Twin Cities Carry Forum Archive :: View topic - Speeding police officer fired

Quote:

A Gahanna police officer was fired yesterday for riding a motorcycle at 149 mph while off duty, but a state trooper who was riding with him at 147 mph will keep his job.

Both men entered guilty pleas in Licking County Municipal Court early this month to speeding on I-70 and received identical sentences.

But the similarities end with how their employers disciplined them.

Officer Christopher Thomas, 33, received a letter yesterday from the Gahanna safety director telling him that his "intentional violation of the law and disregard for public safety is evidence that you are not suited to be a police officer."

Meanwhile, Trooper Jason E. Highsmith, 35, learned that he will receive a five-day unpaid suspension and be reassigned by the patrol.

Dick Unger wrote:

Not defending this, but if they beat you up, almost nothing would happen. They pass you on the freeway, one gets fired. :roll:

Andrew Rothman wrote:

Dick Unger wrote:

Not defending this, but if they beat you up, almost nothing would happen. They pass you on the freeway, one gets fired. :roll:

"Pass you on the freeway" happens at 75 MPH. This was twice that. It was wanton disregard for the law and the safety of others.

If the cop was let off, how would they ever justify ticketing anyone else?

Dick Unger wrote:

Wow. One was fired. (At least until a hearing officer reverses this one in about 6 months.) I suppose once they were ticketed and people became aware of it there must have been a lot of pressure.

Cops I know do performance driving with their squads and a little with their private vehicles if they have a fast one. They take courses at Brainaird and are not at all intimidated at 130+ . It would not be a "big thing" to the chief from a safety standpoint to go 150.

tman065 wrote:

Dick Unger wrote:

It's never "well, how fast can you go?", I always say it's , "how well can you go fast?".

It also isn't the top speed that's my issue...it's trying to brake from 100+ in a hurry. THAT isn't always easy. I drive an SUV that chips-out at around 115 or so...that is plenty fast for me in that rig.

mrokern wrote:

Yup. Braking is a bitch...and some people seem to think squads handle like Formula One cars. I don't know about your SUV, but the state squad I had handled like a blob of jello.

-Mark

bstrawse wrote:

Different departments - different policies, I guess.
B

Moby Clarke wrote:

Dick, you seem to be saying that since the officers have been trained to drive very fast, that midigates the infraction. Please correct me if I am wrong. However, if I am correct, why would that premise not apply to any other infraction, cop committed or not? And if it would, I do believe that would be a very bad thing. Could you imagine a hit man claiming since he has been trained to kill, he should get off lightly? I know this is over the top, but the theory holds, does it not?

Dick Unger wrote:

What I'm saying is that since cops that mug folks don't get fired, speeders should not get fired either. there needs to be a balance.

<<SNIP>>

The cop's speeding was unfortnate, and really looks bad, but the speeding was probably not the sociopathic activity of desperate men. That's all. If we don't fire muggers we should probably not fire speeders.

DeanC wrote:

I'm sure we can all rest easy knowing the fired cop will find a job in the next town up the road.

Author:	princewally [ Thu Aug 27, 2009 5:39 am ]
Post subject:	Speeding police officer fired
Quote: A Gahanna police officer was fired yesterday for riding a motorcycle at 149 mph while off duty, but a state trooper who was riding with him at 147 mph will keep his job. Both men entered guilty pleas in Licking County Municipal Court early this month to speeding on I-70 and received identical sentences. But the similarities end with how their employers disciplined them. Officer Christopher Thomas, 33, received a letter yesterday from the Gahanna safety director telling him that his "intentional violation of the law and disregard for public safety is evidence that you are not suited to be a police officer." Meanwhile, Trooper Jason E. Highsmith, 35, learned that he will receive a five-day unpaid suspension and be reassigned by the patrol. Linky

Author:	Dick Unger [ Thu Aug 27, 2009 7:24 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
Wow. One was fired. (At least until a hearing officer reverses this one in about 6 months.) I suppose once they were ticketed and people became aware of it there must have been a lot of pressure. Cops I know do performance driving with their squads and a little with their private vehicles if they have a fast one. They take courses at Brainaird and are not at all intimidated at 130+ . It would not be a "big thing" to the chief from a safety standpoint to go 150. Not defending this, but if they beat you up, almost nothing would happen. They pass you on the freeway, one gets fired.

Author:	bstrawse [ Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:13 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
Different departments - different policies, I guess. When I worked in law enforcement in Indiana, our departmental policy was: 1) Follow all traffic laws, including speed, when patrolling. 2) Emergency Calls - no more than 20 mph over speed limit. 3) Officer in need of assistance / shots fired - no more than 100 mph. 2 + 3 required lights + siren. B

Author:	Andrew Rothman [ Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:26 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
Dick Unger wrote: Not defending this, but if they beat you up, almost nothing would happen. They pass you on the freeway, one gets fired. "Pass you on the freeway" happens at 75 MPH. This was twice that. It was wanton disregard for the law and the safety of others. If the cop was let off, how would they ever justify ticketing anyone else?

Author:	Dick Unger [ Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:03 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
Andrew Rothman wrote: Dick Unger wrote: Not defending this, but if they beat you up, almost nothing would happen. They pass you on the freeway, one gets fired. "Pass you on the freeway" happens at 75 MPH. This was twice that. It was wanton disregard for the law and the safety of others. If the cop was let off, how would they ever justify ticketing anyone else? Well, I'm a defense attorney at heart All I'm trying to say that a cop who intentionally mistreats folks usually does not lose his job. (He should, but doesn"t) So, SPEEDING, even at 145, seems like a low level problem by comparison to the mch more serious stuff that happens all the time. While an accident at 150 is likely to be condsidered as recklessness, instead of just negligence, most of the time nothing happens, and cops are trained to go fast. Most squads today will top out about 135, and most cops have driven wide open, so 145 on a crotch rocket is probably not as risky at it sounds. If the Chief of Police has had performance driver's training, he'd know that, andd not fire somebody who had not harmed somebody.

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Author:	Moby Clarke [ Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:02 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
Dick, you seem to be saying that since the officers have been trained to drive very fast, that midigates the infraction. Please correct me if I am wrong. However, if I am correct, why would that premise not apply to any other infraction, cop committed or not? And if it would, I do believe that would be a very bad thing. Could you imagine a hit man claiming since he has been trained to kill, he should get off lightly? I know this is over the top, but the theory holds, does it not?

Author:	mrokern [ Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:34 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
When I worked for a state police agency in WI (not sworn, but I did drive a squad and went through the driving courses to do so), speed was HEAVILY regulated. Yes, I've driven a squad above 100mph. It ain't easy, and it ain't fun. Frankly, it's scary as hell. There is ZERO margin for error at those speeds, and that's before you take other traffic into account. -Mark

Author:	tman065 [ Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:42 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
Dick Unger wrote: Wow. One was fired. (At least until a hearing officer reverses this one in about 6 months.) I suppose once they were ticketed and people became aware of it there must have been a lot of pressure. Cops I know do performance driving with their squads and a little with their private vehicles if they have a fast one. They take courses at Brainaird and are not at all intimidated at 130+ . It would not be a "big thing" to the chief from a safety standpoint to go 150. It's never "well, how fast can you go?", I always say it's , "how well can you go fast?". It also isn't the top speed that's my issue...it's trying to brake from 100+ in a hurry. THAT isn't always easy. I drive an SUV that chips-out at around 115 or so...that is plenty fast for me in that rig.

Author:	mrokern [ Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:47 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
tman065 wrote: Dick Unger wrote: Wow. One was fired. (At least until a hearing officer reverses this one in about 6 months.) I suppose once they were ticketed and people became aware of it there must have been a lot of pressure. Cops I know do performance driving with their squads and a little with their private vehicles if they have a fast one. They take courses at Brainaird and are not at all intimidated at 130+ . It would not be a "big thing" to the chief from a safety standpoint to go 150. It's never "well, how fast can you go?", I always say it's , "how well can you go fast?". It also isn't the top speed that's my issue...it's trying to brake from 100+ in a hurry. THAT isn't always easy. I drive an SUV that chips-out at around 115 or so...that is plenty fast for me in that rig. Yup. Braking is a bitch...and some people seem to think squads handle like Formula One cars. I don't know about your SUV, but the state squad I had handled like a blob of jello. -Mark

Author:	tman065 [ Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:14 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
mrokern wrote: Yup. Braking is a bitch...and some people seem to think squads handle like Formula One cars. I don't know about your SUV, but the state squad I had handled like a blob of jello. -Mark Have to say that the Chargers with the Electronic Stability Program really handle well. It's hard to screw those up in cornering and lane changes... As far as blobs of jello, we drive our squads pretty hard, and usually upwards of 130,000 miles before their taken off-line. They're still fast, but the Fords are pretty tired by then. I just turned my Durango to 95000 today...Another set of brake pads and new shocks are on the horizon...

Author:	RobD [ Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:57 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
bstrawse wrote: Different departments - different policies, I guess. B I doubt the city of Gahanna safety director has the authority to fire a state employee.

Author:	Dick Unger [ Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:47 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
Moby Clarke wrote: Dick, you seem to be saying that since the officers have been trained to drive very fast, that midigates the infraction. Please correct me if I am wrong. However, if I am correct, why would that premise not apply to any other infraction, cop committed or not? And if it would, I do believe that would be a very bad thing. Could you imagine a hit man claiming since he has been trained to kill, he should get off lightly? I know this is over the top, but the theory holds, does it not? What I'm saying is that since cops that mug folks don't get fired, speeders should not get fired either. there needs to be a balance. The speeding on a clear road is not a moral thing. It's an infraction of the rules. We don't have signs that say speed limit 75, 5 punch limit for muggers, OK? But as to the fun stuff, today"s vehicles are not always unsafe at speed. Back in the day, my 442 with drum brakes easily hit 130, but then I had basically NO brakes. couldn't get back below 110 before they faded; it took a quarter mile to stop. Wind was an issue even with a hard suspension and the wide red line bias ply tires didn't stick because it was hard street rubber. Today a stock Crown Vic with a new driver can go into the first turn at Brainard at 110, it's the recommended speed. It can chase a rental car with a pro driver all day at 130. I assume a crotch rocket bike handles well too. The cop's speeding was unfortnate, and really looks bad, but the speeding was probably not the sociopathic activity of desperate men. That's all. If we don't fire muggers we should probably not fire speeders.

Author:	Lenny7 [ Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:28 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
Dick Unger wrote: What I'm saying is that since cops that mug folks don't get fired, speeders should not get fired either. there needs to be a balance. <<SNIP>> The cop's speeding was unfortnate, and really looks bad, but the speeding was probably not the sociopathic activity of desperate men. That's all. If we don't fire muggers we should probably not fire speeders. I agree with Dick (what did I just say!). It wasn't a smart thing to do, but it also wasn't taking home forfeited property, getting in a few extra kicks, or pulling a gun in a road rage incident. There are countless incidents like those where the perp...I mean cop...gets a paid vacation instead of prosecuted or even fired. Firing this guy for speeding is like locking up a jaywalker while the mugger gets a pass.

Author:	DeanC [ Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:31 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
I'm sure we can all rest easy knowing the fired cop will find a job in the next town up the road.

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Author:	Selurcspi [ Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:36 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Speeding police officer fired
DeanC wrote: I'm sure we can all rest easy knowing the fired cop will find a job in the next town up the road. He'll just go and join his buddy at the Patrol!