# 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:** 595
**Author:** ![KAndre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@KAndre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KAndre)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11882 "2017-11-15T15:45:43Z")
[An LAPD officer accidentally filmed himself putting cocaine in a suspect’s wallet](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/14/16649034/lapd-police-plant-evidence-ronald-shields) [“I’m an assistant district attorney,” and that she wanted to wait for police to arrive, after Platt had called them to the scene, “so that they can [expletive] you up.”](http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article184508083.html) When repeated proof of the constant unfairness of the “justice” system continues to be presented, only to be hand-waved, excused as “a few bad apples”, downplayed and put off until the next news item pushes it off the page (although at least in this one instance the ADA did get fired fairly quickly, although if you listen to her pity party media announcement, she still doesn’t think she really did anything wrong and you know if the Uber driver hadn’t recorded it, nothing would have happened to the person using the power of her office to make believable threats), when our “anecdotes” (not facts, never facts), no matter the number, will _never_ rise to the exalted status of data for a sanctimonious segment of the population who thinks everything is just fine, perfect, dandy and the people for whom the system doesn’t actually work need to just shut up and die quietly - that whole “deplorables” things becomes so very real to me. It’s so strange to see such a spot on example of what John Oliver called “whataboutism”, AKA “changing the subject to focus on someone else’s perceived wrongdoing” in his last segment; this entire thread is about what cops are doing wrong; why Shodan thinks his anecdotes about the hordes of blacks and Muslims rampaging around, “legally” assaulting and straight up murdering his friends and acquaintances excuses the cops’ crimes, I don’t know. If he doesn’t think that excuses cops, why the hell is he bringing up besides deflecting? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11883 "2017-11-15T16:07:34Z")
You are missing the point, which is that the plural of anecdote is not data. If a collection of anecdotes about one group leads someone to be afraid of that group, why is not a much larger collection of anecdotes about a different group not reason to be afraid of that group? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11884 "2017-11-15T17:18:23Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > You are missing the point, which is that the plural of anecdote is not data. If a collection of anecdotes about one group leads someone to be afraid of that group, why is not a much larger collection of anecdotes about a different group not reason to be afraid of that group? > > Regards, > Shodan What about we can see you vainly trying to change the subject over and over again? Just start your own fucking thread if you want to talk about something else. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11885 "2017-11-15T17:43:24Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What about we can see you vainly trying to change the subject over and over again? > Just start your own fucking thread if you want to talk about something else. Nobody would post there, so he couldn’t drop his snide remarks and walk away. Never mind that he seems to think we’re disparaging ALL police with the stories of shitty police behavior, ignoring that exact argument being thrown away by the “cop crucifiers” a few dozen times now. ---
**Author:** ![Balbinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@Balbinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balbinus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11886 "2017-11-15T20:37:03Z")
Antoquan [shot 45 times](https://nypost.com/video/terrifying-video-shows-atlantic-city-car-chase-and-shootout/) on his way to college. RIP, gentle giant. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11887 "2017-11-15T20:55:43Z")
> [@Balbinus](#): > > Antoquan [shot 45 times](https://nypost.com/video/terrifying-video-shows-atlantic-city-car-chase-and-shootout/) on his way to college. > RIP, gentle giant. 45 times was excessive, but if you get out of your vehicle and aim a gun at the police, you are going to get shot at least once (and once by every office present seems reasonable). The video does appear to show multiple impacts after he was on the ground - not sure what the ACPD use of force quidelines are, but they seem in need of update. ---
**Author:** ![Balbinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@Balbinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balbinus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11888 "2017-11-15T21:08:35Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > 45 times was excessive Sonny got hit by less bullets in the causeway. ---
**Author:** ![Balbinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@Balbinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balbinus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11889 "2017-11-15T21:15:57Z")
Why couldn’t they shoot him in the leg or setup a perimeter to assess the situation? ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11890 "2017-11-15T22:38:47Z")
I’m not going to go look for the original post on this matter because I’m sure most of us remember it, but [Georgia high school students win $3 million settlement against sheriff](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/georgia-high-school-students-win-3-million-settlement-against-sheriff-n821131) > [@](#): > > A group of Georgia high school students have reached a $3 million settlement against the Worth County Sheriff’s Office after a judge ruled that law enforcement violated their civil rights by conducting a massive drug search without probable cause. > … > According to the suit, deputies “touched and manipulated students’ breasts and genitals” and “inserted fingers inside girls’ bras.” The suit also alleged that the searches revealed the students’ body parts. ---
**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:** [November 15, 2017, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11891 "2017-11-15T23:46:38Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > I’m not going to go look for the original post on this matter because I’m sure most of us remember it, but > > [Georgia high school students win $3 million settlement against sheriff](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/georgia-high-school-students-win-3-million-settlement-against-sheriff-n821131) One bright spot: > [@](#): > > Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed an executive order Monday suspending (Sheriff) Hobby and appointing a retired deputy sheriff, Bobby Sapp, to serve as interim head of the department. ---
**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:** [November 16, 2017, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11892 "2017-11-16T02:15:43Z")
Yeah! Egregious is a thing. ---
**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:** [November 16, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11893 "2017-11-16T20:09:44Z")
[Charges dropped against 15 men in cases linked to corrupt ex-sergeant](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/charges-dropped-against-15-men-in-cases-linked-to-corrupt-ex-sergeant/ar-BBF3dJc) > [@](#): > > Joshua Tepfer, the lead attorney for the 15 men, praised the “unprecedented” action by Foxx’s office but said the cases were “the tip of the iceberg” when it comes to cases tainted by Watts. > [@](#): > > Watts has repeatedly been accused of forcing residents and drug dealers alike to pay a “protection” tax and putting bogus cases on those who refused to do so. In case after case, when Watts’ targets complained - to the Police Department or in court - judges, prosecutors and internal affairs investigators all believed the testimony of Watts and other officers over their accusers, records show. In addition to the alleged frame-ups by Watts, the petition filed in September highlighted a broken system of police discipline that allegedly protects bad officers and punishes those who tried to expose his corruption. > > Despite mounting allegations, Watts continued to operate for years amid a lengthy police internal affairs division probe as well as investigations by the state’s attorney’s office and the FBI, according to court records. When Watts was finally caught, it was on relatively minor federal charges, and he was given a break at sentencing by a federal judge who talked tough but in the end handed him only 22 months in prison. > [@](#): > > Watts and an officer under his command were sent to federal prison in 2013 for stealing money from a drug courier who’d been working as an FBI informant. People had been complaining about this guy for decades. A couple of other cops complained. Nothing was ever done. The authorities always believed Watts. ---
**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:** [November 17, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11894 "2017-11-17T18:05:37Z")
[Report: black men get longer sentences for the same federal crime as white men](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/report-black-men-get-longer-sentences-for-the-same-federal-crime-as-white-men/ar-BBF5PXF) > [@](#): > > That’s the conclusion of a new report by the US Sentencing Commission, which found that black men got 19.1 percent longer sentences for the same federal crimes as white men between fiscal years 2012 and 2016. This was after accounting for several variables, including criminal history, whether someone pleaded guilty, age, education, and citizenship. A separate analysis that controlled for a history of violence — but only for fiscal year 2016, due to a lack of data for other years — produced similar results. > > Based on the commission’s report, this disparity has grown > over time. ---
**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:** [November 17, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11895 "2017-11-17T19:54:57Z")
I eagerly await the next report on ursine fecal matter as it relates to wooded areas. ---
**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:** [November 18, 2017, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11896 "2017-11-18T13:08:01Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > [URL=“[MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/charges-dropped-against-15-men-in-cases-linked-to-corrupt-ex-sergeant/ar-BBF3dJc)”] > People had been complaining about this guy for decades. A couple of other cops complained. Nothing was ever done. The authorities always believed Watts. A couple of cops didn’t just complain, they brought evidence of corruption of Watts and other officers to the FBI, and they were threatened, put in harms way, and passed up for jobs by their fellow officers in blue, AND their superiors. But just a few bad apples, am I right? I think when it comes to Chicago Police, at the very least, we might have a case of only a few good apples, both of which have been pushed to turning their badges in, unfortunately. there really is no larger proof of how bad the situation is with police around the country than when we hear about how good cops, doing the right thing, are often bullied, threatened, and removed from duty faster than ANY TIME a cop who abuses his power ever is. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11897 "2017-11-18T16:36:09Z")
Been away from the boards a bit, but had to log in to share this story. [http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2017/11/16/hibiscus-marijuana-mix-up-buffalo-township/](http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2017/11/16/hibiscus-marijuana-mix-up-buffalo-township/) Good news is, is that when this sort of thing happens to an older white couple with roots in the community and absolutely no history of criminal activity, then things may actually get changed. Changed _their_ opinion on police conduct, anyway. > [@](#): > > “I’m starting to understand why a lot of the public do not trust the police officers,” Audrey said. “I’m starting to see a lot on TV where I thought, ‘No, you have to be wrong because the police wouldn’t make such a bad mistake.’ Yeah, they would.” So, yah, I encourage the police to continue to use their military tactics against white senior citizens with friends who are lawyers. Many do not believe it when police are accused of violating the rights of a minority, so the police using their tactics on “people who matter\*” is a step in the right direction. \*by people who matter, I am not the one making the judgment on that, but it does seem as though in many cases, the victims of police brutality are written off as though they are not important, just thugs or other dehumanizing and disparaging descriptions. Harder to write off these two as criminal scum who deserved what they got. Even Steophan and Shodan would have some level of empathy for these people, unlike the sneering contempt they have for anyone in the demographics that they despise. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11898 "2017-11-27T23:26:44Z")
> **[New questions in death of Baltimore detective, killed 1 day before testifying](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-questions-in-death-of-baltimore-detective-killed-1-day-before-testimony/)** > > Det. Sean Suiter was killed the day before he was set to testify in a federal corruption case against eight Baltimore police officers A Baltimore cop was killed the day before he was set to testify against other cops in a corruption case. Could be coincidence, or maybe not. Hopefully independent agencies will be involved in the investigation. ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11899 "2017-11-28T18:20:45Z")
Oh **iiandyiiii** , you sweet summer child. If that was a coincidence, I’ll eat my hat. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11900 "2017-12-06T14:11:59Z")
[Oklahoma officer charged with murder in shooting of man threatening to set himself on fire](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/12/06/okla-officer-charged-with-murder-in-fatal-shooting-of-man-who-tried-to-set-himself-on-fire/?utm_term=.2d20d44f50d8) > [@](#): > > The 911 call came during the early hours of Nov. 15: Dustin Pigeon told the dispatcher he wanted to kill himself, but he didn’t say how, according to prosecutors. > > Officers rushed to a subdivision near southwest Oklahoma City. They found the 29-year-old alone in a courtyard, a white bottle of charcoal lighter fluid in one hand, a Bic lighter in the other. > > Two officers tried to talk him down, telling him to drop the bottle and raise his hands, as shown in body camera footage from the scene. Pigeon complied. > > Then a third officer, Sgt. Keith Sweeney, approached and issued commands. “I will f—ing shoot you! Get on the ground!” he screamed, prosecutors say. > > One officer fired a bean bag round at Pigeon, trying to incapacitate him. A split-second later, Sweeney opened fire with his service weapon, striking Pigeon multiple times, according to authorities. He died on the scene. > > On Tuesday, prosecutors charged Sweeney, of the Oklahoma City Police Department, with second-degree murder in the death of Pigeon, whom they say was suicidal and trying to set himself on fire when he was gunned down. > > District Attorney David Prater said in a news conference that Pigeon was unarmed and posed no threat to the officers when Sweeney fired five rounds at him. The other two officers had already begun “textbook” deescalation tactics when Sweeney arrived, he said, and the sergeant should have followed their lead. > > “Sweeney should not have been yelling orders,” Prater said. “You don’t want a third officer coming in, you don’t want three different people giving different commands.” > > \ > > Prater praised the way the way Sweeney’s fellow officers handled the situation, saying they had followed their training to bring the situation to a peaceful solution. He said Sweeney was the only one who arrived with his gun drawn. > > “You see officers doing exactly the right thing almost every single time,” Prater told reporters. “This is one of those situations, though, where we’ve alleged that an officer crossed the line and in fact broke the law.” And a surprisingly (to me, theses days) level headed statement from the officer’s union rep: > [@](#): > > Police officers are routinely placed in dangerous situations where they must quickly make life-or-death decisions,” John George, president of the Oklahoma City Fraternal Order Police, said in a statement. “We caution citizens against jumping to conclusions until the facts are fully presented.” ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/11901 "2017-12-06T14:17:16Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > [Oklahoma officer charged with murder in shooting of man threatening to set himself on fire](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/12/06/okla-officer-charged-with-murder-in-fatal-shooting-of-man-who-tried-to-set-himself-on-fire/?utm_term=.2d20d44f50d8) > > And a surprisingly (to me, theses days) level headed statement from the officer’s union rep: Not sure what the problem is. The first two were just dickin around, wasting valuable time that could be better used in harassing old couples about their hibiscus bushes. He did the right thing, and got his colleagues back to work. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=594) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=596)