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Post by cambygsp on Jan 4, 2008 6:55:36 GMT -5
What do you folks think about the situation in Fishers where the police officer drove the alledgely drunk principle home instead of arresting him.
I can't figure out why the police officer didn't turn off the video recording equipment, and how did all this get leaked out?
Sure is a mess!
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Jan 4, 2008 7:52:17 GMT -5
Not good!
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Post by oneshot on Jan 4, 2008 8:00:43 GMT -5
I'm not a police officer but.........are they actually required to make an arrest? Discretion plays a big part? Not trying to hi-jack thread
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Post by swilk on Jan 4, 2008 8:20:21 GMT -5
No breath or blood test taken. No proof he was drunk. Officer decided to drive him home instead of arresting him.
Disaster.
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Post by Sasquatch on Jan 4, 2008 8:26:05 GMT -5
The principle should not have been treated any differently. Some redneck with a mullet would have been cuffed and in the back of the cruiser before you can say "Budwieser."
That said, there are worse qualities for a cop to have than mercy. It is shame that this cop will probably pay the price because he tried to cut this loser a break.
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Post by freedomhunter on Jan 4, 2008 9:42:25 GMT -5
It's principal, because he is your "pal", or drinking buddy, in this case. He should have had the officer take him to jail, probably his only chance was to be remorsefull.
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Post by cambygsp on Jan 4, 2008 9:53:39 GMT -5
my thinking is that he got a free pass, right or wrong he was given a free pass. Now the prosecutor has filed two drunk driving charges (he was only pulled over once) against him.
I don't beleive the portable breath testers are admissable in court so I don't know where the evidence for conviction will come from.
Also today the school board is meeting to discuss his fate with the school system......excuse me but he hasn't been convicted of anything yet.......knee jerk reaction!
I think the whole situation would have gotten less attention if they would have went ahead and arrested him the night he got pulled over.
Anyways, I feel he got a free pass and it should have been left at that......pursuing the criminal charges will just cost us tax payers more money and he probabally won't get convicted!
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Post by raporter on Jan 4, 2008 10:06:35 GMT -5
I do not see his position in the society as being a determining factor in this. If you are caught driving drunk you should go to jail. NO EXCEPTIONS.
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Post by trapperdave on Jan 4, 2008 10:23:12 GMT -5
Typical! Like stated, any redneck or African American would have went straight to jail, period! Lucky the drunk didnt kill someone!
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Post by duff on Jan 4, 2008 10:34:30 GMT -5
My guess is someone close to the situation released the tape to show the double standards. I was told the officers superior gave the advice to release the man, so it could have been the officer himself who released the tape. It was fast.
We all know how stories go , regardless looked like he deserved to be locked up for the night like the rest of us would have been!
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Post by drs on Jan 4, 2008 11:17:39 GMT -5
They should have arresting him! Next time, he is driving drunk, he might kill another driver or a family driving home.
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Post by huxbux on Jan 4, 2008 12:34:27 GMT -5
According to what I heard, the Fishers PD does have a policy allowing an officer to use discretion. If an individual is borderline on a field sobriety test and has no record, chances are he'll avoid arrest in Fishers. The officer involved did notify his superior and was told to use his discretion, so he covered all his bases and won't face disciplinary action. As a point of interest, the cop involved in the stop was awarded officer of the year in 2006 and has an exemplary record. Hard to say what will come of the charges filed against the principal, but what's certain to happen is, department policy will probably be revised and Mother Theresa herself would go to jail for swallowing a teaspoon of cough medicine.
Careful what you wish for.
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Post by firstwd on Jan 4, 2008 12:46:09 GMT -5
As with every situation, the thoughts of what the correct action are easier to see after the fact.
I do not get to have an opinion on this because I was once given a break and sent home after a close situation to this. I was 19 at the time.
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Post by dadfsr on Jan 4, 2008 13:18:31 GMT -5
All I can say is that the last three times I have been stopped(speeding twice and redlight once) I was glad that the officers were able to use their discretion since all I got were warning tickets. But after being on the volunteer FD here for twenty-some years and being an EMT for ten of those I don't think that any stop made by the police where drugs or alcohol are involved should be dealt with on a discretionary basis
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Post by raporter on Jan 4, 2008 14:05:12 GMT -5
All I can say is that the last three times I have been stopped(speeding twice and redlight once) I was glad that the officers were able to use their discretion since all I got were warning tickets. But after being on the volunteer FD here for twenty-some years and being an EMT for ten of those I don't think that any stop made by the police where drugs or alcohol are involved should be dealt with on a discretionary basis
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Post by freedomhunter on Jan 4, 2008 14:48:55 GMT -5
I could swear the news report said that he was twice the legal limit. The last establishment he was at should be looked at. Hopefully, he will do some time and maybe a life will be saved, his or someone elses in the future. Bottom of the barrel, man, no sympathy for drunk drivers.
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Post by hunter7x on Jan 4, 2008 15:49:14 GMT -5
I'll be the devil advocate here...nothing personal for sure, but speeding and running a red light can kill just as easily as drunk driving and do you think 20+ years as an VFD and 10 as an EMT weren't taken into consideration and a little professional consideration were given? "As with every situation, the thoughts of what the correct action are easier to see after the fact."
Exactly, the only 2 people who really knew what happened and why are the policeman and the driver.
We all get breaks now and then just because this guys went public for whatever reason I don't feel is a reason to string him up.
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Post by mullis56 on Jan 4, 2008 15:53:17 GMT -5
All I got to say is, you don't drink and drive!! If you do you should pay!
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Post by duff on Jan 4, 2008 17:13:29 GMT -5
I know many people who have failed the field test jsut the same as he did and served the punishment. Discretion or not what is the difference. some things should not be left up to judgement. If you fail, you are tested in an accurate test, you fail that you pay the piper.
IMO it is cases like this that give credit to discrimination charges.
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Post by cambygsp on Jan 4, 2008 17:23:20 GMT -5
Just reading in the Indy Star that the School Board has now suspended the principle and will vote later to fire him
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