Justified taze?!? Link fixed

[alvins]

I never said what the officer did was right. What I meant was the BOTH started off on the wrong foot. As far as the 1960s, I did'nt know that courtesy went out of style.

no the officer was wrong from the begining. he was totally unprofessional from the start. what is amasing is anyone thinks the officers actions are justified. i really cant stand people who give police a blank check to act however they want.

[fishman]

Again, I never said what the officer did was right. Nor did I say the same for the driver. They both got off on the wrong foot. You cant just tase someone for no reason. At the same time don't give the officer any reason to get upset. Respect goes along way on both sides. woh woh woh is not a real good idea.

[speedsix]

...given the officer's conduct, Whoa, whoa, whoa was defensive and appropriate...but he didn't take the hint, and got yet more unreasonable...the officer was already "upset" when he first spoke to the customer...I find no fault with the customer...and neither did the Austin PD when they apologized to him...they didn't have a problem seeing the problem, either...

[speedsix]

No sir I did not miss the 60s. I'm just my own man and I don't disrespect the police. Chances are if the same officer pulled me over for 5 miles over. Well slow down and have nice day. YES SIR!

...why do you assume he'd have treated you any better than he did this man??? if you took it and let him bully you...well, you are your own man...that's your right...some of us won't take it...and, thank God, in America we don't have to...I once had a young officer start our encounter with rudeness and talking down to me...I quietly told him that we could finish the conversation in front of the Chief's desk or he could back up or start over...he chose option two...I was a poor, out of work ex-cop and had not a penny in my jeans...but he was wrong and he was man enough to admit it and rectify the mistake...I had run a redlight and deserved a ticket...which he elected not to write...the guy in question here didn't have the good sense to make it right...

[CC Italian]

I watched it again twice and still think the officer should not have shot him with the taser but the driver could CLEARLY see the taser in the officer’s hand before exiting and after exiting the vehicle. He also asked him to step out of the vehicle three times before the man did. Then when he exits it looks almost like the man puts out his right arm for a slight second, which is dumb. Once again unprofessional move by the officer and cop or not it is pretty stupid to argue with a person you know is going to tase you if you don't comply with there immediate orders. He did not do this even after exiting the car! If an officer had a taser in hand I would comply immediately! This guy’s ego told him to not comply and that was not a smart move. Also, I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet but he had no rear license plate. That is immediate justification to pull over someone.

I am with fishman on this one I think the cop was wrong but this guy did everything wrong when getting pulled over. When an officer gives you an order you don't say NO! Even after the girl in the car tells him to give the officer his license the guy tells her that he is not going to give him the license. Bad move!

Either way no matter how we see it this is a great example for us to learn from when getting pulled over. Comply immediately or you could be unjustly tased!

[speedsix]

...his protests and slowness to respond were a result of the outrage at being mistreated...the officer told him about his license plate as well as his speeding...


...those who get it...have it...those who don't...won't...suppertime at my house and I'm hungry!!!

[CC Italian]

Like I said this was no good and it really is scary that you are truly at the mercy of an officers will when you get pulled over. Luckily most are not like this taser happy example.

[Medic218]

I always felt that TASER's were supposed to be an alternative to deadly force not a means of bending the will of someone else to your own. If the person came out swinging or acting like it, then by all means fire away. I have seen many examples of officers using them when there could have been another way. However I have never walked in their shoes.

[esxmarkc]

Kill people with kindness is a good motto.

I thought I was pretty familiar with all their models but I haven't had my hands on the "Kimber Kindness" what calibers does it come in? Does it fire Hershey's Kisses?

[couzin]

Traffic stop is justified. When the contact starts stalling (whoa, whoa, why you stoppin me, refusing to show paperwork, etc), he could be working up courage to run - or pull a weapon. After contact exits vehicle he starts arm flailing, getting agressive, and not complying - all 'tells' that he is going to potentially create a problem. That said - cop failed by being agressive at the initial contact, failed by standing forward of the rear edge of the door, and failed by not giving first (and second) warning to the contact of taser use. Gotta call this one a draw - no-one wins...

[speedsix]

...if ever a customer was provoked into being uncooperative, this one was...glad the PD could see that and apologized...this one's 100% on the officer...that citizen never had a chance from the start...

[flechero]

Not justified at all- as evidenced by PD's response. Not even close or there wouldn't be apoligy. In fact if a citizen would have done that so quickly, I think there would have been assault charges filed.

The cop yells at him to step out and pulls the taser out while still blocking the driver's ability to exit the vehicle... as soon as the officer steps back (with taser drawn) they guy gets out. This was bad from the start.

The "stalling" could have been as simple as they guy needing to get the insurance and registration from the glove box. This officer had blown his fuse long before first contact with the driver.

[flechero]

my impression of the driver saying whoa whoa whoa is in response to a clearly agitated officer losing his cool for a few second delay. I see nothing in the law that requires me to have license, reg., and insurance out the window waiting, before the officer gets to my car.

[ChrisD]

Speedsix really hit the nail on its head.

[jmoney]

It must get so annoying to have to constantly deal with people like thatbkidbwhich from beget go are disrespectful and challenge the officer, granted it seems like that officer is having a bad day, but the kid did should have shut up and had his license instead of irritating the officer....did he deserve a taze? The moment he touched the officer sealed his fate, that's a no no