A bad weekend for one of my fellow deputies

[ron169]

One of the Deputies that works on the shift opposite of me had a pretty rough weekend behind the wheel. I figured I would post this up since it is quite funny since no one was hurt, at least not a person


Friday Night: Car on the left, he was responding to a Deputy calling for back up. He hit a doe at approximately 85 mph. Had slight air bag burn on his arm, doe didnt quite make it.

Sat. Night: car on the right, he borrowed another deputies car for the rest of the weekend. Long story short, ran a stop sign and T-boned someone going down a highway. Once again, no one hurt (remember everyone, wear your seat belts)


http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll205/ron169/img083.jpg


When he got to work Sunday night, we had a Motorcycle helmet waiting on him and a sign up sheet for the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course

[paulosantos]

Damn. Glad he's OK. Finally, a worse driver than me. LOL.

[marinesg1012]

I think a little remidial driving training would be in order :D

[airdj10]

Wow! Glad everyones OK.

Is he facing any disciplinary action for running the red light?

[ArtFWTx]

Does your department have a bicycle patrol?

[ron169]

Wow! Glad everyones OK.

Is he facing any disciplinary action for running the red light?

he may, Most of the speculation is like a day off with pay if anything. Only reason they may do that is because had a differetn Deputy in a similar situation and thats what they did to him. No telling though, and it was a stop sign out in the middle of nowhere

[ron169]

Does your department have a bicycle patrol?


Lol, no, 600 Square miles with 5 Deputies patrolling at a time. On a bike, one would prolly die in the 100+ degree heat.

[angsniper]

He ran a stop sign? Was he cited for both the failure to stop and causing the accident?

[maggiepi]

he may, Most of the speculation is like a day off with pay if anything. Only reason they may do that is because had a differetn Deputy in a similar situation and thats what they did to him. No telling though, and it was a stop sign out in the middle of nowhere

lol,
glad no one was hurt...

:confused: Oh, what I'd give for a day off!:rolleyes: I hope I don't run a stop sign and T-bone an deer. :o

[ron169]

He ran a stop sign? Was he cited for both the failure to stop and causing the accident?

Hes was ruled as being at fault for the accident, and of course the counties insurance will cover the cost of the other vehicle. As for receiving a Traffic Citation, im sure you know the answer to that. Our county isnt big on writing tickets, Sherrifs gotta get re-elected and all. :D. In fact, Ive probably written the 3rd most tickets in the department this year, and I ave only written 35. In contrast, My brother in the next county over writes 70 a month at least, but he also has an Interstate to hunt over.

[ArtFWTx]

Hes was ruled as being at fault for the accident, and of course the counties insurance will cover the cost of the other vehicle. As for receiving a Traffic Citation, im sure you know the answer to that. Our county isnt big on writing tickets, Sherrifs gotta get re-elected and all. :D. In fact, Ive probably written the 3rd most tickets in the department this year, and I ave only written 35. In contrast, My brother in the next county over writes 70 a month at least, but he also has an Interstate to hunt over.

When you do dust off your ticket book, are you going after someone doing something stupid or just in a bad mood? :D
I've investigated thousands of accidents, and I would have really gone after the stupid people rather than the honest mistakes.

[ron169]

When you do dust off your ticket book, are you going after someone doing something stupid or just in a bad mood? :D
I've investigated thousands of accidents, and I would have really gone after the stupid people rather than the honest mistakes.

Well, I for one go after the stupid folks. When it comes to accidents, we rarely works accidents where there are injuries, we generally call the Georgia State Patrol to work those. We tend to work the single vehicle accidents and the fender benders. I dont generally write citations for accidents, mainly because the people are having a bad enough day already, no need to make it worse. But of course all that goes out the window if the driver doesnt have a valid license, no insurance, or if alcohol is involved.

As for writing tickets in general. I tend to be a pretty easy going person. I dont even pull anyone over for speeding until they go 18 over. Dont really think of writing a ticket until about 23 over the limit, but that can change depending on the aditude of the driver. My personal pet peeve is DUIs. Ive only got 9 this year so far, but DUI stops account for 75% of the tickets I write. By that, I include the DUI ticket, failure to maintain lane and or anything else I can write.

[ArtFWTx]

Well, I for one go after the stupid folks. When it comes to accidents, we rarely works accidents where there are injuries, we generally call the Georgia State Patrol to work those. We tend to work the single vehicle accidents and the fender benders. I dont generally write citations for accidents, mainly because the people are having a bad enough day already, no need to make it worse. But of course all that goes out the window if the driver doesnt have a valid license, no insurance, or if alcohol is involved.

As for writing tickets in general. I tend to be a pretty easy going person. I dont even pull anyone over for speeding until they go 18 over. Dont really think of writing a ticket until about 23 over the limit, but that can change depending on the aditude of the driver. My personal pet peeve is DUIs. Ive only got 9 this year so far, but DUI stops account for 75% of the tickets I write. By that, I include the DUI ticket, failure to maintain lane and or anything else I can write.

That's the way I'd be. DUI's and school zones with lots of busy crosswalks would be my concerns.

I always appreciated when officers handling an accident would write an accident report on what the drivers stated at the accident scene. You'd be amazed how many stories changed by the time they talked to the insurance companies. You don't know how many times I'd call the investigating officers to confirm what someone said. Many times the officer would laugh at what people told him/her and how much the story changed by the time the same people spoke with the insurance companies later.

[RoAus]

he may, Most of the speculation is like a day off with pay if anything. Only reason they may do that is because had a differetn Deputy in a similar situation and thats what they did to him. No telling though, and it was a stop sign out in the middle of nowhere


Wow...a day off WITH PAY on an at fault!!!! That would never happen at our Sheriff's Office. Hell there would be deputies just looking for a wreck! (J/K) Just before the first of the year a deputy in our office ran a red light and was t-bone by another vehicle. No one was seriously hurt but the deputy and the two occupants in the other vehicle were all transported to the hospital. She had a spotless driving/personel record and received 5 days WITHOUT pay. This punishment was dished out under the old Sheriff who lost the election in Nov.2008, but would be par for course with our new one also. She was not ticked. Oh... and we write the hell out of tickets being by I-185 & Fort Benning.

[ron169]

The last word I got, es not goingto be punished with any time off, just a chew out session with the road patrol Captain. RoAuS, if your near Benning, im sure y'all get quite a bit of deer wrecks with patrol vehicles dont ya.

[RoAus]

No our county is mostly city, we have some sticks (wooded area) in the northern part of the county but we don't have that problem. We don't even have the push bumpers like you guys :( we've been trying but no go. They say since we are not allowed to pit we don't need them, so we have to leave that up to G.od's S.pecial P.eople.

[ron169]

No our county is mostly city, we have some sticks (wooded area) in the northern part of the county but we don't have that problem. We don't even have the push bumpers like you guys :( we've been trying but no go. They say since we are not allowed to pit we don't need them, so we have to leave that up to G.od's S.pecial P.eople.

Yeah our policy is no P.I.T.s either, but for some reason, when in a felonious chase, the lead vehicle often hits his brakes to late and ''accidently'' causes an accident with the offender vehicle during a turn. Dont ya hate it when that happens.

We got in a chase with an armed robery suspect two weekends ago 30 seconds after he left the store he robbed. The guy ran from he deputies for 15 miles straight into town at 120+ mph. They wound up catching him after he wrecked on his own, but not before driving 90 mph, the wrong way down a one way street, around the courthouse, with traffic. The capt. was pissed that they allowed him to make it into town. The Sgt replied, well its in our policy that we can pit, the capt. replied, its also in the policy not to shoot a fleeing vehicle, but that didnt stop me did it?.

[joshuades]

What does pit stand for? And why would it be even remotely feasible to deny a very good tactic from being used, such as running a suspect off the road?

[ron169]

What does pit stand for? And why would it be even remotely feasible to deny a very good tactic from being used, such as running a suspect off the road?



Precision Imobilization Technique. The reason most departments dont allow it is liability. There is a concern that a court may rule that a PIT is a use of deadly force, and the argument is why use deadly force on a misdemeanor charge. I know the Georgia State Patrol can only PIT on a felony suspect.

[joshuades]

Precision Imobilization Technique. The reason most departments dont allow it is liability. There is a concern that a court may rule that a PIT is a use of deadly force, and the argument is why use deadly force on a misdemeanor charge. I know the Georgia State Patrol can only PIT on a felony suspect.
I can understand liability and use of lethal force concerns. On the other hand, the suspect is using a 2000+ lbs peice of equipment in a highly unsafe way. These courts wouldn't think twice if these suspects were pointing a gun at people, but because it's a car they can stop to think? I wonder if they've ever asked themselves who's liable if the suspect plows their car into someone because they castrate their police force into just following and not being able to end the situation.

[davej518]

There will come a time when LE can not pursue. It is inevitable the way things are going. There are Departments in MN that already have "no chase" policy.

[ron169]

The local City Police is like that. They canpretty much only chase at night when the streets are empty.

[joshuades]

I can definitely understand hanging back in populated areas so as to not incite the suspects into getting more reckless, but a no chase policy would have to be suplimented by air surveilence or the like. A feat which is not agreeable to most small municipality fiscal budgets.

[OC455]

Glad to hear your guy is okay. Deer accidents up in this area are a common thing. In the 7 years I have been working the street, I have tagged 3 deer while on duty. One responding to an accident involving a DWI, the second trying to go home, the third try to get back to my patrol area after relaying traffic tickets. I usually don't write speed unless they're 15MPH over and a poor attitude. I usually write them for something else that is wrong with their vehicle, for an equipment violation that is almost always present, they can fix and it costs nothing if it is corrected.

In general, most people write their own tickets, because of their mouth and attitude.

I'm surprised your guy only got a butt chewin' by the Capt. of Patrol, for the second accident. Ours would have gone up to the Undersheriff and we would have been either suspended or lost vacation days or pay. One of those would have been our disciplinary action. I have heard that our Undersheriff's thinking is that you have done something wrong before, & you just haven't got caught yet......and if you make it on his carpet, you get the worst.

As far as failure to complies with traffic stops (pursuits), saftey and the offense committed is usually the determining factor whether or not a pursuit is terminated. I have only heard of one instance where a Deputy used his car to terminate a pursuit in this area and it was along time ago, and it was not a P.I.T. If I remember correctly two patrols were damaged and the suspect vehicle was totalled....

[JAOwens]

Ron we recently had a deputy total 3 cars in just under 120 days. first was a deer second was while responding to assist wildlife and parks(was tboned while zipping through an intersection with lights and sirens) and i forget what the third was but we started referring to him as "Crash" for a while. You would almost think he didnt like wildlife.

[rcrandall]

There are two kinds of cops; those that have been in accidents and those that will be in accidents. We drive 10 hours a day, in all weather, traffic, and terrain conditions and do so distracted. Paying attention to the radio, the computer, the call your enroute to, thinking about what you might have to do and coming with plans. Don't forget the cell phone and the drink!

[ron169]

There are two kinds of cops; those that have been in accidents and those that will be in accidents. We drive 10 hours a day, in all weather, traffic, and terrain conditions and do so distracted. Paying attention to the radio, the computer, the call your enroute to, thinking about what you might have to do and coming with plans. Don't forget the cell phone and the drink!

Very well said. The best driver on earth cant stop a drunk guy from running a red light.

[ArtFWTx]

Dallas Police has a no pursuit policy thanks to Dallas city government which is known to be a circus anyways. It's really absurd because if Dallas police thinks a pursuit needs to be made, they ask the Dallas Co. Sherriff's department to provide the pursuit or one of the suburbs. Dallas makes live news all the time now with criminals nailing the throttle and taking off hoping they can get out of sight before a Sherriff's car gets there or one of the suburbs. So it's common for a "news" chopper to be making the pursuit so people can watch it on TV while the DPD backs off.

As for me, the guy driving to work or to the store, I'd rather the police pursue and apprehend. I just don't understand the impunity some of these criminals enjoy.

[Jamesb74]

Dallas Police has a no pursuit policy thanks to Dallas city government which is known to be a circus anyways. It's really absurd because if Dallas police thinks a pursuit needs to be made, they ask the Dallas Co. Sherriff's department to provide the pursuit or one of the suburbs. Dallas makes live news all the time now with criminals nailing the throttle and taking off hoping they can get out of sight before a Sherriff's car gets there or one of the suburbs. So it's common for a "news" chopper to be making the pursuit so people can watch it on TV while the DPD backs off.

As for me, the guy driving to work or to the store, I'd rather the police pursue and apprehend. I just don't understand the impunity some of these criminals enjoy.

Arent you glad you live in FT Worth?;)

The Dallas council has and will be a joke for some time unless alot changes. Of course they are only seconded by the DISD council.