Video: “Dude” incident in Baltimore
posted at 6:20 pm on February 12, 2008 by Bryan
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A Baltimore city policeman is under investigation after this video surfaced. It captures an incident that took place at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor last summer. The Inner Harbor is where Baltimore meets the upper Chesapeake pretty much head on, and it’s both the city’s main tourist attraction and one of its heavier crime areas. Visible police patrols have cut down on the latter. The kids in the video were evidently skateboarding in an area where that’s prohibited, when the officer pulled up and told them to stop.
It appears that the officer told everyone to stop skateboarding and was in the process of leaving. However, one kid had his IPOD playing in his ears and probably didn’t hear him. After the kid is told again to stop skateboarding, he talks to the officer disrespectfully. The officer goes to confiscate his skateboard but the kid doesn’t comply, which leads to the officer forcefully collecting it from him. The kid obviously didn’t show any respect to the officer and deserved to get pushed around, while the officer obviously has some attitude (and probably authority complex) problems he needs to work out.
WBAL has a story about the suspension here.
Sterling Clifford, a spokesman for the Baltimore Police Department and the mayor’s office, says the incident involving Officer Salvatore Rivieri, a 17-year-old [sic] veteran, is the subject of an internal affairs investigation.
The video, apparently shot last summer, shows Rivieri putting the youth, 14-year-old Eric Bush, into a headlock and pushing him to the ground.
Rivieri told The Sun on Sunday that he did not know that the incident had been recorded or posted on the Internet. He acknowledged having encounters with skateboarders at the Inner Harbor, where skateboarding is banned, last summer, and told a reporter that he would watch the video on YouTube.
What do you think?
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Yes, exactly, as I said in my original post, the cop was an ass, did he exceed his authority, no he did not. Did he break any laws, again no he did not. Did he handle himself in a professional manner, not a chance. As I also said, I have no grate love for cops, nothing personal AmericanDad, I just haven’t met very many that deserved respect or love. So there is no fricking way I would be defending this cop if he had violated that kids rights in any way shape or form.
The kid was a smart ass punk who was either playing tough guy for his friends, or just plain stupid. Either way what he did was wrong and he is lucky the cop didn’t arrest his ass, or at a bare minimum take him into custody and run him through the local juvenile detention system while he waited for his parents to come pick him up.
The cop didn’t need to be such an ass, but he also could have been a much bigger prick if he had wanted to be.
doriangrey on February 13, 2008 at 12:28 AM
It was harsh, but if my kid ever disrespected a police officer like that I would hope the officer would take the time to put the fear of God in him. In the long run, that officer may have done the kid a huge favor. It’s a shame the officer had to be the one to teach him respect instead of his parents.
greekinfidel on February 13, 2008 at 12:30 AM
The cop deserves respect from the little punk, dude. Like, right on!
bluestater on February 13, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Just so some dudes shaddup about it — From the Maryland Code:
And guess what? Those people in that got caught in Katrina and had their guns confiscated by the NOPD? Yeah, that was unconstitutional. I’m sure it was. But it was probably legal under Lousiana law.
You see, that’s the thing about law. You don’t get to break it because you believe it’s unconstitutional. Get it? You have to follow the law. An Officer telling a kid, “Stop skate boarding, give me the board, and shut up” could, I have no doubt, be construed to ordering the kid to stop creating a public disturbance. (If a cop tells someone, “Put down the knife!” does it not count unless they tell the person, “Stop your attempt to threaten to assault me with a deadly weapon”? No.) If you want to find the statues about creating a public disturbance, go look it up yourself. So is that a legal order? “Stop creating a public disturbance?” I’m no lawyer, but I’m pretty sure that’s a legal order in Maryland.
Does that give the officer the right to exercise any amount of force he wants? No. Clearly it does not.
But even if the cop DID use an excess of force – that in no way means the kid was in the right! Understand – it means the kid committed a crime, and the COP committed a crime. Two wrongs, such as they were, do not make a right!
You are not allowed to disobey cops whenever you want, except in the state of Oregon, it looks like. At any rate, you’re not allowed to in the state of Maryland until their courts, or the US Federal Courts SAY OTHERWISE. Until THAT time, it is the law, and you obliged, as a citizen of that state, to follow it. Your beliefs do not enter into it.
This is, I think, something many people do not understand. Laws are not guidelines — they’re actual rules. Think about that next time you want to outlaw something like abortion – for every law that is broken, there must be punishment.
apollyonbob on February 13, 2008 at 12:37 AM
He threatened a 14 year old boys life. Because he was called ‘dude’.
Methinks this guy is more than a little annoyed about having to drive around in a golf cart sporting neon yellow digs.
amkun on February 13, 2008 at 12:41 AM
The officer is just acting out as a result of being forced to wear dumd looking uniforms.
Killer Bees come to mind….
Sonosam on February 13, 2008 at 12:42 AM
A lot of 14 year old boys need to learn a little humility. A good lesson for that kid.
JeffB. on February 13, 2008 at 12:44 AM
dumb =dumd
must proof-read
Sonosam on February 13, 2008 at 12:46 AM
He shouldn’t have been arguing with a 14 year old, put himself at their level. Imagine what the kid’s school teachers have to go through. The kid was being an atypical 14 year old. The cop should have hauled his ass into the police station, and called his parents, issued a summons, and it would have been over with. Back when I was 14 in Brooklyn, the cops would have called someone’s old man and let the old man teach the kid a lesson, perhaps let the kid hang in the cell a while with real criminals.
StuLongIsland on February 13, 2008 at 1:02 AM
Maybe this cop has seen too many young lives lost for *dis’n* the wrong thug or gangsta and was trying to keep this little smart ass from going down a bad road.
Or not. Could be the pretty shirt syndrome.
hillbillyjim on February 13, 2008 at 1:11 AM
Read the statute again. Putting aside the fact that you’re citing federal law, which doesn’t in and of itself dictate the power of state and local agents (like, say, that Baltimore cop), the statute you cited refers to the power of the court, not its officers. In fact, it’s saying that it has the authority to punish its officers, which is not the same as what you’re saying.
BTW, if you really believe that local law enforcement derives its authority from federal statutes, then you don’t understand the limits of federal power.
NorthernCross on February 13, 2008 at 3:05 AM
Um no. Calling a cop “dude” cannot reasonably be interpreted as “creating a public disturbance”, as a matter of simple common sense. Neither can pleading your case to a cop, as the kid was doing in his own teenager way. And certainly, the officer’s order to the kid not to use the word “dude” in addressing him was not an order supported by law, which is required by the statute you cited, for First Amendment reasons.
The cop was outta line if he thought that he had the authority to tell the kid what to say. That’s just how it is.
NorthernCross on February 13, 2008 at 3:12 AM
Actually, I think Classical Liberalism is conservative in that it espouses what I would call traditional American values, and most true conservatives tend to call themselves such in part because they revere tradition.
NorthernCross on February 13, 2008 at 3:17 AM
Out of line. New car and uniform get no respect.
koolbrease on February 13, 2008 at 5:01 AM
“He threatened a 14 year old boys life”
Um, what part of the video was that in. Bottom line, cop overreacted, kid got what he deserved and maybe he’ll think twice about BREAKING THE LAW the next time. Seems you folks forget once that kid broke the law, he opened himself to the beat down he got. He was old enough to know what he did was wrong, he was old enough to know he shouldn’t be disrespectful to the law (no matter how disrespectful it was being to him). If it was my kid, I would have grounded him for his smart ass atitude after I saw the video. And I would also ban the word dude from his vernaular. Remember who coined that phrase, Spicoli (sp?), played by non other than Sean Penn. That’s enough reason there to arrest anyone that uses the term.
rayvet on February 13, 2008 at 6:28 AM
Send this cop to Berkeley.
Coronagold on February 13, 2008 at 6:30 AM
Um, the part where he YELLED in a 14 year old boy’s face (did you notice the boy never once raised his voice, not once?), “I’m not MAN, I’m not DUDE, I am OFFICER RIVIERI! And the sooner you learn that, the longer you’re going to live in this world! ‘Cause you go around doing this kind of stuff, somebody’s gonna kill you!”
Yes, he was talking about other people. But the first “the longer you’re going to live” definitely sounded threatening to me, esp yelled at a child (yes, a 14 year old is a child).
There’s another, less lethal threat earlier (also yelled):
“You give it [the disrespectful attitude] to me, I’ll smack you upside of the head (immediately followed by a quick stalk up to the teen–how could the boy know what was coming?”
Yes, he threatened a 14 year old BOY. And he assaulted him. And this officer belongs in jail.
And about the “dude” some people are so upset about:
Did you see kid # 2 lower his head so cop wouldn’t see him laughing when he yelled, “Stop. Calling. Me. Dude!” ? Now that they saw his overreaction, now these two have a new weapon in their arsenal when they want to annoy the h— out of an imperious, insecure, jerky adult.
This officer wasn’t trying to teach the kid respect (yes, the kid needed the lesson). Listen to everything he says. This officer was exacting revenge on the kid for a perceived personal slight. It’s all about HIM. What a jerk.
inviolet on February 13, 2008 at 6:50 AM
The cop certainly did get a bit angry, but the kid’s obvious spoiled attitude and disrespect for the law deserved a bit of a reprimand. If an officer of the law is talking to you, take your earphones out of your thick skull and address him with due respect.
Jockolantern on February 13, 2008 at 7:36 AM
Dorian, they’re not officers of the court. They’re employees of the state.
And lawyers are officers of the court. Are you trying to say that you have to obey John Edwards?
Bingo, bango, bozo. You are mistaken.
Pablo on February 13, 2008 at 7:38 AM
“Shut up” and “Don’t call me dude” don’t qualify as lawful orders or directions.
Pablo on February 13, 2008 at 7:58 AM
“Tune up”? You watch too much TV.
Jim Treacher on February 13, 2008 at 8:43 AM
Reminds me of a favorite exchange from M*A*S*H, when Frank Burns returned to the Swamp and chastises Radar for fraternizing with BJ & Hawkeye:
Radar: I was just talking to the guys…
Frank: The guys? I am MAJOR Burns, this is CAPTAIN Pierce, he is CAPTAIN Hunicutt. We are NOT ‘guys’…
BJ (shrugs): I thought I was…
Captain Scarlet on February 13, 2008 at 8:52 AM
Sheesh. That’s one example of fascism! I’m thinking in terms of the Black Shirt militia and their Roman salutes.
The bottom line is that this major incident was over a minor infraction, like jaywalking. The real crime in the officer’s mind was that the kid spoke in teen vernacular.
By the way, I gather that you are not an American. What do you think of this sort of police activity? No doubt they use this to go after skateboarders too.
Buy Danish on February 13, 2008 at 8:57 AM
If you want respect you treat people with respect. It’s a two way street officer.
Threatening the kid’s life was a seriously low blow.
gabriel sutherland on February 13, 2008 at 8:59 AM
Reminds me of John Belushi in a bee outfit from SNL…
null on February 13, 2008 at 9:04 AM
I’m dead set against it. Its really creepy and it doesn’t even prevent crime.
aengus on February 13, 2008 at 9:24 AM
“A person may not willfully disobey any lawful order or direction of any police officer”
Sigh, taking property without due process is against the US Constitution, the HIGHEST law of the land, and therefore the taking of the skateboard would be NOT constiutute a Lawful order…
This Maryland STATUTE does NOT override the Constitution of the United States. It does NOT give cops the ability to break the Constitution… just like the same type of statute did NOT give the cops the right to takes guns after Katrina… and its going to be interesting to see how that one plays out in court.
Romeo13 on February 13, 2008 at 9:26 AM
He would have garnered more respect for his authority if he wasn’t tooling around in a lame golf cart.
While the officer was excessive in this clip, I suspect he gets a lot of lip from young people who feel entitled to act like revolutionaries every day of their lives.
Grafted on February 13, 2008 at 9:43 AM
That’s good to hear. It’s stunning how many of the Barking Brits think it’s hunky dory to have cameras yapping at people and warning them not to engage in “anti-social” behavior.
Buy Danish on February 13, 2008 at 9:46 AM
Cartmann…”RESPECT MY AUTHORITAA!!!” What a beatoff. I’d be mad if I had to wear uniforms like that too.
LtE126 on February 13, 2008 at 9:53 AM
I blame the shorts and the tiny clown car.
Frozen Tex on February 13, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Other folks have already mentioned it, but the information cited by doriagrey doesn’t answer the question posed to him/her. This cop broke the law by issuing an unlawful order, assaulting and battering a minor. I hope he is prosecuted.
HebrewToYou on February 13, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Neither comes off looking good, but the kid is way sympathetic. “I don’t have a father” If that doesn’t break your heart, I don’t know what will. Officers should be respected, but they are just humans and too many get off on a power trip.
infidel2 on February 13, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Yup. One of the things I find most annoying about using public transport, almost as bad as people who have no problem playing loud music off their phones, is this voice that comes on sometimes telling people that they can’t smoke and will be fined if they do. Its been illegal to smoke on buses for about a million years and there are No Smoking signs everywhere so its not like people need this obnoxious reminder.
aengus on February 13, 2008 at 10:25 AM
I was just re-reading the comments. Don’t be too tough on officers for over eating. They deal with a lot of stress on a daily basis, many have a hard time dealing with it and turn to eating. I see maybe one wreck from a ways off maybe once a month. They see/saw greusome stuff weekly if not daily.
infidel2 on February 13, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Until you have walked in their shoes, you will never have any idea what it is like.
Imagine having a job where every time you try and enforce the law you basically get told “You can’t tell me what to do.”
I think the point is missed. The kid is being disrespectful, he probably does have a father, and he probably lets the kid talk to him the same way.
RobertInAustin on February 13, 2008 at 10:42 AM
This kid was not shoplifting.
This kid was not caught stealing.
This kid was not out there dealing drugs.
This kid was not even bothering anyone, best as I could see.
All this kid was doing was skateboarding.
Yes the kid was disrespectful.
Yes the kid may have been belligerent.
But all the kid was doing was skateboarding.
On the other hand, the cop was abusive.
The cop was belligerent.
The cop was being a bully.
The cop laid hands on the kid. Unless the kid was clearly committing a crime, I do believe this is a violation of the kids civil rights.
The cop seriously overstepped his authority in a matter that didn’t even qualify as a misdemeanor.
The cop seriously over-reacted.
And it is one thing to earn respect. It is quite another to demand it.
The cop deserves to be suspended while this case is being investigated.
And then the cop should be fired.
Because there are now too many of these loose cannons hiding behind a badge running around out there, injecting what is turning more and more into a new kind of frontier justice these days, and this cop should be used as an example that this type of judicial abuse is not going to be tolerated by the public anymore.
Because sooner or later, another incident like this is going to happen and this time, someone is going to get hurt.
Or worse.
pilamaye on February 13, 2008 at 11:17 AM
A jerk on a power trip.
That guy shouldn’t be a cop. People have rights, and for a guy who keeps babbling about “respect” he sure doesn’t give any.
TallDave on February 13, 2008 at 11:19 AM
I see a lot of comments in the vein of “the kid was disrespectful.” I don’t see it. He didn’t tell the cop to fuck off, he just didn’t go out of his way to kiss his ass. Nor should he have to.
Anyone remember the Maine police training video, where the guy getting a ticket calls the officer every name in the book and the policeman just takes it in good humor? That’s a good cop.
This idea we have to bow and scrape before police officers to avoid being assaulted by them really misses the point of living in a liberal democracy. You should have a legal right to be as disrespectful as you want, as long as you’re not breaking the law by doing so.
TallDave on February 13, 2008 at 11:24 AM
An abuse of his power, he deserves the suspension. He also deserves to be forced into therapy where he has to listen to someone call him dude all day long. Dude.
Defense Guy on February 13, 2008 at 11:27 AM
I don’t see the disrespect from the kid either. I see a blowhard bully cop who assaulted a child, stole from the child, threatened him with a beating and murder, and then threatened the other kid videotaping the incident.
17 year veteran? I think a desk or early retirement should be in his future. He doesn’t seem to have the temperament to patrol citizens.
phelps on February 13, 2008 at 11:41 AM
The only people who think this is a legal order are either cops or cop fanboys. It could more likely be construed as assault, larceny, and larceny under cover of authority.
Actually, you are allowed to disobey cops whenever they give you an illegal order. “I’m a police officer in the performance of my duty” is not justification for any and everything a cop does.
30% of US cops would work for Stalin, Hitler or Mao just so long as they could carry a badge and a gun and push people around.
rokemronnie on February 13, 2008 at 11:44 AM
If you had to drive around in that silly little meter-maid clown car, and knew that as a white man, your promotional opportunities were very limited in Baltimore, you would have an attitude too.
I think the dude (ha ha) needs to refresh on “dealing with minors”.
That being said, the stupid white boy with no father in the house needs someone to teach him how to be a man, and be respectful. When an authority figure is speaking to you, you turn off the friggen ipod, asap.
Spartacus on February 13, 2008 at 11:44 AM
“All this kid was doing was skateboarding”
And if posted with signs not to, he was breaking the law. At what level of law breaking do the police “give someone a break” and at what level do they bring out Thor’s hammer to annhilate them. That kid’s “physical” abuse at the hands of the officer was mild compared to the self inflicted abuse he puts on himself with his little toy.
rayvet on February 13, 2008 at 11:46 AM
A citation would have been appropriate. The Billy Bada$$ act was not.
And that cop had something of an opportunity to do just that. He failed miserably.
Pablo on February 13, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Since WHEN does a police officer have the right to confiscate property without making an arrest as well?
Since WHEN is “give me that skateboard” a lawful order when not preceded by “you’re under arrest”. Can a policeman say “gimme your car” without arresting you for, say, drunk driving?
(Oh I know: the cop was worried the kid might use his board as a weapon”.)
Since WHEN does a police officer have the right to assault someone, let alone a child, unless that person is resisting an arrest?
Since WHEN is verbal and physical abuse “teaching someone to be a man.” You actually think that fat, undisciplined, belligerent POS is a MAN? If he has kids I suspect they hate his *ss, and for good reason. This guy ABUSES his authority. He’s a role model of how NOT to act like a man.
Those of you who casually accept this kind of behavior betray your approval of thuggish behavior as long as its being done by someone “in authority”. I pity you.
fulldroolcup on February 13, 2008 at 12:20 PM
That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve read all week! Police officers do not have the authority to use force in that manner. That officer was not threatened. If he was going to issue the kid a citation then so be it, but that’s not what he did.
He assaulted and battered that minor and I hope he’s prosecuted.
HebrewToYou on February 13, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Awwww. The poor officer.
The punks were punks and deserved to be dressed down a bit. But wow …. I can’t believe that DUDE (”I’m not a dude!”) is a 17-year police veteran. Most cops are so even-keeled and calm in the face of anything – this DUDE is a whiny little bitch with a temper problem.
I strongly suspect his problem involves his mode of transport. I’ll bet when he joined the force, he didn’t imagine 17 years later he’d be driving around a fruity little golf cart and having hissy fits over skate boards.
This guy reminds me totally of that student council president at some college that freaked out when some other DUDES put balloons in his office. You remember him. The “this is me being serious!” guy.
This cop could be that guy. “This is me being serious! I’m not a dude!”
Bottom line: this isn’t much of a story. But he ain’t much of a cop. He ought to be pretty embarrassed.
How the hell does he deal with actual criminals?
Professor Blather on February 13, 2008 at 12:33 PM
As a military policeman, I’ve had to deal with my share of disrespectful teenagers who think they are above the law because they aren’t in the military. Add their parents’ hatred for us (cops) to it, and you have rude little punks who think they can potshot us with snide remarks whenever we have to deal with their shoplifting or drug-dealing ways. You go drill sergeant on them (before a large crowd..like in Burger King) and watch them cry like newborns as you cuff them. The point is to embarrass them publicly (because that is their fear–public humiliation).
Headlocks are only necessary if they use force to resist. No need for headlocks if they are just popping lip or getting flip. This cop was out of line. You don’t bumrush a kid and throw a brainduster on him for saying “dude”.
You don’t lay hands on a kid. If they become insubordinate when you confiscate their skateboards, you remind them that this won’t end well for them.
Teenagers think they are bulletproof, but when they are handcuffed and humiliated, they show their true, whiny colors.
I’m no siding with the cop with the anger management problem. I can tell he was attempting to establish a psychological dominance over their disrespectful @$$es, but to get into a back-and-forth with them verbally undermines your authority. You simply say, “sit down, shut up, fess-up the skateboards while I write your penalty fines up. You can get your skateboards back when your parents come and pay the fines.” If they become beligerent, you call for more cops to assist in a painless takedown so you don’t wind-up using excessive force against them.
Black Adam on February 13, 2008 at 1:14 PM
If that had happened to my son, I would head straight for the police station. I would demand to see Officer Rivieri face to face so I could shake his hand. It’s teens like this, and much, much worse, that were part of the reason I moved to the burbs. My son and daughter are now grown with children of their own and I believe they would have the same reaction as myself.
Teens do believe they are bulletproof and, at times, need to be shown different.
But Baltimore, get rid of those costumes and clown cars.
Hat off too you Officer Rivieri.
oakpack on February 13, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Black Adam, There was no talk of paying fines on the video, so where’s your evidence that anyone was issued a citation.
As for confiscation until a fine is paid: where’s your evidence that personal property can be cavalierly seized for a civil offense? If Baltimore has a pertinent statute I’d like to see it.
But more important: I question your need to “humiliate”. That’s not what police are for. You make an arrest, and AFTER/IF the perp is found guilty in COURT, he gets punished. What if you humiliate an innocent person? You sound like you don’t give a rat’s patootie.
If “humiliation” is your MO you shouldn’t be wearing a badge, let alone the uniform of the armed forces; you’re not much better than the skateboard cop.
Also, I have to wonder what post you serve on where shop-lifting and drug-dealing are regular occurrences. I’ve lived on post, and I know military families understand that their rank won’t protect them if their kids screw up.
You say parents “hate” police. Well, if parents are unfairly treated to humiliation and assault by police officers, you think they might have a reason?
btw: I’ve never been abused by any police officer. But I’ve seen a number of policemen behave like *ssholes, so I am wary of them. Videos like these only reinforce my feelings. I image they have the same effect on a lot of other people.
fulldroolcup on February 13, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Yeah, oakpack: physical and verbal abuse are really, really, really effective means to change behavior.
That’s why your boss is free to physically and verbally abuse you, right?
Really motivates you, doesn’t it!
That’s why so many offices have motivational posters on their walls saying:
“The beatings will continue until morale improves”.
fulldroolcup on February 13, 2008 at 2:31 PM
I saw no beatings fulldroolcup. I did see a lesson learned though. That was a teen, not an adult, that should have shown respect. If you would crawl out of your basement (or when you get out of prison) and walk a mile in Black Adams’ shoes, maybe you would come away with a different perspective on life. I have police in my family and know second hand what goes on in the real life. After 17 years of that, I don’t believe most people would have the tolerance to take lip like that from teens that should know better.
oakpack on February 13, 2008 at 3:02 PM
For sake of brevity, I assumed the city had an ordinance against skateboarding where fines (by ticketing) was assessed. Calm down.
Furthermore, my ultimate goal is justice being served. Get off your ACLU high horse. I have dealt with punks on several occasions that attempt to undermine or disrupt your attempts at restoring order. They get kicks out of it. If a kid does this (and you are detaining him) and starts creating a scene, you silence him without physical restraint.
Again, calm down. In my profession, there are several other careers in the USAF that hate the police because they simply do. If you aren’t in the military, you won’t understand.
I served in Germany. Yes, the kids were selling drugs. It’s more common than you think.
I care a great deal about kids and the United States Air Force. Please don’t misunderstand what I mean. I silence an insubordinate teenager who defiantly disrespects me in the execution of my duties and all other attempts have failed and their parent cannot be reached.
Black Adam on February 13, 2008 at 3:33 PM
Oafpack, that cop has a gun. He is cloaked with the authority of the state. He is supposed to be a professional — is that professional behavior, from an armed man?
If this incident wasn’t followed by an arrest, this is an abuse of authority, plain and simple.
If that’s they way YOU behave with your kids, you’ll be cranking out another Charles Manson.
Just what was the great offense here, one that required an assault and a spittle-flying rant? Skateboarding where it’s not allowed? Saying “dude”? Having earbuds in his ears?
And no bullshite about an assault not being a beating, please. Let’s YOU be thrown to the ground by a guy twice your size, and see what YOU think.
The lesson learned is that cops can be crazed *ssholes. Respect? Isn’t respect something that’s EARNED? And since this is Baltimore, it is very widely known that the police force is hopelessly rude, inept and corrupt.
As for the problems cop face. Puhleeze!!! No one forced this man to become a policeman and remain one for 17 years. If he can’t behave professionally, he should quit. Or be forced out.
As for me crawling out of my basement….heh.
You are now free to roam around your cubicle.
fulldroolcup on February 13, 2008 at 3:48 PM
Black Adam, please don’t tell me to “calm down”. It’s you and the crazed Baltimore cop who need to calm down.
In your position of authority you don’t use physical force simply because you are dissed, or over a trivial offense.
You don’t confiscate private property on a whim. Your assumption about Baltimore’s skateboarding ordinance may be well-grounded, but nothing here (or in comments at Youtube and elsewhere) indicate that a citation was issued.
Ranting and humiliation, plus physical assault, are not useful means to teach lessons or build character.
I grew up on airbases in the states. It was another time and place, but IIRC military discipline meant that parents had to instill respect in authority in their kids; an officer’s career could be ruined if his kid had multiple run-ins with the law. If that’s not happening today, that’s a real problem. But humiliation isn’t a solution, and ranting doesn’t instill respect.
Finally, you say “I silence an insubordinate teenager who defiantly disrespects me in the execution of my duties and all other attempts have failed and their parent cannot be reached.”
That’s phrased a bit vaguely. Seems to me that if the kid **interferes** with the execution of your duties, you can arrest him. But simple sass? You walk a fine line if there’s no underlying LEGAL (as opposed to) SOCIAL offense. Disrespecting authority isn’t itself a crime.
I should also say that I never saw an MP behave in anything other than a professional manner. Not once. I hope you continue that tradition.
Civilian police? That’s another story.
fulldroolcup on February 13, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Rule one in poilce work, ignore the lip. So long as they do what you tell them they can say anything (other than making threats or starting a riot).
Rule two, kids are going to give you lip and you’ll never win if you play their game. The answer to “I didn’t know” is, “Well now you do, now move along.” Then stay till their gone.
Strange, my experience is the EXACT opposite. Cmp Lejeune MP’s had gotten so bad at one point the provost marshall and the base commander took away their authority to write traffic citations.
srhoades on February 13, 2008 at 4:12 PM
“Oafpack, that cop has a gun. He is cloaked with the authority of the state”
Okay trekky. I have been thrown down by some one larger than myself. Actually I was thrown into a locker by a TI in basic training. Lesson learned. I don’t recall saying this kind of behavier should be the rule. I also didn’t see a spittle-flying rant or a crazed officer. If he had used that cloaked gun, then I would consider him crazed.
Please do take Black Adams’ addvice about calming down. You shouldn’t have to resort to name calling (oafpack) and take some time to expand your vocabulary. ala less swearing.
Hence, I don’t see any reason to continue this conversation with someone like you fulldroolcup. You can go empty your cup now.
oakpack on February 13, 2008 at 4:41 PM
I’d love to hear how this ends up.
First, even though the kid might have had a problem showing a tad of respect to the law, Chief Wiggam here had no intention of just shutting his own yap and ENFORCING the law by writing a citation, since a citation book is nowhere to be seen, instead, he approaches the kids with a weapon in his hand (Yes, that black stick on his keys is a weapon) and seems fully intent on proving he’s more of a man than the 14y/o’s….300lbs vs 86lbs soaking wet don’t lie!
I can’t help but wonder how many old ladies got mugged a few blocks over in the time it took him to whip out his peen and vent his problems, or how many crack sales happened downtown while Officer Jellyfilled here was trolling for kids to harrass.
Oh, and I also wonder if the kid will ever get his skateboard back with a side of crow as an apology?
Nahh..
Love the last sentence though.. “I better not find a video up on….” *snip*
As all the “dude” kids would say, this cop got pwned.
UncleOlaf on February 13, 2008 at 5:00 PM
srhoades speaks truth, sensible truth.
But I’m sad to learn about out-of-contol MPs at LeJeune. do you have a citation for that?
fulldroolcup on February 13, 2008 at 5:24 PM
Oakpack, sorry for the typo. Look at your keyboard and you’ll see what I did.
But I’m going with Uncle Olaf. If you don’t think that cop is out-of-control you got real problems.
You may have been roughed up in Basic, but you signed up, didn’t you. Too bad you don’t understand the difference between being an adult volunteer in the military and a 14-year-old civilian.
It is not a police officer’s job to scream at a kid and throw him to the ground — and THEN not charge him with anything. That’s a clear abuse of authority.
It’s too bad you lack the neurons and ganglia to “get it”. It’s gotta SUCK being microcephalic.
As for complaining about swearing: Jeez, you ARE a pussy, aren’t you.
fulldroolcup on February 13, 2008 at 5:37 PM
I live in Baltimore, and I’ve seen the cops “in action” a few times: bullies and amateurs.
approach on February 13, 2008 at 9:04 PM
So: The idiot cop is suspended, and Baltimore’s mayor is mightily pissed.
Sweet.
You “police brutality” supporters have a lot to answer for.
Please atone by dying.
p.s. ever occur to you morons that a guy with 17 years on the force and still an “officer” must not be carrying a full clip, at least upstairs?
fulldroolcup on February 14, 2008 at 1:59 AM
DUDE. Look at that “car”. Look at that “uniform”. I am sure his department is the laughing stock of the police department. In fact I doubt there is more than one “officer” in that clown getup on duty at a time.
Liberals drive another person crazy.
Agrippa2k on February 15, 2008 at 6:11 PM
LOL.
Pax americana on February 15, 2008 at 8:17 PM
Dude. You just made 90% of HA readership wanted criminals.
But good luck finding that pic of AP for the Wanted Posters.
soundingboard on February 16, 2008 at 5:26 AM
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