El Paso policeman arrests news reporter

[joseephuss]

http://www.kvia.com/global/video/fl...chPageAdTag=News&activePane=info&rnd=98761520

 

[lewpac]

Wow..............

I'm usually a guy who side's with the cops until proven otherwise.

They don't show the context. I saw the overturned 18-wheeler though, so it's obvious it was a traffic incident. Something happened BEFORE what we see when the video began to incite this cop.

Knowing what I know about the media nowadays, I'll betcha' anything there's a darn good reason why this cop wanted these guys to leave. Even in the footage we know about, this reporter was resisting arrest to a degree anyway. I'm gonna' go with the cop being right for now..............

 

[Jon88]

He was just itching to jump over that fence and show everyone who's boss.

Another cop in it for the wrong reasons...

 

[DallasCowpoke]

Wow..............

I'm usually a guy who side's with the cops until proven otherwise.

They don't show the context. I saw the overturned 18-wheeler though, so it's obvious it was a traffic incident. Something happened BEFORE what we see when the video began to incite this cop.

Knowing what I know about the media nowadays, I'll betcha' anything there's a darn good reason why this cop wanted these guys to leave. Even in the footage we know about, this reporter was resisting arrest to a degree anyway. I'm gonna' go with the cop being right for now..............

To me, it generally comes down to an issue of, if a cop tells me/you to do something and the first words out of your mouth are "wait" or "but", you're pretty much in a hole from that point forward.

It appeared to me, the cop was trying to keep the area safe and assist the motorists involved. Having some gung-ho news crew come charging into that, only adds to what's already a dangerous situation IMO.

 

[Jon88]

To me, it generally comes down to an issue of, if a cop tells me/you to do something and the first words out of your mouth are "wait" or "but", you're pretty much in a hole from that point forward.

It appeared to me, the cop was trying to keep the area safe and assist the motorists involved. Having some gung-ho news crew come charging into that, only adds to what's already a dangerous situation IMO.

They were filming it from the other side of the fence. I don't see how they were interfering. The cop just wanted to take his anger out and slam someone against a car.

 

[suspenceman]

Not saying what the cop did was completely right, but being a smart *** to a cop is a good way to make him follow the letter of the law.

Now, were they trying to climb over the fence before they started filming? possibly i dont know, thats the only thing i can think of. Because there were other pedestrians standing by the fence just looking at the wreck.

one bad apple does not make them all terrible.

One thing i try to do is to put myself in the shoes of that cop, that may have been the third person to do the same thing that day and he just took it out on them.

 

[vta]

Just walked by a TV and heard them (CNN) say this cop has some sort of history of going overboard and that something will be done about him.

Vague I know, but it was a teaser before a commercial and I'm at work, so didn't stick around to hear it.

Sounds to me like he's not right in his actions.

 

[Signals]

Based on the video, I'll side with the cop. The reporter was issued an order by law enforcement and the reporter ignored it. That is grounds for an arrest. The officer gave them plenty of opportunities to change their mind and obey.

 

[Kevinicus]

Based on the video, I'll side with the cop. The reporter was issued an order by law enforcement and the reporter ignored it. That is grounds for an arrest. The officer gave them plenty of opportunities to change their mind and obey.

Police do not have cart blanch authority to order people to do anything they please. They have authority within the law. There is freedom of the press in this country, and there were other people standing there as well. So it appears they were completely within their RIGHTS to be there doing what they were doing. The officer doesn't have authority to go above their rights unless they are breaking the law.

Whether or not they were doing something prior to the video though is another matter that we don't currently know. They could have been doing something that gave the officer a legitimate reason to order them to leave. From just the video that was shown, the officer comes out looking very poorly.

 

[lewpac]

He was just itching to jump over that fence and show everyone who's boss.

Another cop in it for the wrong reasons...

With all due respect to your opinion, I think you're probably bringing a pre-disposed agenda to this conversation.

We don't know anything close to the whole story, and you're assigning many negative things toward the officer..............

"Just itching", "show everyone who's the boss", and "ANOTHER cop in it for the wrong reasons".

That's saying a lot about a guy and a situation that you know only as much as the rest of us know. This "blame the cop first" thing in our country is out of control. The "default" position with too many people is that if there's ANY QUESTION whatsoever as to blame, just blame the cop and you're probably right.

After all, cops are aggressive and bossy by nature, and just love violence, control, guns, and power. That's why their cops..............etc, etc, etc....

I personally know and see, four policemen who's kids play ball with my kids. Talk to them every week at the parks. There all good guys, good husbands and fathers, and don't have a violent bone in their bodys. I'm certain they'd be offended by stuff like "just ANOTHER cop..........", as if there all like that................

 

[Rampage]

crazy Texans

 

[Jon88]

With all due respect to your opinion, I think you're probably bringing a pre-disposed agenda to this conversation.

We don't know anything close to the whole story, and you're assigning many negative things toward the officer..............

"Just itching", "show everyone who's the boss", and "ANOTHER cop in it for the wrong reasons".

That's saying a lot about a guy and a situation that you know only as much as the rest of us know. This "blame the cop first" thing in our country is out of control. The "default" position with too many people is that if there's ANY QUESTION whatsoever as to blame, just blame the cop and you're probably right.

After all, cops are aggressive and bossy by nature, and just love violence, control, guns, and power. That's why their cops..............etc, etc, etc....

I personally know and see, four policemen who's kids play ball with my kids. Talk to them every week at the parks. There all good guys, good husbands and fathers, and don't have a violent bone in their bodys. I'm certain they'd be offended by stuff like "just ANOTHER cop..........", as if there all like that................

Ok...are those four the whole population of policeman? No. Have you been with them when they go out on patrol. My guess will be no. How many videos have we seen of cops abusing their power like this or worse? I've seen much worse on video. All kinds of stuff happens that doesn't get recorded.

I was about to reply with the same response as ChildsPlay did to the poster who said "If a cop gives you an order you better do it or get arrested." It's that same sheep-like mentality that helps create cops like this guy. Some of them expect to put on a badge and have everyone else at their mercy. It's crap.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The problem is the camera. It just really set the cop off.

 

[peplaw06]

I don't understand why he went after the reporter before the camera guy.

 

[lewpac]

Ok...are those four the whole population of policeman? No. Have you been with them when they go out on patrol. My guess will be no. How many videos have we seen of cops abusing their power like this or worse? I've seen much worse on video. All kinds of stuff happens that doesn't get recorded.

I was about to reply with the same response as ChildsPlay did to the poster who said "If a cop gives you an order you better do it or get arrested." It's that same sheep-like mentality that helps create cops like this guy. Some of them expect to put on a badge and have everyone else at their mercy. It's crap.

Again, to each his own. I don't want to get into a pissing match about this.

But "all kinds of stuff happens" for good too, that never gets reported or televised. Most cops are decent and good folks. The average of "bad cops" is probably the same, if not a lot lower than the average of bad accountants, bad bartenders, bad chefs, bad plumbers, etc.............Same with the military, who some folks want to also paint them all as "guilty until proven innocent". Some people see the cops the same way. "Surely there must be SOMETHING the guys doing, and if we dig enough we'll come up with it" mentality.

I apologize beforehand if I'm offending you, but you're rhetoric about police officers in both of your post is saying just that. You're not going to draw the cop any quarter of consider any part of how it may have been (probably was) the reporter and camera mans fault! At the very least, the reporter took the typical "I'm the press so I'm untouchable" approach. It appears, again at the very least, that his arrogance and "who do you think you're talking too" uppity attitude certainly was not helpful.

Again, to each his own. But I tend to give the cops the benefit of the doubt unless proven otherwise. I know that there's a few winners out there who take the "badge and gun" power trip overboard. I'm not saying that they're 100% saints. But I'd venture to say that, for the most part, the vast majority are great folks who are putting their lives on the line every day and keeping our communities sane and safe...............

 

[silverbear]

Police do not have cart blanch authority to order people to do anything they please. They have authority within the law. There is freedom of the press in this country, and there were other people standing there as well. So it appears they were completely within their RIGHTS to be there doing what they were doing. The officer doesn't have authority to go above their rights unless they are breaking the law.

Whether or not they were doing something prior to the video though is another matter that we don't currently know. They could have been doing something that gave the officer a legitimate reason to order them to leave. From just the video that was shown, the officer comes out looking very poorly.

I usually support the law, but I concur with this take...

 

[Jon88]

Again, to each his own. I don't want to get into a pissing match about this.

But "all kinds of stuff happens" for good too, that never gets reported or televised. Most cops are decent and good folks. The average of "bad cops" is probably the same, if not a lot lower than the average of bad accountants, bad bartenders, bad chefs, bad plumbers, etc.............Same with the military, who some folks want to also paint them all as "guilty until proven innocent". Some people see the cops the same way. "Surely there must be SOMETHING the guys doing, and if we dig enough we'll come up with it" mentality.

I apologize beforehand if I'm offending you, but you're rhetoric about police officers in both of your post is saying just that. You're not going to draw the cop any quarter of consider any part of how it may have been (probably was) the reporter and camera mans fault! At the very least, the reporter took the typical "I'm the press so I'm untouchable" approach. It appears, again at the very least, that his arrogance and "who do you think you're talking too" uppity attitude certainly was not helpful.

Again, to each his own. But I tend to give the cops the benefit of the doubt unless proven otherwise. I know that there's a few winners out there who take the "badge and gun" power trip overboard. I'm not saying that they're 100% saints. But I'd venture to say that, for the most part, the vast majority are great folks who are putting their lives on the line every day and keeping our communities sane and safe...............

You never offended me. I just have a different opinion when I see videos like this.