Rice campus cop fired after helping Houston officers

[joseephuss]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelo...red-after-helping-fellow-officers-in-distress

Cop fired after helping fellow officers in distress

It was a Saturday on campus when David Sedmak, a Rice University police officer, heard "Officer down, officer down!" on his scanner: Two members of the Houston Police Department had been shot downtown. Sedmak rushed to the scene to help his fellow officers.

But Rice didn't see Sedmak as a hero. Instead, the university fired him, citing "dereliction of duty."

The university said in a statement that its officers often assist other law enforcement agencies when the need arises. But Sedmak erred, it said, by not informing the university police dispatcher about where he was.

"Sedmak left his post when only two other officers were on duty and failed to notify his supervisor of his whereabouts for nearly an hour, which could have endangered the safety of our students and campus," according to the university.

 

[ZeroClub]

On the face of it, seems like Rice made a very harsh decision.

I'm guessing there is something more to it.

 

[Hostile]

That is just plain stupid.

 

[Stautner]

On the face of it, seems like Rice made a very harsh decision.

I'm guessing there is something more to it.

You have to wonder. I can see the school's point that his responsibility was to protect the campus, but I would have expected a slap on the wrist and let him go about his job with the understanding it won't happen again.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I don't feel too bad for him. If he would have just told someone where he was going it probably could have been avoided.

I don't think they had to fire him over it but there are probably more circumstances to the story that is not being told.

I imagine there are a lot of work places that would fire an employee if they just up and left without telling anyone...especially if the current work shift is a little low due to others being out for other reasons.

 

[Stautner]

I don't feel too bad for him. If he would have just told someone where he was going it probably could have been avoided.

I don't think they had to fire him over it but there are probably more circumstances to the story that is not being told.

I imagine there are a lot of work places that would fire an employee if they just up and left without telling anyone...especially if the current work shift is a little low due to others being out for other reasons.

It does seem odd that he wouldn't have told anyone. He no doubt had a walkie talkie/radio he could have used to let someone know with basically no effort, and downtown Houston is a little way from the Rice campus so he had time to call on his cell phone or radio while en route.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Obviously he should have reported in, but to outright fire him over it was ignorant. Clearly he wasn't just goofing off or doing something illegal.

 

[Stautner]

Obviously he should have reported in, but to outright fire him over it was ignorant. Clearly he wasn't just goofing off or doing something illegal.

That's why I have to think there was something else to the story we don't know. If there isn't Rice should get some very negative press from this.

 

[cowboyeric8]

Maybe he isn't supposed to help out the real cops anyway? Especially if it was far away. Also, if he had told someone, they may have just told him to stay, so thats why he didn't tell anyone. I don't know, just speculating.

 

[burmafrd]

Maybe he isn't supposed to help out the real cops anyway? Especially if it was far away. Also, if he had told someone, they may have just told him to stay, so thats why he didn't tell anyone. I don't know, just speculating.

THAT is very possible. Rice was probably worried about lawsuits and the like and would have told him no.