Should this trooper be fired?

L Sternn wrote:
>
> > wrote:
>
> >> It's not a job that requires that much experience at all. It is probably a
> >> position for someone close to retirement who wants a break from the streets
> >> for his last few years. We don't know for sure, but that's my guess.
> >
> >I see, time servers. Chair warmers. Just the person I'd want on the
> >end of the line when there's a possibility that a loved one is bleeding
> >to death. No wonder we hear horror stories about what these jerks say
> >and do. I think I'd rather have girl scouts doing the job -- based on
> >the ones I've known, people who are just waiting for retirement are
> >absolutely worthless.
>
> To be fair to 911 operators in general, you do hear good stories about
> them from time to time.
>
> A few months back some kid called up to say his parent was either dead
> or dying. I don't remember the details, but it was a young kid and
> she stayed on the line with him until help arrived.

Yes, I heard about that. Somebody got lucky. I would think that
staying on the line as long as help for the caller might be required
would be standard practice -- which would include talking with a
distraught adult survivor of an accident or crime, not just a scared
kid.

--
Cheers,
Bev
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Lottery: the closest thing we have to
a tax on stupidity.

"Scott en Aztlán" wrote:
>
> "Cory Dunkle" > wrote:

> >I did not come into this world hating cops. I used to like them, admire
> >them, and look up to them. Hell, I used to want to be a police officer. It
> >was a position I admired and thought very highly of. Protecting people,
> >keeping people safe, in general making the world a better place. Not anymore
> >though, as I've realized that's not what being a cop is about...
>
> It is irrelevant how you acquired your prejudice - it is still
> prejudice.
>
> However, if you examine the process through which that prejudice
> developed, you can see how the trooper in question might have
> developed similar prejudices against the public.
>
> Why is hatred and prejudice OK for you but not for him?

Because we're paying him to protect us. If he takes our coin and spits
in our face, I think we have a right to be just a bit peeved.

--
Cheers,
Bev
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Lottery: the closest thing we have to
a tax on stupidity.

"jaybird" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Skip Elliott Bowman" > wrote in message
> ink.net...
>> "jaybird" > wrote in message
>> ...

There was no harm other than his rudeness and
>>> there was no foul either.
>>
>> Easy for you to say--it wasn't your son who died.
>
> No it wasn't, and while that is a tragedy I still stick by my original
> response which was that I don't believe an 18 year veteran with an
> unblemished career should be fired for a comment.

I think there are comments that are firing offenses, like racial epithets,
sexist denigrations, and lying in a report or under oath. But for this, no.

Even 15 days is still
> excessive.

A 2 day rip is about right for this. It goes on his permanent record and
he'll probably miss a round or 2 of promotions. That should cover it.

The responders were on the way and he made a rude comment.
> Those are about the only facts we really have.

That set of comments (not just one, mind you) wreaked havoc on the feelings
of two parents who had just lost their son in an accident. At a time like
this, you think it's okay if a cop makes nasty comments?

"jaybird" > wrote in message
...
>
> "L Sternn" > wrote in message

Real cop or poser, there are good and
>> bad cops. I always give cops a chance to show which kind they are
>> before forming an opinion.
>
> I would agree with that. I think that holds true in any profession
> though. There are doctors we like, and those we don't. Convenience store
> clerks... any profession has people in it that have different
> personalities.

Except that convenient store clerks and physicians don't carry badges and
guns. They aren't allowed to kill people in the line of their work.
Consequently, cops have to be held to a different standard.

Your
> definition of good cop or bad cop might be different from mine though. I
> see good cops as law abiding, professional, honest, and fair. Bad cops to
> me are criminals who lie, cheat, and steal and who deserve to be in jail.
> Just because a cop has an attitude about things that differs from mine, I
> don't automatically call them a bad cop.

How about a cop with racist attitudes who target minorities for offenses
that they'd ignore from a white person, who takes verbal abuse personally,
and has a quick temper that affects his judgment in a crisis? You think
he's a good cop?

> I'm a bit more defensive in here than usual because I'm about the only one
> around. People bash cops in here left and right and I just throw out some
> support now and then.

So do quite a few others. But some cops don't take any criticism well,
constructive or otherwise.

There are a lot of angles of the job that I've seen
> that the average person wouldn't usually be privy to so I can better see
> some of the issues as understandable. I may sound calloused and harsh
> sometimes, but such is life at times.

Life is harsh and calloused enough without those with the power of life and
liberty over citizens abusing their authority.

Take it for what it's worth because I
> don't always hand out teddy bears and candy canes. )

Courtesy, respect, and dignity--they cost less than candy and toys. Can you
do that?

"Scott en Aztlán" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 17:13:14 -0500, Nate Nagel >
> wrote:
>
>>> If we fired every cop who was rude to a citizen who wasn't a suspect,
>>> we'd
>>> have maybe 100 cops per large city.
>>
>>That's OK, there's still lots of polite, conscientious people who's like
>>to have jobs.
>
> Not that job.
>
> It takes a special kind of person to put his life on the line on a
> daily basis, and to put up with all the crap and frustration that
> comes with the job - and, on top of it all, to be paid peanuts for it.

Other jobs are far more dangerous to life and limb than police officer. Far
more dangerous.

"Scott en Aztlán" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 17:13:14 -0500, Nate Nagel >
> wrote:
>
>>> If we fired every cop who was rude to a citizen who wasn't a suspect,
>>> we'd
>>> have maybe 100 cops per large city.
>>
>>That's OK, there's still lots of polite, conscientious people who's like
>>to have jobs.
>
> Not that job.
>
> It takes a special kind of person to put his life on the line on a
> daily basis, and to put up with all the crap and frustration that
> comes with the job - and, on top of it all, to be paid peanuts for it.
>
> Relatively speaking, there aren't many people like that.
>
> --
> Sloth Kills!
> http://www.geocities.com/slothkills/

Cops do not put their lives on the line on a daily basis. Check OSHA's web
site for the mortality/injury rates of LEO's per 100,000 in America - one of
the safest jobs there is. Also I used to be privy to mortality/injury
tables with a major Life Insurer and I can assure you being a cop in America
is not dangerous. Hell, a convenience store clerk is much more at risk for
death and serious injury.

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 22:36:54 GMT, "BE" > wrote:

>Cops do not put their lives on the line on a daily basis.

They see *potential* for their lives being put on the line. They
really don't know if the person they just pulled over is going to pull
a gun.

Then again I have no assurance when I stop at a red light that I won't
be carjacked at gunpoint.

Funny how cops can see the *potential* for their life being in danger
for a simple traffic stop, but they don't seem to grasp the potential
for death if they ignore 911 calls.



> Check OSHA's web
>site for the mortality/injury rates of LEO's per 100,000 in America - one of
>the safest jobs there is. Also I used to be privy to mortality/injury
>tables with a major Life Insurer and I can assure you being a cop in America
>is not dangerous. Hell, a convenience store clerk is much more at risk for
>death and serious injury.

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 22:26:13 GMT, "Skip Elliott Bowman"
> wrote:

>That set of comments (not just one, mind you) wreaked havoc on the feelings
>of two parents who had just lost their son in an accident.

Did you read the articles on it?

They wreaked havoc on the feelings of the people calling 911 and I'm
sure with the parents feelings even before their son died a week
later.

I'd really like to know how the cops are capable of making the medical
judgment that the guy would have died anyway.

It's clear that despite claims to the contrary, that there was a delay
in sending help.


> At a time like
>this, you think it's okay if a cop makes nasty comments?

"Cartlon Shew" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 22:36:54 GMT, "BE" > wrote:
>
>>Cops do not put their lives on the line on a daily basis.
>
> They see *potential* for their lives being put on the line. They
> really don't know if the person they just pulled over is going to pull
> a gun.
>
> Then again I have no assurance when I stop at a red light that I won't
> be carjacked at gunpoint.
>
> Funny how cops can see the *potential* for their life being in danger
> for a simple traffic stop, but they don't seem to grasp the potential
> for death if they ignore 911 calls.

Exactly!

"Cartlon Shew" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 22:36:54 GMT, "BE" > wrote:
>
>>Cops do not put their lives on the line on a daily basis.
>
> They see *potential* for their lives being put on the line. They
> really don't know if the person they just pulled over is going to pull
> a gun.

That's not danger. That's paranoia.

Whenever I hear a cop defend their judgment calls by diverting the subject
to "Hey, we put our butts on the line--every day!" I picture an image in my
mind of roll call at the start of a shift. There's a broad white line
painted on the floor, which every cop has to actually sit on before hitting
the streets.