Author Topic: the other side of a story..... (Read 6274 times)

Banditboy600 · « **on:** March 22, 2005, 08:53:39 PM »

http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=3107048

Let me tell you, that although I do NOT condone, the trooper's attitude, and feel that he was wrong for saying what he said at the time. There are some mitigating circumstances, which of course the news doesn't relay. First off the trooper is a 18 yr. veteran with an exemplanary record. He received numerous 9-1-1 calls on how reckless these a$$hats were riding, over 100 MPH, wheelies, no helmets, etc. He sent troopers out to the area to have them knock it off. Secondly, all procedures were handled properly, as far as initialing receiving the call of the reckless operation, sending people out there, then receiving a call about the accident and dispatching additional troopers and the ambulance. That was all done, before this idiot's friend calls and reports the crash, which is where the news starts off and the trooper displays a lack of caring attitude, basically saying to the friend, oh well, drive like hell, with no gear on and what do you expect to happen? The troop is low on man power and guys are forced to work extra and double shifts to accommodate the understaffing. Was he in a bad mood, probably, was he too short with the caller, sure.....but that had nothing to do with the guys riding like maniacs, and the inexperienced motorcyclist causing his own accident. Bet his buddy was not dialing 9-1-1 when they were doing over a 100 MPH and wheeling, running cars off the road, etc. The trooper was suspended and paid the price for his inappropriate remarks. These kids do not represent sport touring motorcyclists; they are squids, which give us a bad name. This was not a case of a your average law abiding citizen having an accident, and the trooper totally disregarded the call altogether. Everything was done properly except for the two conversations this guy had with the dead guy's friend. He made a mistake, paid the price, and life goes on, this does not negate all the good he has done for the past eighteen years, and will continue to do for the rest of his career. Our union is filing a grievance, and I hope he wins it and gets the days back. Just my $.02., take it or leave it......

Swamp Rat · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2005, 09:02:20 PM »

They took there web page down or something and I can't read the article.

Red01 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2005, 09:06:55 PM »

Fixed the link, try again... works for me now anyway.

Swamp Rat · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2005, 09:11:36 PM »

got it that time

Landry · « **Reply #4 on:** March 23, 2005, 01:56:02 PM »

So, if we get hurt doing something stupid we don't deserve life-saving measures?

IMHO, accidents are >50% due to stupidity, so I guess half the 911 calls should go un-answered?

Does this mean stupid people can get out of paying a littel bit of their taxes each year, because they aren't going to get 911 help when they need it?

Regardless of how his day was going, and regardless of what he perceived to be happening . . . he screwed up. If it were me, I'd admit fault and resign in disgrace.

Let a non-cop start screwing around with the EMS system . . . there's big fines/jail time for that one.

B12Teuton · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2005, 04:20:33 PM »

Quote from: "Landry"

If it were me, I'd admit fault and resign in disgrace.

Easier said than done.

Quote from: "Landry"

Let a non-cop start screwing around with the EMS system . . . there's big fines/jail time for that one

True Dat!
Kid I went to highschool with was a firefighter and later EMS for years. Good guy till he broke the rules and lifted a few bucks from a patients wallet. Stupid! Now he's in Jail and and will probably never work a real job again. No one even got hurt.

Banditboy600 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2005, 06:11:15 PM »

Quote

. . . he screwed up. If it were me, I'd admit fault and resign in disgrace. Let a non-cop start screwing around with the EMS system . .

Mark, can you read?

The rude comments were made after everything was dispatched and en route...no time was wasted, and this tid bit "Yeah.....too bad!" was like the 10th call from the same guy. Rude? Yes......inappropriate?..... Yes, deserves discipline? Yes,..... but it all got blown a little out of proportion. The article makes it sound as if this was the first call, and the caller was hung up on with no help sent, which is incorrect, and that is my only point.

jimmym1296 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2005, 08:55:51 PM »

The article did say no time was lost in response. He did screw up. He really would not have any way of knowing if it was a squid or another motorcyclist coming along the same road. It's a thankless job to be sure.

WEINERDOGBONE · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2005, 08:45:50 PM »

Yikes! The Officer should have kept his personal opinions to himself. He had no business showing his rear end like that. If I pulled something like that where I live, I would be fired immediately.

I fully understand how frustrating it can be dealing with people who don't use any common sense but, an Officer is just not at liberty to say what ever is running through their mind. IMHO, his 18 years of good service does not excuse his actions. You have to maintain it man.

Banditboy600 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2005, 05:23:03 PM »

He is taking a beating, the article is on the AMA web site, and it is all over Sport Touring dot Net. Some guy even has a petition for his resignation on-line.....Emotions are flying high, opinions vary, I bet he or any other trooper never will do that again!

banditoverde · « **Reply #10 on:** March 26, 2005, 12:49:40 AM »

I'm with you Banditboy600. The trooper screwed up and he should take his licks like the standup guy he's no doubt proven himself to be over 18 years. People who don't like that he gets to keep his job after that one little inexcusable but understandable screw up have no clue about what the job really entails. As far as I'm concerned, if they still want his skin after he's done his time on the beach they can go piss up a rope.

TheBigB · « **Reply #11 on:** March 26, 2005, 02:05:10 AM »

Yes, no, maybe so... all I know is that at this poor soul's funeral there was a picture - lovingly placed on his coffin - of this young man on his bike, doing a wheelie, wearing a tshirt and jeans and no helmet... full squid regalia. Nobody has "it" coming for being stupid but my personal sympathies are somewhat mitigated by his actions.

TheBigB

Big KT · « **Reply #12 on:** March 26, 2005, 08:08:17 AM »

The kid on the bike was stupid. We all know that and we've all been there doing the same stupid shit at one time or another. If we or someone we knew was laying bleeding on the side of the road we would want as professional a response as we KNEW we were supposed to get. I am a county commissioner and I help supply law enforcement with everything from radios to weapons to patrol vehicles. I also do weapons training with my deputies, wildlife officers and NC Troopers. I am close with most of these guys and I don't know one of them that would have said something like this over the phone......and being recorded????? This Trooper may have been having a bad day, he may have a hard on for squids, hell, he may have just been tired after 18 years of service! Still, HE SCREWED UP AND SCREWED UP BAD!!!!! Every officer I know has wanted to say these things. Most do say things that they regret later, but rarely anything like this. His first mistake, in my opinion, was not admitting the screwup right off the bat and taking the heat. His second was thinking the press could (or would) get it right. I hope he can put this behind him and continue with his career, it'll get harder with every slow news day though.
KT

Bazza · « **Reply #13 on:** March 27, 2005, 04:35:26 PM »

The troopers job is to save lives, not pass judgment. He should be fired plain & simple.

I think their moto is serve & protect not judge & sentance.

PeteSC · « **Reply #14 on:** March 27, 2005, 07:17:44 PM »

People screw up. If it didn't effect the response times to the accident scene, this is an 'aw shit' the trooper should survive. I think a suspension is OK.
I'm not glad the guy is dead, but sometimes feel people are too reluctant to admit loved ones died doing stupid stuff.
The squid took himself out..........

It's nice to get the whole story.

Years ago, I had some drunk lurking around the place I worked with a gun, threatening to shoot me. I called the local PD. The officer that showed up to take the report, and look for the guy, (WHo ducked into a bar across the street when he saw the cops pull up) told me
"You're a big guy, can't you deal with this guy yourself?"

I did have a gun behind the counter at work. I could have 'taken care of' the guy. I would have, if it was the last resort and my life was in imminent danger.
I figured dealing with drunk arseholes who were waving a pistol around in public fell into the range of what we pay the police to do.
After the cop left, I got pissed, and called to complain.
Amazingly, another cop showed up, and found the drunk hiding in the bathroom of the bar across the street, and he did get arrested.
(The first cop just stuck his head in the door of the bar across the street and asked if anybody had seen 'blank', and left...)
Somebody from Internal Affairs visited, and explained that the night had been busy, and another officer had been shot who was a buddy of the cop who first arrived (the one who was a smartarse who wouldn't do anything.)
I could file a complaint, if I wanted. I didn't, but still don't think the first officer acted appropriately.
It sounds like the trooper in CT was smart enough to make it through 18 years of a tough job, and just had a momentary lapse in judgement in a pretty minor way.
A slap on the wrist is sufficient, as long as this is an isolated case.