This *can't* be legal. Luckily the biker was recording.

Off duty cop walks up to a biker at a red light with gun drawn, is a complete douchebag, and then yanks the guy's wallet.

'Driving reckless' or not, I'd have shit myself to turn around and see this.

I can't find the video anywhere else online. Here's a link to the FB video the local news posted -- video should play without being logged into Facebook.

LINK TO VIDEO

ETA: we have a story now. The cop was placed on administrative leave, effective tomorrow. He's from my home town but this took place in Seattle. Incident took place in April.

ETA: as more details come out, it appears the cop wasn't actually off duty. And did eventually identify himself.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Copefree,

Hmm. Can't say it tells the whole story, but if it's just a speeding violation, will this not end badly for the ossifer? GOTs to be more to this. Like dude was recklessly endangering someone, etc., but then that should be on the same video (unless it conveniently was deleted?).

Wow, nut job! Looks like he's showing it, but trying not to have other folks see what he's doing.

either there is a whole lot more to this story or the cops ass should be grass

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Wow, nut job! Looks like he's showing it, but trying not to have other folks see what he's doing.

Is he going to count to 10?

I'd have my hands high in the air and wouldn't move a muscle no matter what he said

I'm not qualified to give any opinion except for: If that was me on the bike, I'd be going home to change my diaper.

I don't know what happened before the video, but the rider surely seems surprised when the guy came into view. I never heard the man identify himself as a police officer or detective, he presented a weapon and began giving orders. Easily confused as a road rage incident or robbery.

I wonder how many members including LEO would have responded pulling up in traffic on a man holding a rider at gun point and reaching into his front pocket.

That is an exceedingly poor approach in 99.9999999% of all circumstances, maybe even 100%, though I suppose there's some conceivable scenario where it's necessary/warranted.

He's lucky he wasn't treated like a car jacker or worse. Generally, plain clothes LE actions ought to be outlawed in all but the most extraordinary circumstances, for their safety...

Unbelievable....he should have contacted the local Sheriff with a marked vehicle to make the stop.

What would have happened if a passer by thought it was a hold up or something?

Wow... I'd like to see the rest of the pre-video driving.

Call me paranoid, but when I'm on the bike, I usually keep an eye on the vehicle behind me and its doors when stopped at traffic lights.

I know and work with an depressingly large number of dumb cops.

While I don't know this guy he seems to fit that definition.

Added news story to OP.

I can't imagine what the guy on the bike did to have him run out with a gun on him.

I do find it suspicious the video only started as he was coming to a stop. What did we miss? Did he pop some wheelies and run people off the road? Was he trying to outrun the police? I guess if that's the case the officer has no idea what he is coming up to. All that to say it is too early to pass judgement. I couldn't believe the sheriff was calling to apologize before even hearing the officers side of things.

quote:

Originally posted by hunter62:
I can't imagine what the guy on the bike did to have him run out with a gun on him.

I do find it suspicious the video only started as he was coming to a stop. What did we miss? Did he pop some wheelies and run people off the road? Was he trying to outrun the police? I guess if that's the case the officer has no idea what he is coming up to. All that to say it is too early to pass judgement. I couldn't believe the sheriff was calling to apologize before even hearing the officers side of things.

Let's say he was pulling wheelies. Yep - definitely deserving to be shot.

Let's think about a motorcyclist running people off the road. How is that even possible?

Let's say he was trying to evade arrest. Then, why did he stop - why didn't he just continue on between the stopped cars?

Nobody is more pro-LEO than me - you can read my previous posts - I support law enforcement wholeheartedly. But, it certainly does appear that this interaction was suspicious, to say the least.

I don't know, but I've stopped my share of reckless drivers and unless there was a felony pursuit,etc, I didn't point guns at them. I think that deputy might be in big trouble. (IF) that was just a reckless driver, had I done that I'd have been at risk of being fired, my state certification revoked, and being prosecuted for aggravated assault, a felony in our state. Coincidentally, the last reckless driver I stopped was a guy on a Ninja bike of some kind doing a very lengthy and high speed wheelie. Didn't point a gun at him.

FWIW, when I was gainfully employed, getting involved off-duty was about as likely as anything to get an officer in serious trouble. When/if we got involved off-duty it was prudent to be absolutely certain that our actions were not only lawful, but necessary, and that we were acting within department policy. A lot of off-duty actions I became aware of over the years went sideways in some fashion, resulting in an unrewarding outcome for the officer....

Yep. He's done.

That was just stupid.


Something similar happened a few months ago, our detectives watched a kid driving reckless and called a marked car to stop it. They stayed within view of it till we got there.

Hmmmm. Yikes.

I have a whole host of questions, backstory needed, and witness accounts before I can make a ruling on this one, but ON THE SURFACE, this looks bad.

Since I don't have any of those questions answered, all I can rule on is the video I saw, and I'm not going to do so yet.

A bit of background:

My dept has a "take home car" policy. I have one, and have for 5 years. Not everyone gets one, in fact, I'd estimate less than a fourth of the uniforms have a take home car. They are divided up by precinct, and by squad, and assigned by the Lt over the squad. Some give them based upon seniority, some upon merit, some a mix... I've had one since my first year at this dept, so mine is on merit...

With that info, we are also, take home car or not, REQUIRED by general order to at ALL TIMES be in possession of our badge, ID card, and duty or approved off duty gun. Technically, if one of us got caught ANYWHERE in the county without those items, we could be reprimanded for not having them. Yep, we could be punished, up to and including fired, for not being armed....

As to the policy with the take home cars, we are required to have the radio on, and on the channel assigned to the area we are traveling through. We are required to respond to serious calls that come across, or any on view situations we see. Now that said, we are required to do so for SERIOUS issues. We of course, here in MO, are 24/7 Peace Officers and are never really off duty per state law. We are also allowed to enforce ANY state law, ANYWHERE within the state of MO, at ANY time. So theoretically, even if I was across the state in KC MO, and saw someone speeding, I COULD write them a ticket, despite being nearly 4 hours outside of my local jurisdiction... But I most likely wouldn't unless for some reason I could make the case that it posed an serious danger to someone's life or risk of serious bodily injury...

There would be nothing wrong with doing a traffic stop, in my marked take home car, off duty and out of uniform. On the rare occasion I do so, the first thing I do, after of course, telling dispatch where I am, who I am, and who I am with, is to have a marked car with a uniformed officer start my way, and inform the stopped driver that I have done so.

So, to make a just ruling here, I need to know:

1. What are his agencies policies?
2. What happened before the camera turned on?
3. Who was the stopped driver? Was he a recognized felon or "usual suspect" the officer recognized?
4. WHY was the driver stopped? Did the officer see a hand to hand dope deal? Was the driver fleeing from a crime (he assaulted someone, stole something, etc, etc)?
5. Did the driver, recognized or not, have any type of history, or some type of warrant or caution code attached to the plate? (Maybe the officer had his radio with him and dispatch informed he was wanted for attempted murder or something... far fetched but still, possible and need to know)
6. Was there a recent BOLO (Be On The Look Out) for some other criminal who used a similar type of vehicle in his crimes? I've harped on this before and give the example of a "bank robbery" scenario in many, many other threads. When we get such a description, we usually don't get much from teh scared, hyper, adrenaline fueled victims. We are lucky if the the color and style of the getaway vehicle right, much less a make/model. It happens all the time, a description (vague at best, ie, white pickup truck leaving northbound on (insert state road here)). How many white pickup trucks would be traveling any given road within 10 minutes at any given time of the day? Lots....

Now, if after the answers to all those questions provided at innocuous, and this was just a simple traffic stop for a routine violation... I'd say this officer is gonna at the bare minimum, eat a suspension, and get his ass chewed with some counseling and additional training. Given it is Seattle, they would probably parade him through the streets naked with a shaved head shouting "SHAME" and then crucify him on the highest hill....

Curious to see the updates.

EDITED TO ADD... Unless there was a SIGNIFICANT risk of serious injury, a kidnapping/AMBER alert, active violent crime in progress, or fleeing violent felon, I'm not stopping ANYONE in my unmarked personal car.... I think that is a really bad idea.

Based on the calm anger expressed by the detective, where he judges the rider as endangering everyone, it would not surprise me that he has a personal loss involving a motorcycle. Death of a loved one, family member, or some deep trauma could create a psychological wound that rises quickly when triggered.

It probably took forever to catch up to the alleged reckless rider.

His badge was likely on a belt holder or neck lanyard.

There were other solutions to this problem.