Posted on 04/22/2008 7:23:04 PM PDT by BGHater
PORTLAND, Ore. — A lawyer who watched a police officer park illegally in front of a restaurant, then wait around while his meal was prepared, issued the officer a series of citizen-initiated violations.
Eric Bryant said he was sitting at the restaurant March 7 when Officer Chad Stensgaard parked his patrol car next to a no-parking sign and walked inside to wait for his food, the Portland Mercury reported Thursday.
Bryant told the weekly paper that when he asked Stensgaard about his car, the officer asked Bryant: "If someone broke into your house, would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house or have to park three blocks away and walk there?"
Bryant filed a complaint as a private citizen alleging several violations, including illegal parking and illegal operation of an emergency vehicle.
Stensgaard was issued a summons to appear in traffic court in May.
The fines could total $540.
"Citizens should be concerned that he used his status as an officer of the law as justification for breaking the law," Bryant said.
Cathe Kent, a spokeswoman for the Portland Police Bureau, said Stensgaard would fight the complaint in court, "as he rightfully should."
Parking is limited on city streets, especially with many construction projects downtown, she said, and officers remain on duty even when they're picking up food.
"We are emergency responders and need to be ready to take an emergency call," Kent said Saturday.
I have not debated a point with you in a while - how have you been?
However, life must have been a tad too stressful, if you really think “ossifer friendly” would be justified in tazing the lawyer.
PS The sad truth is that all too many of America’s cops have developed a severe case of “Ubermensch Syndrome” which causes them to think themselves our masters and superiors, rather than mere public servants.
The ‘lawyer’ description is wrong. Insert, ‘citizen’ there. This action is for all citizens, not just lawyers.
Weird. I have.
The theory that Rudy Giuliani and Bill Bratton used in cleaning up NYC was to crack down on all offenses, even the minor ones. It worked.
It’s a quick jump for a police officer from flouting the traffic laws to something more serious. They need to learn to obey the law.
Visit Seoul Korea sometime, over there, they simply drive with their lights on all the time, everywhere they go in a squad car.
Did they ever give you a problem after that? As you can see in a few posts here it sounds as cops could be more vindictive then criminals. I always wondered if cops were vindictive for things they do wrong?
Let's be reasonable, it's not like he was shooting someone's dog in their backyard. /s
When a cop is required to be on duty, even through a meal, it is reasonable to allow some discretion on where they stop to pick up their food. Stuck in line in the drive-through means they can't respond until everyone gets out of the way. About all I might suggest is to leave a light flashing to indicate he'll be right back.
A well fed cop is a happier cop, need I say more?
I DID get a few tickets after that, all justified, I’m afraid - I have a heavy foot.
I was never hassled, or unjustly ticketed - let’s just say that I got ZERO leniency.
I moved from there about a year after the incident in question; better job.
This lawyer is an idiot... let’s count the ways...
1. lost customer
2. lost parking spot... the officer could easily take a spot from another customer... hello
3. a reputation as a jerk
You might like this one:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1905942/posts
‘Using what one legal expert called a “novel theory,” Hu argued to a judge that when a Washington State Patrol trooper ticketed him, he broke the law himself by waiting in the dark with his car lights off — something Hu said is illegal for normal drivers.
The judge dismissed the ticket.
It’s a small victory, but Hu thinks others in similar situations could follow in his wake. “What I’ve come to learn, to restore my faith in the legal system, is that the police do not have special powers,” Hu said recently.
A lawyer and a law professor, apprised of the case, both marveled at how Hu won his battle, but said they don’t know whether it would set a precedent.
The State Patrol said its powers have not been curbed, and it does not plan to change its operations because Hu won his case.
Hu’s case is unusual. Less than 11 percent of the traffic charges filed in a year are contested in court, according to state statistics, and court administrators estimate that just 37 percent of those result in a finding for the defendant. ‘
Sorry... I forgot the / sarc tag. I am not a police state nanny state person one bit. ;-) (Punishment by Tazer is one of my personal issues with the “POPO” Some dumb and mean people with horse whips deciding to punish whomever. Kind of the point of my comment. Come on mr cop... park like a normal person. Get over your f’ing badge and small p-nis syndrome.)
How did you see a fire truck park illegally?
See post #31. ;-)
1. Makes
2. no
3. sense.
Sure we believe that, not been to long since the clown cop arrested the little old lady in Florida because he was to sorry to drive around her.
I’m ok with this. He needs to be able to get to his car fast. The other day I saw something unusual though. A State Cop went around me, lights flashing and got behind a car in front of me. The car wouldn’t stop. I was expecting the worse but the Cop turned off his lights and went on. If it was someone on offical LE business.. ok, but I wondered if it was not a VIP and he was told to back off.
I miss read... thought lawyer owned restaurant.
owner of the restaurant should ban said lawyer from premises for life
When seconds count, the cops are minutes, (or hours), away.
They should have to obey the same laws we all do.
I’m sick and tired of the JBT boot-licking contingent here acting like cops walk on water.
They don’t.
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