeping
Being easily startled or frightened
Hearing or seeing things that aren't there

Lastly, just because you feel, see or realize some , many, or all of those things above, it does not mean you HAVE PTSD.. Yet that is what is being handed out at most every Psyche eval.
Reality is, firefighter, policeman, Military, CHL possessor, many will not seek help, for to do so is an almost forgone conclusion that said person WILL be labeled as having PTSD,, a mental defect, disease, damage, or otherwise concern. Once that bell is sounded, it cannot be unrung. You are labeled as weak, unstable, incapable, less trustworthy.
If I were to be diagnosed with PTSD, a likely conclusion if I were to seek mental health care and honestly lay out the last 27 years.. .. What happens if I have a CC shoot.. You think for a moment, that “evidence” will not be used against me by the DA, or in a civil trial, the attorney for the “victim”?

PTSD is real.. and it is really an overused diagnosis and excuse for one’s personal actions

[pcgizzmo]

24 years ago when I was in the Army we had just gotten to our first duty post out of basic. A guy I went to basic with wigged out and tried to jump out a 3rd story windows. He went crazy. He was labeled with PTSD

[baldeagle]

24 years ago when I was in the Army we had just gotten to our first duty post out of basic. A guy I went to basic with wigged out and tried to jump out a 3rd story windows. He went crazy. He was labeled with PTSD

PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. What was his stressor?

I believe I have personally experienced a mild case of PTSD. I had just begun reading Helter Skelter (the story of the Charles Manson murders) when I got an album of Christian music in the mail that I had been eagerly anticipating. I played the album repeatedly while reading the book. By the time I finished the book, I could no longer listen to the album. Every time I heard the songs it brought back memories of the horrific murders described in the book. I never played the album again.

I once met a woman who had been a contractor in Iraq. She drove a semi. When she returned to America, she found it really hard to drive a truck at night. She kept having flashbacks of an attack in which her co-driver was hit by an RPG and literally exploded all over her. The truck she was driving after returning was the same make and model as the one she drove in Iraq (so the interior was very familiar). The familiar environment took her right back to Iraq. In Iraq all her trips were at night. Hence the flashbacks when driving at night. She was literally a nervous wreck. I believe that's what PTSD is. It's caused by a really traumatic event (or a series of them) and manifests itself when the affected person is placed in a familiar setting that reminds them of the event or events that originally caused the stress. The more familiar the setting, the more pronounced the reaction will be.

So a person suffering from PTSD can appear perfectly normal for days, weeks, months or even years. They may not even realize they have it. But put them in an environment that brings back the memories of the trauma, and it's next to impossible to predict how they will react, except to say it won't be normal behavior. Mind you, I'm not saying this cop suffered from PTSD, but if he did, his behavior would be understandable while not excusable in that context.

I'm inclined to think that counseling will have little effect on a PTSD sufferer. It's more likely that introducing elements of the familiar setting along with positive reinforcement (music, comedy, happy events in their life) will help alter the memories and make them less stressful. I doubt seriously that a true PTSD sufferer ever truly gets over the event, especially the types of trauma experienced in combat.

[chasfm11]

...that kind of behavior makes the news, like the fat pig punching a handcuffed suspect, and a lot of harm is done to the image of our law enforcement officers...it's hard to wear the badge and know that people like this are part of what society thinks we are...the greater majority of law enforcement pukes to see this kind of "representation"...hug a cop today, please...

Reasonable people understand that, despite the best efforts of the police management system, a few bad apples are going to get into the ranks of LE. Respect for LE is probably not based on those few who are responsible for these acts or show their human frailty in other ways.

But this was not the first time that Officer Harless was involved in such an event. The Internal Affairs units should help to deal with officers like this and it would have been far better for all concerned if Harless's PTSD had been diagnosed with those original incidents. I believe the town in which Harless operated condones such behavior, especially toward concealed handgun licensees and it took an egregious example of his conduct caught on tape and widely distributed to make them deal with it. For that, I have no sympathy at all. Earlier in this thread, there was discussion of the lack of action by the chief regarding Officer Harless in those previous matters.

By contrast, the last two police chiefs in Dallas appear to be working hard to clean up the ranks of officers there. Before that, the public understood that there were some rotten apples in the barrel but that little was being done to deal with them. I think that is much more of indictment than the conduct of the errant officers.