# 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:** 59
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1161 "2015-03-17T22:28:28Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Holy fucking shit: > > [Mom Arrested After Asking Police to Talk to Young Son About Stealing: Suit - Morrisania - New York - DNAinfo](http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150317/morrisania/mom-arrested-after-asking-police-talk-young-son-about-stealing-suit) > > Mom (wrongly since this is not a 911 situation) calls 911 wanting police to teach her young child about stealing (kid took $10 from her purse). I hate victim blaming, really I do, but dude, seriously? This happened in New York! WTF? It’s kind of fucked up that I wish I could slap this mom silly my damn self. If she were in a horror movie, wanna bet she’d be rushing to the basement to investigate what was growling in the dark. I just can’t… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1162 "2015-03-17T22:30:58Z")
[Jeez, even in Portland, Oregon . . .](http://www.thenation.com/blog/201545/why-cant-one-americas-most-progressive-cities-reform-its-police-force#) ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1163 "2015-03-17T23:54:39Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > I hate victim blaming, really I do, but dude, seriously? This happened in New York! WTF? > > It’s kind of fucked up that I wish I could slap this mom silly my damn self. If she were in a horror movie, wanna bet she’d be rushing to the basement to investigate what was growling in the dark. I just can’t… You think the appropriate punishment for not understanding what 911 is for is to physically assault her and press bogus charges on her so that she might lose her children? Seriously? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1164 "2015-03-18T00:10:51Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Oh in the wrong you say. Well, there you have it. He was in the wrong. Problem solved. > > I mean, fuck the fact that he tried to TAKE A WOMAN’S CHILDREN AWAY FROM HER for being a “black bitch”. > > How about he was A MOTHER FUCKING THUG, that needs to NOT be a COP, like yesterday? > > In the wrong. Fuck you ass-hat. I think Smapti has spent a fair bit of this and many related threads with his head firmly lodged up his rectum. That said, I think you’re way off base here. “In the wrong” is not, as you seem to be implying, a linguistic maneuver that automatically implies an attempt to diminish severity. It’s entirely possible to say things like “Joe is clearly in the wrong here, and thus should be fired and sentenced to prison for the remainder of his natural life”. Not to mention that when someone admits that “their side” was wrong, yelling at them for not admitting it MORE isn’t likely to get them to make similar admissions in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1165 "2015-03-18T00:19:50Z")
[ > [@](#): > > Officer Richard Scavone, 43, used “not only excessive, but also unreasonable” force in the 5 a.m. Jan. 6 scuffle in a neon-lit industrial area one block west Las Vegas Strip resorts, Clark County Undersheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters outside Las Vegas police headquarters. > > “We’re not going to shy away from bringing these incidents to light when a body camera captures actions of one of our officers that do not appear to be within the confines of law and policy,” McMahill said. > > The video, as part of a criminal investigation, won’t immediately be made public, he said. > > Charges were dropped against the woman, who received what officials termed a minor facial injury when a piece of pierced jewelry was ripped out. ]([http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1e2b7ac8fd8c49b1a4c4779cb72f039c/vegas-police-officer-wearing-body-camera-facing-battery](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1e2b7ac8fd8c49b1a4c4779cb72f039c/vegas-police-officer-wearing-body-camera-facing-battery))I suppose a conviction in this case will mean that fewer people who might brutalize the defenseless under cover of authority will seek a career as police officers. I can live with that (and want to). ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1166 "2015-03-18T00:40:10Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Good luck getting people to be firefighters when you tell them they might have to walk into a burning building. > > There are some jobs that should only go to people willing to put themselves at risk in order to help others. As loach mentioned you would probably be sorely disappointed in the average firefighter. Your gear and training allow you to operate in environments that would kill unprotected people. Historically firefighting was alot more dangerous nowadays, it is physically demanding, and prone to minor injuries, but as previously covered, someone screwed up bad if a firefighter ends up dead. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1167 "2015-03-18T00:46:15Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > As were the officers who witnessed that happen, didn’t stop it, and didn’t report it. Assuming that it actually unfolded as described by the woman in question. If it did, fire his ass tout suite. That said, Calling 911 to “scare” her kids was weapons grade stupid. I am shocked they even bothered rolling unless she failed to clarify the situation. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1168 "2015-03-18T00:50:46Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > You mean to say they don’t take personal risks to save people or kittens trapped inside? Well then, why do we call them heroes? As much as many of you will hate hearing this, having worked in EMS, cops are more likely to encounter situations that deserve the title of heroes than firefighters or paramedics. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1169 "2015-03-18T01:40:31Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > As much as many of you will hate hearing this, having worked in EMS, cops are more likely to encounter situations that deserve the title of heroes than firefighters or paramedics. Cops who panic and start shooting wildly at the hint of danger aren’t heroes. They’re dangerous buffoons. And recent stories have shown that cops are far more inclined to go Full Fife when they’re confronted with a black person. White people who are known to be armed and dangerous are taken into custody alive at astonishing rates compared to black people who might or might not be armed. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1170 "2015-03-18T04:00:51Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > Assuming that it actually unfolded as described by the woman in question. If it did, fire his ass tout suite. > > That said, Calling 911 to “scare” her kids was weapons grade stupid. I am shocked they even bothered rolling unless she failed to clarify the situation. Isn’t 911 also the non-emergency number in a lot of places? Anyway, my understanding is that she called , explained the situation, and asked them to put a little scare in her kids. They showed up voluntarily. Pity one of them had some emotional and mental problems. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1171 "2015-03-18T04:01:59Z")
> [@](#): > > Futterman, who runs the University of Chicago’s Civil Rights and Police Accountability Project, has won some cases against police. For one such case, he got the numbers on whether some officers had an unusually-high number of complaints against them. > > As it turned out, a relative handful accounted for almost half of all complaints, and they were almost never disciplined. > > “There’s a small percent who have been allowed to just do this with darn near impunity,” he says. “Despite the bills racking up, and despite all the complaints.” [Cite](http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/police-dont-ask-why-are-we-getting-sued) ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1172 "2015-03-18T05:19:47Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Get to fuck, you pointless, ignorant pathetic piece of shit. I don’t owe you anything, and even if this were the only situation where I’d rather raise taxes IIRC, you’re a fucking right-wing idiot. So, fuck you! Right-wingers would climb on their pedestal and bleat about raising taxes for police services but never do it … because the money would be diverted to Obama’s death camps, another Cadillac for Welfare Mama and, you guessed it, Benghazi. Even when you morons have a glimmer of sapience, your inchoate hatred and disgust will override. No, you’re not racist … but you’re glad there are Americans of inferior color you can vemt your rage at. Fuck you. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1173 "2015-03-18T05:27:06Z")
[QUOTE=[The Shocking Finding From the DOJ's Ferguson Report That Nobody Has Noticed | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-robinson/the-shocking-finding-from-the-doj-ferguson_b_6858388.html)] By December of 2014, “over 16,000 people had outstanding arrest warrants that had been issued by the court.” The report makes clear that this refers to individual people, rather than cases (i.e. people with many cases are not being counted multiple times). However, if we do look at the number of cases, the portrait is even starker. In 2013, 32,975 offenses had associated warrants, so that there were 1.5 offenses for every city resident. To give some context as to how truly extreme this is, a comparison may be useful. In 2014, the Boston Municipal Court System [issued tickets at a per capita rate less than 1% that of Ferguson] [/QUOTE] Ignorant apologists for the Ferguson PD may claim that only criminals (jaywalkers etc.) are harassed, or murdered when they don’t hold their hands properly; they can’t help it if the criminals all have ape-like skin color. It sounds like many white Fergusonites also have outstanding warrants. Anyone think Ferguson cops were also eager to treat these “criminal” whites like animals? ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1174 "2015-03-18T11:33:00Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > You think the appropriate punishment for not understanding what 911 is for is to physically assault her and press bogus charges on her so that she might lose her children? Seriously? Of course not. But after Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and a shit load of other stories about impulsively violent cops, I do have to wonder if she’s living in a cave somewhere. If current events have taught me anything it’s that people should not call the cops unless someone getting seriously hurt is an acceptable risk. Especially if black people are involved. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1175 "2015-03-18T15:43:03Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > So, fuck you! > > … > > Fuck you. > [@Kinthalis](#): > > In the wrong. Fuck you ass-hat. [Moderating] Both of you are in violation of the Pit’s language rules. Please reign in back in. No warnings issued. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Eiffel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@Eiffel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eiffel)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1176 "2015-03-18T22:24:45Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Cops who panic and start shooting wildly at the hint of danger aren’t heroes. They’re dangerous buffoons. > > And recent stories have shown that cops are far more inclined to go Full Fife when they’re confronted with a black person. White people who are known to be armed and dangerous are taken into custody alive at astonishing rates compared to black people who might or might not be armed. Can you cite that last bit? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1177 "2015-03-18T23:43:20Z")
[UVA student fucked up for the horrible crime of trying to gain entry into a pub while underage (and black)](http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/uva-student-martese-johnson-bloodied-during-arrest-by-abc-agents/article_cd981c10-cda5-11e4-a80b-93db28a3b7b2.html) ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1178 "2015-03-19T11:00:39Z")
[Wisconsin police officer kills suspect on first day back after previous shooting](http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/mar/17/wisconsin-police-officer-kills-suspect-first-day-back-previous-shooting). ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1179 "2015-03-19T11:11:40Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > Of course not. But after Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and a shit load of other stories about impulsively violent cops, I do have to wonder if she’s living in a cave somewhere. > > If current events have taught me anything it’s that people should not call the cops unless someone getting seriously hurt is an acceptable risk. Especially if black people are involved. Naivete to the extreme on her part, that’s for sure. I guess she really did teach her kids a life long lesson though: cops are pieces of shit. Stay away. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1180 "2015-03-19T11:21:33Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > [Wisconsin police officer kills suspect on first day back after previous shooting](http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/mar/17/wisconsin-police-officer-kills-suspect-first-day-back-previous-shooting). You gotta get right back up on that horse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=58) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=60)