Cop confrontation goes viral. What is your reaction to this video?

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 12:19:09 -0400

The Mayor and City Manager in Rohnert Park, California say they are investigating an incident where an unidentified officer drew his gun on a man recording him.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/cop-confrontation-goes-viral/vi-BBludH6

Cop confrontation goes viral

The Mayor and City Manager in Rohnert Park, California say they are investigating an incident where an unidentified officer drew his gun on a man recording him.

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Aug 7 at 2015 12:20 PM

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 12:20:40 -0400

Shit happens!

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 7 at 2015 12:26 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 12:26:29 -0400

The perp should have been arrested. There is no valid excuse for failure to follow orders of the police - especially when the perp refused to show his hands and it is not clear whether the perp has a weapon.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Aug 7 at 2015 12:35 PM

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 12:35:31 -0400

The little guy seemed to feel much bigger behind the gun & badge.....I dont understand why the Officer exited his vehicle to start with unless there was a call in the area and perhaps the guy behind the video camera matched the description???

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 8 at 2015 12:59 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 00:59:57 -0400

My constitutional rights be damned. When a cop tells me to pull my hand out of my pocket to make sure I don't have a weapon I say OK. Then I would continue to hook up my boat and would talk to him like a human and ask if there were reports f someone stealing a boat, something called in in the neighborhood, whatever. Cops have a hard ass job and should be able to ask to see ANYONE's hands if they approach them. How many cops need to get shot before they are allowed to be concerned for their own saftey? If they want to abuse their powers you can take them to the prosecuter, sue the city, whatever....

Have some fun while they are patting you down if they are truly overstepping their bounds. Tell him you love the smell of his cologne as he is patting you down and tell him to take extra long checking for a weapon in your waistband. Find out what time he gets off shift, invite him back to your place for a bottle of red wine and a leather ball gag and ask him to bring his handcuffs. Ask him when he searches your tush if he will call you 'Prince Valiant' or 'Buck Naked'. Ask him if his gun has ever gone off before he wanted it to. The list is endless, just try to turn that frown upside down.

Do I think the cop had little package syndrome? Certainly. But Ill be the bigger man and comply with his orders at the time and will put his mind at ease that I'm not trying to blow him away. I love cops and I've had some run ins with some total wads. Just like anyone else in society. Some people are awesome, the VAST majority are....eh, and you will always have inbred swine with little brains and a big mouth. Bring those guys to the attention of their supervisors and the prosecuter. Don't generalize cops as Massengill products. You couldn't pay me enough to be a cop in today's climate.

Response by SPC Angel Guma made Aug 8 at 2015 1:07 AM

SPC Angel Guma — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 01:07:56 -0400

To Serve and Protect. Hard knock job.

Response by SPC George Rudenko made Aug 8 at 2015 1:37 AM

SPC George Rudenko — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 01:37:50 -0400

UGH, I don't want to over but I have drawn when I saw shiny thing and could not discern. Of course idiot would not listen. I understand the perception, but I also speak to the 800,000 cops who see shiitake every day. It does wear, and that may not permit any one specific incident, sometimes reaction fight or flight takes over. Just like in some parts of the military, you can't unseen somethings...

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made Aug 8 at 2015 6:06 AM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 06:06:57 -0400

Officer Who Pulled Gun on Man "Eager" to Tell His Side of Story ...

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/rohnert-park-officer-pulled-gun-leave-attorney-response-321084531.html

Officer Who Pulled Gun on Man "Eager" to Tell His Side of Story

The lawyer for a Northern California police officer placed on leave after being caught on video pulling his gun on a man who was not accused of a crime says that video didn’t capture everything that happened.

Response by Sgt Ken Prescott made Aug 8 at 2015 1:26 PM

Sgt Ken Prescott — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 13:26:13 -0400

OK, not QUITE what I expected--my bet was that the cop would look as if he was on steroids. (Semi-common problem here in San Diego. Bulked-out cop with a big cranial vault a la Barry Bonds--your stop is going to suck no matter what.)

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Aug 8 at 2015 3:05 PM

Cpl Jeff N. — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 15:05:56 -0400

I hope there is a really good explanation from the cop. Something seems off here though. Cop is driving through the neighborhood, this guy, for some reason is filming him while hooking his boat up. The cop stops and exits vehicle (after taking picture back). Drawing his weapon with no clear threat is excessive. Something seems amiss here.

If a cop walks up to me in my front yard and draws a weapon telling me to get my hands out of my pockets he will be told to F off.

Response by Cpl Mark McMiller made Aug 9 at 2015 10:04 PM

Cpl Mark McMiller — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 22:04:16 -0400

Wow! Where do i begin? This is the type of behavior that gives cops a bad name. And it makes me wonder how this LEO could even think this type of behavior is okay unless it is trained behavior from superiors in his agency. Confronting the guy taking the video was inappropriate. Drawing the weapon on him was not only inappropriate, it was unlawful. Accusing the guy of being a "Constitutionalist", as if that is something nefarious just shows the wrongheadedness of this cop. What a ass clown!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 10 at 2015 12:05 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:05:20 -0400

Unfortunately problems with crooked cops is becoming a bigger and bigger issue, and more often then not they are starting to be backed by the court system. Soon enough they'll be coming to take away your 2nd Amendment right. Be ready for that day, I know I will be.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 10 at 2015 4:08 AM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 04:08:14 -0400

I currently work with law enforcement as a gate guard (Auxiliary Security Force), and can see where the police officer is coming from, however I still think he was overreacting.

In law enforcement, we are told to expect and prepare for the worst. We are instructed to tell people to take their hands out of their pocket, because they may have a weapon. Now this is where discretion comes in. We are intelligent beings (most of us are, at least), and the guy clearly wasn't a threat. It was a bit over the top to draw his gun on this civilian just because he wouldn't take his hands out of his pockets. Sure, it was stupid of the man to not take his hands out of his pockets when told to, but it was excessive of the police officer to draw his weapon.

Response by SFC Joseph James made Aug 10 at 2015 8:02 AM

SFC Joseph James — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 08:02:31 -0400

Wow uncalled for by the police officer! I usually don't lead the charge on yelling "Fire Him" but "FIRE HIM!" That officer should not have pulled his gun unless his life or someone else life was in danger. A man with a camera does not make it so. And yes, most people on this page (me included) that a persons body language can tell you if their is intent of violence by the way a person acts and reacts to questions. This man's voice did not give off signs of any intent to cause a problem. He was on his own property filming...legal!

Response by SGT William Howell made Aug 10 at 2015 8:57 AM

SGT William Howell — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 08:57:50 -0400

So if that guys boat had been stolen, he would have been bitching because the cops did nothing. Thank God I got out of this business years ago. We are going to become a reactive police force and crime is going to go though the roof.

Response by SPC Americo Garcia made Aug 10 at 2015 9:56 AM

SPC Americo Garcia — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:56:29 -0400

That is straight up little man syndrome to me. Officer did not say anything like most I have meet. I have been greeted by a simple how you doing everything okay. I would say just here hooking my boat. This yours yes sir it is. Officer never said reason for pulling up. Nor stated his reason for probable cause to question person. This officer was out line indeed I have had one rookie pull a weapon on me told him officer you pulled me over I have nothing against you but if you keep pointing that me. Which makes me nervous as a veteran if you keep doing this when backup arrived I stayed calm and spoke with other officers. They let me go with a citation. This officer should of been professional that is the problem with some officers the badge is right to bully who they want. very few of these guys but they do exist. sad when you see this.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Aug 10 at 2015 11:00 AM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 11:00:35 -0400

I love that the cop asked "Are you some kind of constitutionalist?" As if that is a bad thing. Everyone on RP is a Constitutionalist. We swore an oath to support and defend that constitution. So for starters that officer implying that standing up for your constitutional rights makes you crazy, makes me wonder if he should have a badge and gun. He is one of the douche cops that makes it impossible for the good officers to do their job effectively; however, when the officer told the man to take his hands out of his pockets, he should have done so. Right or wrong, if the cop shoots you dead you still lose. He should have taken the officer's ID information and filed a report immediately after the encounter.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 10:04 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 22:04:17 -0400

The reduction of law enforcement reinforces the desire for vigilanteism.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Aug 12 at 2015 4:09 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 04:09:59 -0400

If it was to happen to me I know I found my next pay day.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Aug 12 at 2015 4:57 AM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 04:57:21 -0400

Someone needs to find a new career field and that PD needs to check on it's training standards. IMO

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Aug 12 at 2015 6:11 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 06:11:05 -0400

I just watched the video. I do not have any knowledge of what may have happened between the police and the civilian. As we should know, it is not illegal to film the police in public nor to film the police from your private property. The police officer approached the civilian in a manner that tells me he is about to detain him. The civilian also probably felt intimidated and felt detained. The police do not need to tell you are being detained for they can do it through their actions. The police officer acted in an intimidating manner by using his pistol. I am pretty sure there is a rule in his SOP that says he is in violation nor could I tell he was in danger.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 12 at 2015 8:33 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 08:33:04 -0400

There is no excuse for this

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Aug 12 at 2015 8:44 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 08:44:21 -0400

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad, I am going to arm chair this situation some more, but only because I have some LE experience. If I don't enough or strong enough PC then verbal judo which basically becomes casual conversation is very useful. Maybe the civilian was looking at his boat or something else which caught the attention of the police officer. He could have drove up and started a friendly conversation by complementing the civilian's boat, his SUV,or his house and branched out further with details as if he took an interest for personal curiosity. Non LEO folks do this all the time with friends, family, strangers and kids. From there, anyone can tell if something is off which might require LE intervention.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 8:56 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 08:56:12 -0400

For starters, we'd have to know a great deal more about what led up to this incident before passing judgement. However, I know the tone of the civilian concerned grates me to the core. I'm guessing the officer was responding to a call about a potential stolen boat...maybe it's noon on a Tuesday and some concerned citizen found a young-ish gent pulling a boat out of someone's yard during the workday a tad suspicious. Officer arrives, sees this guy filming him and get's brassed off. Common sense would tell me that no boat thief with a weapon and intent to use it is going to take the time to film me...that might have been a good thing to consider before pulling his sidearm. Still, all this individual needed to do was show his hands, ask what the problem was, and take it from there. True story-Had some neighbors get into a drunken frenzy which resulted in the police being called. As the cruiser pulls up, Your's Truly (who didn't know someone else had called it in) is confronting one of the less cordial of them. I back off, show my hands, shut my mouth...ten minutes later, the drunks are back in their house, and I'm swapping sea stories with the deputy. These guys are living on the front lines of a war zone, and a little bit of respect goes a long way.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 9:41 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 09:41:00 -0400

Something about this seems staged to me. How often do you just start filming for absolutely no reason and then wait to see if something happens? I wouldn't be surprised to find out this cop was baited, fake 911 call as an example. Car is illegally parked, they are filming before the cop even shows up, and the guy filming purposefully escalates the situation by refusing to do something as simple as take his hand out of his pocket (a request that is not illegal, unfair, immoral, or even unreasonable). Now if this is was not a set up and the cop just showed up and lost his mind, that is a huge issue.

However we are all here judging and condemning based on less then half the story.

Response by SSG Darryl Cullum made Aug 12 at 2015 12:43 PM

SSG Darryl Cullum — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 12:43:11 -0400

That is very scary, you are blessed that you are still alive bro, imagine if he'd just came from a high stress stop or encounter and was still up on adrenaline, or any number of scenarios, there is no justification for his actions but we have got to learn to move with more caution man. Question is where do we draw the line between caution and cowardice or stupidity for that matter, hell he could have had a gun like the officer feared or other type of weapon then what? why was the officer there in the first place?????

Response by SSG Roderick Smith made Sep 16 at 2015 2:07 AM

SSG Roderick Smith — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 02:07:25 -0400

We (police officers) talk all the time about making it home safe, and how our job is so dangerous, etc... so why escalate from the get-go? Why get out like the cameraman is about to pull an Uzi and dust his ass? If you're that concerened, why not get out and just have an intelligent, non-confrontational conversation with the guy? The officer started the incident and had no reasonable suspicion to assume the man had a weapon. Wave politely, say good morning, and keep on truckin'.