Texas Police Arrest Grandma

[jkaetz]

I will have to go against everyone on this. The lady plainly stated that she WOULD show her license "in a minute". no refusal. police are public SERVANTS, not public TYRANTS. a professional will keep his cool and provide RESPECT. no matter what.

Doubtless the woman has had an attitude her whole life. NO EXCUSE. I expect the police to uphold a level of excellence in the face of attitude. furthermore to manhandle an old woman like that opens the dept to injury liability.

Treat my mother like that and win stupid prizes.

It's called respect. She didn't respect the officer and thus ended up getting arrested. Age, race, sexual orientation, and bacon preference don't enter into the equation. You act like a disrespectful person and you will be treated like one as well.

This situation was easy, hand over your license, registration, and insurance and state that you really have to go. One of two things will likely happen, A. You get a warning and told to be careful, B. The ticket is written quickly and you're told to be careful. Either way, you'll be on your way much faster than trying to argue and being belligerent with an officer. Her tone set the stage. Not to mention the quip "Go ahead" when told that she would be arrested.

 

[DocGlock86]

All I seen was a couple of old farts who probably didn't get their senior coffee discount that morning. They both stepped on each others toes from the get-go.

 

[You'll shoot your eye out]

Look, I can't address every comment that I would like to address. There are too many. Let me try a fit all response.

Everything everyone is saying about the woman is true. She was a southern bell who had been on a pedestal all her life. As an older belle she is very used to the added social benefits that her age has brought. She has a cultural expectation of preferential treatment brought on by her life of privilege. Why do I think this? Her age tells me the era when she was raised and her location tells me her local culture. Her behavior confirms my assumptions.

Yes I believe she had to pee. her demographic does not support believing her to be a serial speeder, blue-haired old ladies are normally the slowest on the road. Yes this is an excuse, just not a legal or a good one. She definitely expected preferential treatment and exhibited righteous indignation upon not receiving it. She treated the officer like an uppity servant and was relying on his recognition of her superior cultural status.... Oops, no luck there.

Now the officer. He has a duty to patrol. He says wtf? and pulls her over for speeding. Upon first contact I was able to recognize her problem. As a Texas officer he certainly should be aware of the cultural attitudes. That doesn't mean that he has to subscribe to them but he did know what was up. I believe that this is where it went wrong.

She wanted privileged exception and he wanted unquestioning compliance. An officer needs to have an understanding of cultural habits. How about an example, If a cop told me "Boy, you better keep quiet and sit right there", I wouldn't think a thing about it. If I were a black man, It would be a cultural gaffe that could easily inflame the situation. Boy is an insult to him. Not the cop's fault but still a problem he will contend with. The same thing with unquestioning compliance. The average old woman here is a forgotten helpless powerless figure, and would not think about speaking, let alone resisting. If her culture held her as a revered figure of grace and refinement then she might not be so compliant.

We know why the lady was in a hurry, why was the officer in a hurry? Once he stopped her then she was his only duty and responsibility. if he was rushed he could of let it go. It may of been legal to arrest this woman but it was not necessary. It could of been avoided with a small amount of patience. Explain calmly that he was doing this and that she should comply. Explain that she had no other choice. Might of worked, maybe not.

Everything up to now is irrelevant. He carried himself gruffly and crudely in public. He demonstrated an ugly sight in front of the populace and manhandled an old woman in his haste to gain compliance. He was Cartman, "YOU WILL RESPECT MA AUTHORITAH!". And I at least, saw it. I had an uncomfortable reaction to it. (cultural response? probably) Bad will is increased.

He could of handled himself with dignity. This was no punk. This was no douchebag. This was no thug. This was somebody's mother and or grandmother. A citizen. (even if a *****) No benefit came to society from this encounter. Even if his decision was to arrest an obtuse elitist noncompliant woman, he should of handled THAT better too. She would have submitted herself to arrest with out him putting his hands on her like the thug he showed himself to be. It's not good ethically or medically to manhandle an old woman. I always expect the policeman to be the one taking the higher road. He is the protector of my society and damn well better represent himself as an example of it. My opinion, and that's all.

 

[You'll shoot your eye out]

All I seen was a couple of old farts who probably didn't get their senior coffee discount that morning. They both stepped on each others toes from the get-go.

And this is the most wisdom in this thread up till now.