A Chattanooga detective accused of assaulting an elderly Wal-Mart greeter who asked to see his sales receipt has been suspended from duty. [More]He's not really the "Only One" in suspense. I have been too, wondering how all that equal treatment under the law was going to work out...
[Via Ed M]
9 comments:
No charges filed? Why not?
This is a situation where for the first time I have seen some justice.
First off David received an email letter from one of the cops down that way trying to clear the air on this matter. I don't remember any policeman doing anything like that. In fact the only time I can think of was some idiot in Texas dared David to come down to be assulted.
So now this guy has a bad mark on his record. He's lost 28 days of pay and has to jump through a bunch of hoops. Good, maybe he will do better and may in fact keep another loose cannon from going off having this behind him.
For the first time I'm seeing the system working in an assult case.
Unfortunately, if you or I had done the same thing, we would have been arrested for felony assault and battery, had to post bail, had our weapons seized, stood trial at great cost, could possibly serve jail time, would not be able to ever be employed in many jobs, including law enforcement, etc.
Can you say slap on the wrist?
Do you really trust this individual even though he will be forced to sit through an anger management training session?
God help the next person that gets in this guy's way.
What do you think the outcome would have been if the elderly man put up more resistance than falling down?
They don't have to be on duty or in uniform for one of the peasantry to be "interfering with an officer." Government agrees that sworn personnel are never off-duty, are always "on the job."
The New Centurions, indeed.
He may mess with the wrong person, or mess with someone within eyeshot of the wrong person. There are more "wrong persons" than ever, thanks to cops like him. No sympathy.
What WILL the cops be like when HE's old and bagging groceries?
They don't have to be on duty or in uniform for one of the peasantry to be "interfering with an officer." Government agrees that sworn personnel are never off-duty, are always "on the job."
The New Centurions, indeed.
He may mess with the wrong person, or mess with someone within eyeshot of the wrong person. There are more "wrong persons" than ever, thanks to cops like him. No sympathy.
What WILL the cops be like when HE's old and bagging groceries?
While i am not defending the " only one " I have to mention that i do not submit to summary cooperate searches either . In the rare event that our basket chimes and someone from wally world attempts to interdict me i simply say " No thank you i need to get going . " and continue with the goods i paid for to the car/pickup i came in . I dont steal and i dont owe any store verication on that . If an enployee grabs my arm in an attempt to impede me i will park them on their butts also . The instant i pay for a basket of stuff it becomes MINE an no one is going to search it without either consent or a warrant . I choose the the happy elves of wallyworld dont search my stuff . Only an " only one " can and then only after they produce the necessary paperwork . note tho that i am happy to back up to the area by the exit door ( near the checkout ) and discuss things at a " reasonable " tone " of voice if someone really , really wants a look at the receipt .
I think I will make a point to push the very next cop I see. Anybody want to bet my outcome will be far worse than a 28 day unpaid vacation?
While we're in a betting mood, anybody want to bet this asshole doesn't use that 28 days to do security work that only "only ones" can do?
The system did not work. It wasn't used. Grow up.
I am not a thief and I resent being stopped and having to prove it. On the other hand, resent it as I might, I can understand why another citizen whose job it is to protect his employer's property may have an interest in that proof should there be a question raised because of an honest oversight by the cashier.
I don't like it. I make it known. On the other hand I don't attack the person asking, especially not old feeble people.
I have on the other hand demanded the presence of a manager, informing him/her that I would expect a full apology once they had satisfied themselves. I don't put it on the poor sonofabitch just trying to earn his medicine money.
I used to have a bad habit when picking up a few items and my hands became overloaded,of slipping something in my pocket just until I reached the register. Until one time I reached my car and realized I had not removed the item from my pocket, nor had I paid for it. I returned to the store and the same cashier and explained it and paid for the item. However, I have never done that again. If I am going to get more than two items (only two hands), I get a cart and put everything in it, no matter how small.
Should I have been unfortunate enough to have had the alarm go off, I doubt I could have convinced them I wasn't shoplifting. I wouldn't have been able to blame them, either. Ergo, I don't put them in that position, nor myself.
Regardless, I don't physically assault some poor sonofabitch for doing what he is supposed to do.
Of course, I am not an egocentric, mentally challenged, gang member with a badge.
Okay, there's something I realized the other day after the typical Receipt Nazi encounter while leaving WallyWorld. I had always assumed that they were trying to make sure that you paid for everything- that the cashier hadn't let something go past them (if it's not bagged you set off their internal check-the-receipt alarm) without ringing it up.
The reality is that they just want everyone to know that they are watching everyone that leaves the store, just as they want you to know that they see you when you enter the store. It's all about reducing shoplifting by planting it in your mind that they are keeping their eye on you.
There have been studies done showing drastic reductions in theft just by greeting everyone as they come in. Knowing you've been seen is at least a subconscious deterrent.
I always just say "No thank you" when they ask to see my receipt. One "greeter" stopped my cart and refused to let me go unless I showed it to him. After a little convincing he very grudgingly let me go. The only reason I didn't press the issue immediately in a more forceful manner was because he seemed to be a bit mentally challenged. When I called the store manager from the parking lot to tell them what happened, they were very apologetic and said they would go right then and have a nice talk with him.
Next time they try to stop me I'll go straight to the customer service desk, get a manager, and then let them know why I'm returning every single thing in the cart. That seems to be rather productive, I hear.
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