Alright, I'm concerned about something, so here goes...
I work in a fairly small agency. One of our Officers has been doing some questionable things to include not stopping for a marked cruiser (traffic stop - speeding) and accelerating on a 2 lane highway while I was on a traffic stop (estimated 50MPH in a 35 MPH zone) and coming within about five feet of me while I was wrapping up the stop with the suspect vehicle. The citizen I had stopped even recognized this as dangerous and it's very audible on the VHS tape. I didn't realize that this was him driving until I had already gotten him stopped and was half way up to his car on my approach. He didn't seem to think that my concerns were important and replied only with "Oh please!" I told him, "Whatever, have a good night," and cut him loose.
Another Officer and I were discussing this at the station when my Sergeant walked in and said, "What's all this?" I knew that he must have heard some of what was said and didn't want to be a rat, but this is becoming a major concern. I told him what had happened. He was already aware of the incident where this Officer hadn't stopped. I was told to retain the video in the event that it should be needed, so I did.
Now I'm having some concerns about MY actions during all of this. While my objective is not to get this other Officer in hot water, he has been routinely violating the law and expecting to be let go for it. I'm all about professional courtesy and not writing other Officers, but when he's speeding past me on a traffic stop, that puts my life in danger needlessly. If another car had come over the hill and was left of center he would have had to veer to the right in order to avoid hitting that car which would have meant that I would have certainly been smoked in the process. If he had been driving the speed limit then there would have been more time to maneuver his vehicle safely out of the way of an oncoming vehicle. When citizens crawl by while I'm on a traffic stop I appreciate their concern for my safety. When a fellow Officer flies by and doesn't bother to change lanes while doing so I feel betrayed. I prefer to crawl by other Officers when they are on traffic stops because it not only protects them from my vehicle, but also slows down those persons driving behind me. (As a side note, my state has recently enacted a "move over law," requiring vehicles to change lanes to the inside lane while passing by road crews or emergency vehicles.
This Officer has, in the past, denied such allegations at length and argues only his side without apology. Being that I work in a smaller town, a number of the citizens are aware of which vehicles we drive and observe us in our daily behavior. I am then concerned that the citizens see us blatantly violating traffic law and nothing happens, meanwhile they are issued citations for the very same thing. That kind of thing tends to stir up a City Council.
Here is what I am looking for: What are your thoughts on the way I handled this? I feel that I did the right thing, but there is obviously some doubt in my mind because I'm posting this thread. I feel like I've betrayed my brother, but I don't see any other effective course of action that I could have taken for this event. No discipline has come of this yet, and I hope none does. I'm just concerned about there being better choices that I hadn't seen at the time. If any of you have better courses of action to take, I am more than willing to listen to what they are.
Thanks guys.
I work in a fairly small agency. One of our Officers has been doing some questionable things to include not stopping for a marked cruiser (traffic stop - speeding) and accelerating on a 2 lane highway while I was on a traffic stop (estimated 50MPH in a 35 MPH zone) and coming within about five feet of me while I was wrapping up the stop with the suspect vehicle. The citizen I had stopped even recognized this as dangerous and it's very audible on the VHS tape. I didn't realize that this was him driving until I had already gotten him stopped and was half way up to his car on my approach. He didn't seem to think that my concerns were important and replied only with "Oh please!" I told him, "Whatever, have a good night," and cut him loose.
Another Officer and I were discussing this at the station when my Sergeant walked in and said, "What's all this?" I knew that he must have heard some of what was said and didn't want to be a rat, but this is becoming a major concern. I told him what had happened. He was already aware of the incident where this Officer hadn't stopped. I was told to retain the video in the event that it should be needed, so I did.
Now I'm having some concerns about MY actions during all of this. While my objective is not to get this other Officer in hot water, he has been routinely violating the law and expecting to be let go for it. I'm all about professional courtesy and not writing other Officers, but when he's speeding past me on a traffic stop, that puts my life in danger needlessly. If another car had come over the hill and was left of center he would have had to veer to the right in order to avoid hitting that car which would have meant that I would have certainly been smoked in the process. If he had been driving the speed limit then there would have been more time to maneuver his vehicle safely out of the way of an oncoming vehicle. When citizens crawl by while I'm on a traffic stop I appreciate their concern for my safety. When a fellow Officer flies by and doesn't bother to change lanes while doing so I feel betrayed. I prefer to crawl by other Officers when they are on traffic stops because it not only protects them from my vehicle, but also slows down those persons driving behind me. (As a side note, my state has recently enacted a "move over law," requiring vehicles to change lanes to the inside lane while passing by road crews or emergency vehicles.
This Officer has, in the past, denied such allegations at length and argues only his side without apology. Being that I work in a smaller town, a number of the citizens are aware of which vehicles we drive and observe us in our daily behavior. I am then concerned that the citizens see us blatantly violating traffic law and nothing happens, meanwhile they are issued citations for the very same thing. That kind of thing tends to stir up a City Council.
Here is what I am looking for: What are your thoughts on the way I handled this? I feel that I did the right thing, but there is obviously some doubt in my mind because I'm posting this thread. I feel like I've betrayed my brother, but I don't see any other effective course of action that I could have taken for this event. No discipline has come of this yet, and I hope none does. I'm just concerned about there being better choices that I hadn't seen at the time. If any of you have better courses of action to take, I am more than willing to listen to what they are.
Thanks guys.
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