cjstunts

i always thought FTP, THEY are out to get ME. Then i realized that, I wheelied past them, I buzzed them a 2x the speed limit, I always did something. Most cops i dealt with are ok, as long as you show them respect. Hell, i got caught parking my bike at a friends house, no reg no ins no license. the cop just told me to put the bike in the garage. But ive also had my share of cops that want to give out as many citations as possible. I can't be mad though, i sdeserved it 99% of the time

ExtremeAcres

why no one smokes doobies around him ...

...j/k idk him ...but from his posts ...seems like a cool dude

crashtke

Ok some background, been riding bikes for about 18 years and sport bikes for about 13. I was also a cop for 5 of those 13 years. Are 90% of cops bad? Not even close. 90% are there to do their job, lock up the bad guys and make it home at night. I would say you actually have the figures reversed. There are about 10% that are bad cops but they get 95% of the attention from the media and 99% of the stories told about them. When was the last time you heard someone tell a story about the cop that helped them change a tire? When was the last time you heard someone tell a story about the cop that saved their family from a robber? You don't really hear those stories and they NEVER make it to the news media.

Think about all the places you have worked. I am sure there were some ******** at all of them. Police work is no exception and in fact tends to attract people who desire power. The good part is these people tend to wash out quick in today's police departments...well the major ones anyway. They get sued, suspended, fired or imprisoned. Now there are still some small departments out there that tend to harbor these people and for some unknown reason it still exists, but it is coming to light on a daily basis.

I ended up leaving police work due to the corruption. It is still there, it still exists and it sucks. But you know what? 90% of the guys I worked with around the Atlanta area were GOOD COPS! They wanted nothing more than to help people, prevent crime and put away the rapists, the murderers, the robbers, etc. I was in those ranks. I came into it with a little bit different view point as I had always had fast cars and fast bikes. I was messed with on occasion for my vehicles and usually for good reason. I was young. But when I got into police work, I wrote FAR more warnings than I ever did tickets. My main concern was solving crimes, not writing tickets. But there is also extreme pressure put on police officers in a lot of jurisdictions to write tickets for revenue. And I never abused my power. I always had probable cause for all of my arrests and stops. To be honest if you don't in todays day and age of video phones, cameras, etc, you are going to get sued. It was different back in the day, but today, you will lose your job, lose your house and everything you own if you abuse your power and get caught. I knew officers that did everything BY THE BOOK and still got sued. They won, but it is a huge stress and is at the back of most police officers minds every time they put on that uniform.

Just like service men and teachers, cops don't get paid squat, are out there risking their *** on a daily basis for the public and most of them do it because they enjoy helping people. Are there ********? YUP!! Are some motorcyclists ********? YUP!! We are all people. Every one is different. But I lived in that "secret society" and saw it ALL from the inside. Most of them are good people just trying to do their job to the best of their ability.

As for this story, I believe the officer was wrong, he screwed up, but I was not there and can't say that he intentionally hit the guy. Bottom line is the guy WAS running....with a passenger no less. That is just as much of a screw up and he shares in the responsibility of the outcome of the chase. I mean honestly, had he pulled over he would never have been running and would never have put that asshat that hit him in that position. Poor judgment all around.

old man roger

i don't expect any cop to admit to abusing there power and i suspect most don't even see it as that .......

and you quit because of the corruption ,why not do some thing about it rather then quit over it,i mean that is part of the job right ?

crashtke

I did try. I took it to the district attorney, I took it to the city council. Bad part was they had all the evidence, and a friend of the officer involved had access and was high up in the department. I as a road cop did not. All the tapes were destroyed. It was purely my word against his.

About the only real people that could do anything about the corruption are FBI and the courts. I could not afford to go back to school for law and would have had a hard time getting into the FBI. After getting out, I wanted to do something that would actually make money. That is where I am now, trying to make it in corporate america.

Zach571

You didn't mean that like it sounds, do you?? I don't think young is a good reason, although I do agree most young ppl are making a bad name for the rest of us.

Zach571

crashtke

no I was young and was sometimes reckless. that was the good reason part, lol. I liked to go fast, drift before it was cool, that sort of thing. Police tend to frown on this sort of behavior. When I matured, I got into sport bikes, kept the speed to a minimum on the streets and chose my time and place. Another reason why I gave a lot of warnings. I did a lot of the same stupid stuff as a kid.

FrankieG

Hey Roger...Here is another debatable issue! To play around a little!

Who or what makes and enforces the defination or sets the distinguishable boundaries of the word/term "ABUSE OF POWER"

I have my opinion and I know what I would consider abuse which to me = illegal/improper/unjust. Is the liberal or conservative side right or wrong? Or are they more palatable based on the crime?

Violent Child Sex offender = extreme enforcement
juvenile retail theft = minor
Motorcycle in a wheelie (no traffic) - Minor

Motorcycle in a wheelie crowded street (hit's kills a mother of 3 who committed a pedestrian violation) - HMMM

Think about this last one? True story!

But my point is everyone has perceptions and based on personal experience is how everyone percieves situations/incidents is always different but as long as there is a set boundary to clearly show ABUSE....Legally.....But an individuals perception may be different but it doesn't mean it's really abuse in the context of illegal mabee it's abuse in the context of excessive or full extent of the law????

And I agree with crashtke......Every single profession has their bad apples and police are no different however I believe 97%+ are good...Meaning NOT CORRUPT/BREAKING LAWS! I have seen several police arrested/charged with crimes and spent/still in prison, these guys are few and far between...In most places! (needed that disclaimer) Cuz I have seen some crazy stuff in different states like TN! DAMMMMMM!!!!

old man roger

im tired of this thread already.....lol

if you need to ask what defines taking advantage or abusing your power as a cop then you validate my earlier statement.....

and beleive me when i say "cops take advantage and abuse power"i am in no way speaking only about traffic stops......

crashtke

Well how about this then Roger, what do YOU define as abuse of power. I think Frankie has it pretty much on the head. But I am now curious about your definition.

old man roger

you just asked the same question as frank did but in a different form and you also validate my statement by asking ...

you know there are many levels of abuse and so many different ways for a cop to take advantage of some one

if you need me to explain it in detail or make a blanket statement to try and cover the whole concept then that just means you are looking for a way to defend it ..

Trachito

the majority that i've come across have given me a ticket justly. i just hate some of their attitudes. they can be very unprofessional and u can tell they just want power. often they can go overboard too. i've just gotten lucky... and i have the face of an angel LOL

FrankieG

[QUOTE=old man roger;3057073]im tired of this thread already.....lol
[QUOTE]

I agree!

I will tell you all a quick story! A friend of mine called me today and said he was arrested/Notice to Appear for Susp License and no Mtcy Endcmt! On private property.....where he was performing a small show in the daytona area!

This is totally improper and illegal!!!!!! This now violates his probation and he will now spend time in jail for this improper act until it's lagally cleared up....

I made several suggestions to my friend and it would not suprise me if his attorney sue's the deputy and the sherrif's office. In my opinion this was an IGNORANT abuse of power, with serious consequenses since an innocent person was now arrested/violated probation ect because of (LACK OF KNOWLEDGE) in this area of the law!

I was sorry to hear this!!!!! And it shows Roger does have a point! (This iIMO is crossing the line)...I always errd on the side of caution and if I couldn't find a legal basis for action to protect myself (I wouldn't take it), warnings and questions to legal advisors are easy IMO.....

crashtke

I am in no way looking to defend abuse of power by police. I am just curious what your definition is. I am sure it is very similar to the definition that Frankie and I would place on it. So let's hear it.

old man roger

it would take me hours to describe the ways a cop can take advantage or abuse his power ,for me to try and sum it up in a few words just isn't possible and im not gonna spend that much time on this subject..lol

dizzie56

thats pretty much what it all comes down to...******* attitudes. ive been pulled over a bunch of times, pull my lil driving record and its like 6 pages long lol. ill admit, all of them have been just. its just the god damn unprofessional attitudes that some of them give off, they can be complete ********* when there is no cause for it imo. I mean honestly, how many people have had their *** reamed out over just a lil speeding ticket? Honestly? Got a ticket just over 10 mph over the limit and got completely reemed out like you were the ******* antichrist? Whats with that ****? Do they have a god complex or something? Most of the cops that have ever pulled me over are like this.

dizzie56

you know what really sucks about this whole situation? we are all fighting (this has been on a bunch of boards) and nothing is really gonna come about of this ****. I mean, lets face it, dude shouldt have run but the cop had no reason to jump out in front of him like that. There are other states that are allowing this type of **** and all we do is bicker back and forth about what "abuse of power" really means like we are in some ****** philosophy class. When it comes down to it, 3 months from now, nobody is gonna even remember this **** happened. Happens everytime someone goes down like this. Bout time it stopped, dont you think?

dizzie56

oh, and here is part of the vid if ya'll havent seen it yet

http://www.star-telegram.com/Multime...ga2/index.html

Trachito

the guy was SUSPECTED of having run a red light. i read further into this case and the video didnt show him actually doing this. either way, is attempting to kill him really justifiable for such a minor offense?? murder, shooting, etc is more reasonable to me cuz that person is posing a major threat to anyone he comes in contact with and has got to be stopped. yes, traffic violations can be dangerous also but hell, one could say that with going 1 mph over the speed limit. what's next? "LOOK HE'S NOT WEARING HIS SEATBELT!!! SHOOT HIM!!!!!"

Xtreme-Stunts

I have to agree with most cops being good guys. The problem is that there are a few out there that ruin it for everyone. Very often, I've witnessed that a cop is being a dick because i was having a bad day and that's something that needs to be controlled. Emotional anger shouldn't be released on us riders!!!!