# Controversial encounters between law-enforcement and civilians - the omnibus thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 10, 2014, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942 "2014-10-10T07:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 183
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3641 "2015-06-12T00:34:14Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > No, you won’t end up any of those things if you do what the cops say, if you’re actually innocent … Is that the way it works, Chester? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3642 "2015-06-12T00:35:52Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I’m reminded that I never thought of a hollyweird comedy, such as _Seems Like Old Times_, to be a historical document, or even a training film. Yeah, that line was thought up in a vacuum, out of absolutely no where, apropos of nothing that goes on in society. Good spot. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3643 "2015-06-12T00:41:32Z")
Legislation re. shooting police in self-defence: [Police Panic Over Passage Of New Law Authorizing Citizens To Defend Themselves Against Any Aggression In Indiana](http://anonhq.com/police-panic-passage-new-law-authorizing-citizens-defend-aggression-indiana/) . ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3644 "2015-06-12T01:10:31Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Yeah, that line was thought up in a vacuum, out of absolutely no where, apropos of nothing that goes on in society. Good spot. That’s what I was thinking, also. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3645 "2015-06-12T01:25:07Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > That’s what I was thinking, also. You’re sticking with that? Fiction resonates with viewers because it’s ‘apropos of nothing that goes on in society’? Well, your literary sensibility seems to be on par with your policy acumen. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3646 "2015-06-12T01:49:47Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > He wasn’t “forced to resign”. Perhaps he saw what an ass he was and resigned in embarrassment. Perhaps he realized that an off-work personal problem was affecting his judgement and left for the good of the department. Which, if true, would make me think much better of him. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3647 "2015-06-12T01:56:59Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Perhaps he saw what an ass he was and resigned in embarrassment. Perhaps he realized that an off-work personal problem was affecting his judgement and left for the good of the department. Which, if true, would make me think much better of him. Perhaps his life was being threatened? Perhaps his families lives were being threatened? Perhaps dealing with a suicide, the suicide’s family, and an attempted suicide, in one day proved to be too much for one person to handle emotionally? ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3648 "2015-06-12T02:00:44Z")
Perhaps he wasn’t “forced to resign,” but IMMEDIATELY afterward his boss called his actions indefensible, and made pointed remarks about how the department had 12 police officers there that day, and 11 had performed excellently. But yeah, I am sure it was all his idea to quit. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Sinaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaptics)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3649 "2015-06-12T02:02:03Z")
> [@Ionizer](#): > > I remember in particular a story, sometime ago, of how a smallish town had a cop-impersonator pulling people over and robbing/harming them, etc. The Police Chief went on the news to say that persons were encouraged, until perp caught, to call 911 (which could not verify real-v-fake cops before she got to HQ) and to get things safely taken care of per Chief’s directions. Apparently, the memo did not get to the patrol units… > > One woman did exactly that during a routine stop, and was given a number of ‘resisting apprehension type’ fines and treated as if Chief had never said such a thing. IIRC, she was roughed up a bit, as well, for not pulling immediately over. Sorry I don’t remember too much detail other than approx what I said above (and Google not much help for this one), but it was shocking enough to be memorable, for dang sure. When Chief makes a big deal out of making sure to go to HQ for citizen-safety, and officers fully ignore such public outreach, it makes things possibly deadly for average citizen that listens to statements from officers’ superiors/boss that went out of his way to make citizens safe during a time of high-risk of impersonator doing the traffic stop. > > I also know a Deputy who had most of his ‘duty’ uniforms taken from his apartment one time - and it caused a BIG stink in Dept over how to deal with such. > > Impersonating an officer is a LOT more common than most may think, and this was told to me by many LEO’s, fwiw. [http://reason.com/blog/2015/04/03/indiana-nurse-resisting-arrest#.pe6422:bwLx](http://reason.com/blog/2015/04/03/indiana-nurse-resisting-arrest#.pe6422:bwLx) [http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/sheriff-woman-defiant-not-scared-in-delayed-traffic-stop-case/article\_cc3551a4-27b6-5dd7-9cbe-cc0d88f5528f.html](http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/sheriff-woman-defiant-not-scared-in-delayed-traffic-stop-case/article_cc3551a4-27b6-5dd7-9cbe-cc0d88f5528f.html) ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3650 "2015-06-12T02:04:33Z")
> [@xenophon41](#): > > You’re sticking with that? Fiction resonates with viewers because it’s ‘apropos of nothing that goes on in society’? > > Well, your literary sensibility seems to be on par with your policy acumen. Got any good quotes from such notable documentaries as _Groundhog Day_ or _Heidi_? ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3651 "2015-06-12T03:28:31Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Got any good quotes from such notable documentaries as _Groundhog Day_ or _Heidi_? Sure. (Those aren’t documentaries, though. They’re fiction. Y’know, like the other movie we were talking about. Do you get confused easily?) From [Groundhog Day](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/quotes?ref_=tt_ql_3): “Ned, I would love to stay here and talk with you… but I’m not going to.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3652 "2015-06-12T03:33:14Z")
What happened to all that Second Amendment hoopla about the right to resist tyranny and privately own guns to that end? ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3653 "2015-06-12T05:06:29Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > I’m sure you trying to make a point, but I have no idea what it is. > > Could you clarify? I think you’re being generous to assume there was a point other than being a jerk. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3654 "2015-06-12T08:04:57Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Perhaps his life was being threatened? Perhaps his families lives were being threatened? Perhaps dealing with a suicide, the suicide’s family, and an attempted suicide, in one day proved to be too much for one person to handle emotionally? So, looked at the right way, his slamming that girl into the ground was a cry for help. And what we have here is a _failure_ to _communicate_. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3655 "2015-06-12T11:58:54Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > What happened to all that Second Amendment hoopla about the right to resist tyranny and privately own guns to that end? \*offer does not apply to black people. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3656 "2015-06-12T12:15:06Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Legislation re. shooting police in self-defence: [Police Panic Over Passage Of New Law Authorizing Citizens To Defend Themselves Against Any Aggression In Indiana](http://anonhq.com/police-panic-passage-new-law-authorizing-citizens-defend-aggression-indiana/) . “Wow, wow, wow, wait, they can shoot \*back \*? How is this not completely fucked up ?!” - Indiana Five-Oh Seriously though, while I can understand the reasoning behind the law I’m afraid it kind of screams unintended consequences. I.e. police shooting even firster, possibly firstest, when they barge in so as not to take any chance. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3657 "2015-06-12T12:34:42Z")
I know several people who work in law enforcement. One of the biggest problems I see is the complete inability in them to be able to admit that it might be possible for a cop to be an asshole. I think that’s a problem that has been going on forever. It’s that thin blue line. So even if only 3% of the cops are assholes, the other 97% might as well be assholes too, because they fail to do anything about the ones that really are behaving badly. I mean, the ease in which that cop picked up and moved that taser gun next to the body of Walter Scott right in front of his fellow officer just speaks volumes. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3658 "2015-06-12T12:35:14Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Legislation re. shooting police in self-defence: [Police Panic Over Passage Of New Law Authorizing Citizens To Defend Themselves Against Any Aggression In Indiana](http://anonhq.com/police-panic-passage-new-law-authorizing-citizens-defend-aggression-indiana/) . I love those macho “Self Defense Zone” signs; they might as well hang out a sign that says “Free Guns!!” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3659 "2015-06-12T12:42:33Z")
> [@Ionizer](#): > > A snippet from the relatively short[article at Raw Story](http://www.rawstory.com/2015/06/cops-who-killed-12-year-old-tamir-rice-charged-with-manslaughter-murder-and-reckless-homicide/) : “Judge Ron Adriane of the Cleveland municipal court said there were grounds to prosecute officer Timothy Loehmann with murder, manslaughter and reckless homicide.” Tell us again how stupid that is, **Shodan**. :rolleyes: Apparently\*\* Elendil’s Heir\*\* isn’t even allowed to say he isn’t allowed to say anything about it. It’s OK, friend, we get it. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/3660 "2015-06-12T13:44:18Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I love those macho “Self Defense Zone” signs; they might as well hang out a sign that says “Free Guns!!” Maybe you’re thinking of Molon Labe? All that’s left is for you to try and take them. Maybe you should start with registration, and the confiscation? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=182) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=184)