Police must break the law to enforce the law.

[Anti Federalist]

So says this Top Kop.

PS - the comment section is open. :D

On the Beat: Officers break laws to keep law and order

http://www.todayindixie.com/view/full_story/5756174/article-On-the-Beat--Officers-break-laws-to-keep-law-and-order?instance

by SGT. GRAIG HARDINGFeb 03, 2010

Those who serve in law enforcement occupy a special niche in society.

They have been called upon to make us safe and step in to take care of situations we either don’t want or are too afraid to address ourselves.

In order to do this, they have to break the very laws they are sworn to uphold, and it upsets people when they do this. Let me illustrate.

Our officers have been tasked with making the streets safer and reducing the many crashes that happen daily on our streets.

There are very few out there who have not seen a crash at the intersection of Bluff Street and St. George Boulevard. These accidents typically have one cause: failure to yield by someone who turns left in front of a northbound vehicle on Bluff.

I had just taken up a position on the sidewalk on the northeast corner, where I had a clear view of the intersection. I made sure I didn’t obstruct any pedestrians who might want to get by.

The light changed once and a vehicle stopped for the red light. The man in the passenger side mouthed something through his window with his brow wrinkled; he seemed upset. I lifted my helmet, and he rolled his window down and said, “Isn’t that illegal? I’d get a ticket if I parked my motorcycle on the sidewalk!”

I asked him to pull into the parking lot if he would like me to explain. He did so, and I explained the type of violation I was looking for and the crashes I was trying to prevent. I asked him to give me another, better location to watch for violations. “Smith’s parking lot” was his response. Problem is, an officer can’t see the location of an offender in relation to the stop line from there; when a violation happens, the violator would be so far away by the time the officer got into traffic that apprehension would be impossible.

Ironically, another man called in to complain about an officer who was parked on private property to try and catch speeders. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.

Complaints also come in regarding the motor officers who ride their motorcycles between lines of traffic stopped at a red light. There is no better place for a motor officer to see the cross traffic than when their light turns red. He can see the red light, the location of a violator and the stop line, and he can immediately get to the violator.

Other officers buy drugs to arrest sellers (which would be an illegal act for a citizen).

On assault calls, officers often have to commit assaults, themselves, to make the offenders stop and take them into custody.

To get to a reckless driver, officers have to drive in a similarly reckless manner (also an illegal act if performed by a civilian). One mother stated that our officers should be the examples of perfect driving, so parents can show their children what driving should be like.

We have taken upon ourselves a sacred trust to protect and to serve you, the public. Any officer who violates this trust will not last in this profession.

The bottom line is summed up by a saying from Winston Churchill: “We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men (and women) stand ready to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” These men and women of law enforcement deserve the benefit of the doubt. They have thought this through and know the best and safest ways to accomplish the tasks placed upon them.

Instead of judging them and jumping to conclusions, we owe it to them and to our children to give voice to a positive opinion: “They must be watching for someone, be after somebody, or be en route to a call.”

We should have an attitude like the older gentleman who pulled up to me recently at 100 South and River Road. I was again on the sidewalk looking for those who would run the red light. He rolled down his window and waved as he called to me:“Thank you for being here. Thank you for serving us.”

[disorderlyvision]

they didnt mention stealing property and invading privacy

[Uncle Emanuel Watkins]

So says this Top Kop.

PS - the comment section is open. :D

On the Beat: Officers break laws to keep law and order

http://www.todayindixie.com/view/full_story/5756174/article-On-the-Beat--Officers-break-laws-to-keep-law-and-order?instance

by SGT. GRAIG HARDINGFeb 03, 2010

Those who serve in law enforcement occupy a special niche in society.

They have been called upon to make us safe and step in to take care of situations we either don’t want or are too afraid to address ourselves.

In order to do this, they have to break the very laws they are sworn to uphold, and it upsets people when they do this. Let me illustrate.

Our officers have been tasked with making the streets safer and reducing the many crashes that happen daily on our streets.

There are very few out there who have not seen a crash at the intersection of Bluff Street and St. George Boulevard. These accidents typically have one cause: failure to yield by someone who turns left in front of a northbound vehicle on Bluff.

I had just taken up a position on the sidewalk on the northeast corner, where I had a clear view of the intersection. I made sure I didn’t obstruct any pedestrians who might want to get by.

The light changed once and a vehicle stopped for the red light. The man in the passenger side mouthed something through his window with his brow wrinkled; he seemed upset. I lifted my helmet, and he rolled his window down and said, “Isn’t that illegal? I’d get a ticket if I parked my motorcycle on the sidewalk!”

I asked him to pull into the parking lot if he would like me to explain. He did so, and I explained the type of violation I was looking for and the crashes I was trying to prevent. I asked him to give me another, better location to watch for violations. “Smith’s parking lot” was his response. Problem is, an officer can’t see the location of an offender in relation to the stop line from there; when a violation happens, the violator would be so far away by the time the officer got into traffic that apprehension would be impossible.

Ironically, another man called in to complain about an officer who was parked on private property to try and catch speeders. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.

Complaints also come in regarding the motor officers who ride their motorcycles between lines of traffic stopped at a red light. There is no better place for a motor officer to see the cross traffic than when their light turns red. He can see the red light, the location of a violator and the stop line, and he can immediately get to the violator.

Other officers buy drugs to arrest sellers (which would be an illegal act for a citizen).

On assault calls, officers often have to commit assaults, themselves, to make the offenders stop and take them into custody.

To get to a reckless driver, officers have to drive in a similarly reckless manner (also an illegal act if performed by a civilian). One mother stated that our officers should be the examples of perfect driving, so parents can show their children what driving should be like.

We have taken upon ourselves a sacred trust to protect and to serve you, the public. Any officer who violates this trust will not last in this profession.

The bottom line is summed up by a saying from Winston Churchill: “We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men (and women) stand ready to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” These men and women of law enforcement deserve the benefit of the doubt. They have thought this through and know the best and safest ways to accomplish the tasks placed upon them.

Instead of judging them and jumping to conclusions, we owe it to them and to our children to give voice to a positive opinion: “They must be watching for someone, be after somebody, or be en route to a call.”

We should have an attitude like the older gentleman who pulled up to me recently at 100 South and River Road. I was again on the sidewalk looking for those who would run the red light. He rolled down his window and waved as he called to me:“Thank you for being here. Thank you for serving us.”

We haven't rose from a tyranny of master and slave, but a tyranny of master, slave and outcaste untouchable. As the master exploits the slave, both the master and the slave together reject the outcaste untouchable.
So, as a master, a member of the master class, or a member of its aristocracy (a police office) are all immune from the law, and the slave class are somewhat immune from it or prosecuted by it, the outcaste untouchbles are prosecuted fully by it.
As this is one of those Truths our Founding Fathers spoke of, there is no reason to do anything political about it. The power of knowing the Truth itself is sufficient.

[Matt Collins]

Judge Napolitano discusses this in his first two books: Constitutional Chaos and The Constitution in Exile.

[KCIndy]

HAA!! LMFAO!!!

I was going to post a comment, but there are already a slew of entries (NONE of them sympathetic) which absolutely TOAST this guy... I even noticed a rather scathing comment by someone named Anti Federalist! ;)


Just a few of the most recent, if you want some flavor:



« superheat wrote on Saturday, Feb 13 at 07:45 PM »
love it, cops are above the law, to keep the law they must break it. Do not give anything to these tax collectors called cops. when asked can I or may I the response should only be no. If they have to ask you should decline. be nice to make it easy on yourself... a threat, they will screw you any how, anyway they can. good cops are too few. I was only taking orders cops are just as bad as cops on the take.



« Not a fan wrote on Saturday, Feb 13 at 05:55 PM »
Wow, that went over well! Judging by the comments here, maybe those who think they are fit to rule the rest of us need to start rethinking the whole thing. Maybe even some retraining in case the "tax-feeder" business eventually dries up.

We should be so lucky.



« Anti Federalist wrote on Saturday, Feb 13 at 03:36 PM »
Ah yes, of course, I understand, Officer.

How could one of us "mundanes" even think to question your wisdom and authority?



« mean_jake wrote on Saturday, Feb 13 at 07:13 AM »
Police Officer = PoliC(y) enforcer... No CONSENSUAL act is criminal...yes thats right folks its simply; none of your business that even applies to you old priests and your willing young alter boys... it may not be what the majority likes or wanna see but if two humans willingly choose to do anything consensual it isnt anyones business but there own and it definatly isnt any government or policy enforcers business... and can we stop calling them police and peace officers they are the collection end of a criminal organization.



« Sovreign Citizen wrote on Friday, Feb 12 at 09:11 PM »
SGT Harding,
If you wonder why the police are despised, you have presented the perfect evidence. The truth is that we don't need you. Your single purpose in life is to place citizens into the system that feeds you, regardless of their guilt or innocence. Your profession attracts rogues and thugs. What better position to carry out your fantasies than from behind a badge and a gun? The citizens you are charged with protecting become your prey, instead.

Don't tell me that there are only a few bad cops amongst the majority of good cops, because the 'good cops' know damn well who the bad ones are and don't do anything about them. Want to catch a criminal? Look no further than your own mirror. At the very least, you are an accessory.


« Razz wrote on Friday, Feb 12 at 02:57 PM »
Years ago a bunch of Germans tried this line of thought and those that were caught alive in the end, were hung. You advocate criminality here, your to dumb to be in that uniform!


« Wandrew wrote on Friday, Feb 12 at 02:35 PM »
I don't have much more to add, as my fellow "citzens" have said most all of it. Just one question -- Do you guys vote? Changes can be made with a little effort.



« I prefer Freedom wrote on Friday, Feb 12 at 12:21 PM »
No wonder why more and more citizens (read: your boss) can't stand the police. You arrogance is showing here as is your contempt for the people that, unfortunately, are forced at gunpoint to pay your salary.



« cccpNik wrote on Friday, Feb 12 at 12:09 PM »
Ah, that explains why pigs murder handcuffed suspects and get drunk and beat the shit out of female bar tenders for refusing to serve them. I guess whey they rape prostitution suspects in the backs of their squad cars that is also to protect us from them.

Who gives a shit if they park their motorcycles on the sidewalk to catch people running red lights? But it is infuriating when murdering scum get two weeks paid vacation because they're cops.



« RevDraco wrote on Friday, Feb 12 at 11:48 AM »
"Any government employee, especially a cop, that breaks any law, rule, ordinance, regulation, edict, etc. that citizens are subject to, should be found guilty of "violation of the public trust" and be hanged by the neck until dead. No exceptions for "enforcing the law"."

Thank you, Chris. . . I couldn't have put it any better. . .

Don't "they" have to take some sort of Oath when becoming a cop? If they do, why aren't they busted (HARD) for violating that Oath? If they don't, why don't they?



« hmmph wrote on Friday, Feb 12 at 10:29 AM »
As a retired PO this clown should...

A: Be fired for endangering his fellow

"decent" officers with this rhetoric.

B:Be arrested for inciting violence

under anti-terrorism laws.

C:Be taken out back by his fellow officers

and have it "explained" to him that he is

painting a bullseye on their collective

heads.

[Vessol]

I'm glad everyone is grilling this police state loving pig.

"Give us the benefit of the doubt"

"Teach your kids how good we are"

[Mach]

The light changed once and a vehicle stopped for the red light. The man in the passenger side mouthed something through his window with his brow wrinkled; he seemed upset. I lifted my helmet, and he rolled his window down and said, “Isn’t that illegal? I’d get a ticket if I parked my motorcycle on the sidewalk!”

I asked him to pull into the parking lot if he would like me to explain. He did so, and I explained the type of violation I was looking for and the crashes I was trying to prevent. I asked him to give me another, better location to watch for violations. “Smith’s parking lot” was his response. Problem is, an officer can’t see the location of an offender in relation to the stop line from there; when a violation happens, the violator would be so far away by the time the officer got into traffic that apprehension would be impossible.

This seems fake, if you stop and ask an officer something like that, especially if you're "side mouthed" and "brow wrinkled" they do want you to pull over, but not to help you understand the good they're trying to do in the world, that's for sure.

[Vessol]

Yeah that made me raise my eyebrow too. It's a bit sad, I know a few police officers and some of them really do think they are making the world a better place and that all these laws are needed, if not more.

[Chester Copperpot]

what state or municipality does this cop work for? This guy is admitting to breaking the law. We should let his boss know.

He probably shouldnt be in law enforcement if he cant do his job without breaking the law.

[CCTelander]

what state or municipality does this cop work for? This guy is admitting to breaking the law. We should let his boss know.

He'd just get a paid vacation (paid administrative leave) and a slap on the wrist. And even that ONLY if the locals raised such a stink that it couldn't be ignored.

[andrewh817]

The government MUST steal to enforce laws, including theft. One of the reasons why minarchy makes no sense at all.

[Anti Federalist]

what state or municipality does this cop work for? This guy is admitting to breaking the law. We should let his boss know.

He probably shouldnt be in law enforcement if he cant do his job without breaking the law.

http://www.sgcity.org/police/patrol_staff.php

Sergeant Craig Harding
City of St. George, Utah

[Freedom 4 all]

Is that some kind of strong libertarian newspaper? I've never seen the badge lickers so outnumbered by people with IQs higher than that of a rock. Perhaps this is a sign people are waking up.

[Anti Federalist]

Is that some kind of strong libertarian newspaper? I've never seen the badge lickers so outnumbered by people with IQs higher than that of a rock. Perhaps this is a sign people are waking up.

No, although I wish it was.

It's a little podunk operation that more than likely agrees with the "officer". I'd guess that was why they posted it.

But then it got posted on LRC blog, and here, and William Grigg's blog and now said officer is getting "pwned".

[Krugerrand]

The ironic part is that it is not illegal for a police officer to chase a reckless driver or to park on a sidewalk while managing traffic, etc. My gripe is when the police do these things as a matter of convenience or because they can ... when it's not in the line of duty.

[MelissaWV]

The ironic part is that it is not illegal for a police officer to chase a reckless driver or to park on a sidewalk while managing traffic, etc. My gripe is when the police do these things as a matter of convenience or because they can ... when it's not in the line of duty.

That was precisely the tone of what I was about to post!

I am often on the road around 5am, and cannot count the number of times an officer has passed me doing 90mph or so, turned with no signal, often running the flashing red light (some of the stoplights are just "flashing" at that hour)... to get to McDonalds.

Folks, 5am is also when a lot of early risers are walking to work. There is a distinct reason the light remains a flashing red light. I cringe to think of what someone being struck by a police car going that fast would look like after the fact. Somehow "I'm sorry" doesn't cover it. Somehow, even firing the policeman (which doesn't happen often enough) doesn't cover it.

I have seen police parked in handicapped spots, and wander out with their groceries, or male officers parked in those awful "expectant mother" parking spots.

I don't disagree that there are instances where emergency vehicles must drive differently than the average person. If we are to have emergency vehicles at all, then they need to be able to get to an emergency. I would really hate to be in the back of an ambulance with a loved one who's in cardiac arrest, stopped at a crosswalk to give every pedestrian the right of way, then yielding here, pausing there, waiting for this, that, or the other stoplight. Of course, that is why emergency vehicles have sirens and lights... and those morning-coffee-cops are not using them. If they were caught with their lights and siren on while on the way to McD's they would be in deep shit. Somehow, driving like a maniac on the way to McD's is not as big a deal.

If you're going to be at the corner on your motorcycle, parked out of the way (which if someone in the car can roll down their window and talk to you, you are not), and your real goal is to deter illegal behavior... then you'd have your lights on. You'd be visible. Your presence might make people slow down, or yield, or whatever it is you're trying to get them to do. It might also make people crash as they try to figure out why there's a cop with their lights on, but whatever, right? No. The goal is to catch people, pull them over, and ticket them.

Drive well when you're "just driving," stop messing around distractedly while you're driving at all (how come police are so very often on their cellphones?), and definitely stop with the notion that you are allowed to commit assault in order to subdue people. Are you really so pea-brained that you can't figure out how to get someone subdued without beating them up? Just as a civilian would be INVESTIGATED for use of force, so should an officer, though this is in a perfect world where such an investigation might actually be fair.

I am heartened there is a backlash against these comments, at least. I've known good police officers, but I've seen plenty of awful ones, and I hope the attitude displayed by the one in the article is always met with dismay.

[fisharmor]

He'd just get a paid vacation (paid administrative leave) and a slap on the wrist. And even that ONLY if the locals raised such a stink that it couldn't be ignored.

I'd say the same thing as I said when I found out the fedgov being shut down was costing 100 mil a day...
PAY IT. Put every single cop on paid furlough for life. Including the ones who hire and train the other cops. Problem solved, permanently, in about 50 years. I'd be more than happy to pay that much.

[nateerb]

I'd say the same thing as I said when I found out the fedgov being shut down was costing 100 mil a day...
PAY IT. Put every single cop on paid furlough for life. Including the ones who hire and train the other cops. Problem solved, permanently, in about 50 years. I'd be more than happy to pay that much.

This. This is the only tax I would ever support. We call it The Government Dismemberment Act.