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DBursey · Jul 30, 2004, 04:55 PM

Cleanliness demands sacrifice. Here's another of our operatives detaining a suspect. Um, don't let the orange jumpsuit concern ya none.

demograph68 · Jul 30, 2004, 05:17 PM

I could see Pay Day doing a public service announcement about this. It could be good publicity.

nredman · Jul 30, 2004, 05:37 PM

Now, if this mechanic guy, was, in fact, eating a 5th Avenue bar, as he claimed, wouldn�t you agree he would have no problem picking one out from a candy line-up?

Zimphire · Jul 30, 2004, 05:46 PM

Originally posted by typoon:
Yes but the cops can't just ask you for ID for no reason unless they have good cause.

Really? Where did you read that? The cops can stop you and ask you for you ID any time they want to.

And unless you are doing something bad, you should really have no reason to complain.

Zimphire · Jul 30, 2004, 05:47 PM

Originally posted by DBursey:

In my opinion there should be no conceivable criteria under which a 12-year-old girl is handcuffed for violating a law prohibiting the consumption of food in a public space.

In my opinion she deserved it. Maybe the cop thought he was teaching her a lesson that obviously her parents haven't.

Zimphire · Jul 30, 2004, 05:49 PM

Originally posted by turtle777:
Seconded. HE should get a Medal of Honor.
And that women should get at least 3 years in prison.
Or even better, life-long, just to make sure, she NEVER EVER eats a candy bar again !

-t

Mac Zealot · Jul 30, 2004, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by Ghoser777:
So wait, the cop should have let the woman keep walking away after he tells her to stop? She was being dumb, that's all.

Yes. The cop is being paid for his time and should be looking into other things rather than a stupid waste of time.

This isn't about someone's ego. Their job as a security guard or cop is to protect the people from dangerous criminals. I dunno about you but eating a candy bar isn't putting anyone else's lives in danger to me.

bstone · Jul 30, 2004, 06:12 PM

I am a member of the State Auxiliary Police (part-time police, basically). I've been told that if an officer asks or orders someone to stop, they don't have to. There is a Supreme Court ruling to that effect. Police cannot detain you "just because". If they suspect you are involved in a crime is different from committing a crime. If you have comitted a crime, it's a different story.

I believe that this is an incredinly heavy handed tactic and entire a waste of resources.

Ghoser777 · Jul 30, 2004, 06:23 PM

What if someone walked in naked? Like a dirty ugly man? (and no, it shouldn't matter if it's Jenna Jameson or Keira Knightly for that matter). He's not dangerous, just breaking the law. Seems like a waste of tax payers money to give him a citation.

Zimphire · Jul 30, 2004, 06:25 PM

http://www.flexyourrights.org/scenario/streetstop.html

angaq0k · Jul 30, 2004, 06:35 PM

Originally posted by turtle777:
Seconded. HE should get a Medal of Honor.
And that women should get at least 3 years in prison.
Or even better, life-long, just to make sure, she NEVER EVER eats a candy bar again !

-t

I think that with this tool:

she won't chew again.

Prevention is the key though...

Hugi · Jul 30, 2004, 07:29 PM

Great thread, good to know about this. I'll definately make sure I don't make mistakes such as finishing candy bars in public the next time I visit the US. I love to learn about other cultures.

Amorya · Jul 30, 2004, 07:47 PM

Originally posted by Zimphire:
Naw, it's just totally lack of respect of authority.

The arm-chair whiners here weren't there. Didn't see her body language.

And yes, when asked for ID, you should always give it. See when refusing to that leads one to suspect for some reason, you don't want someone to know who you are.

If that isn't the case, the gal was just being a brat. Her mom needs to slap the taste out of her mouth and teach her some manners.

What about if she wasn't carrying any ID? Do you have a law that states you must carry ID?

I know I usually go out without any... I don't drive so don't have a licence. Apart from my passport (which I'm not about to carry everywhere), I have a university card and a railcard. They're my only pieces of photo ID. I take the former if I'm likely to want student discount, and the latter when I'm going to travel by train.

The UK's thinking of introducing mandatory ID cards... and you still won't have to carry them with you everywhere! If the law wants you to show ID, you'll have a few weeks to return with ID card.

Amorya

OH-N'omac · Jul 30, 2004, 07:54 PM

Originally posted by BasketofPuppies:
As the article points out, many have criticized authorities for excessively enforcing this law, but unless you're willing to take it to court to get it overturned or are able to convince the legislature that it should be repealed, it's still the law and the police are well within their rights to do what they did.

Oddly enough, it's been to the supreme court already...well, not the candy bar part, but the part where you have to show ID if asked by law enforcement. Good? Bad? Beats me. It sounds like she had a crappy attitude. I don't know enough about what happened to say who was right or wrong, but if you give a cop a crappy attitude and refuse to show ID when asked, you shouldn't be too surprised if they act like a prick in response.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04174/335719.stm

fiesta cat · Jul 30, 2004, 08:13 PM

Originally posted by andi*pandi:
Are we all under police state where we have to show ID whenever anybody asks for it?

It's getting that way. All the government/police/etc. have to do is say "You don't want another 9/11 do you??" and most people say "gosh no, we understand. Whatever you have to do to protect us".

Ghoser777 · Jul 30, 2004, 09:22 PM

Originally posted by Hugi:
Great thread, good to know about this. I'll definately make sure I don't make mistakes such as finishing candy bars in public the next time I visit the US. I love to learn about other cultures.

D.C. subway. You generally can eat candy bars in public.

angaq0k · Jul 30, 2004, 09:40 PM

Originally posted by fiesta cat:
It's getting that way. All the government/police/etc. have to do is say "You don't want another 9/11 do you??" and most people say "gosh no, we understand. Whatever you have to do to protect us".

That woman needed protection from candies induced self-destruction; at the rate obesity is going and tooth decay and diabetes, that policeman was a good samaritan...

waxcrash · Jul 30, 2004, 11:20 PM

Originally posted by typoon:
Actually she was arrested.

And she got a $10.00 fine.

Banghazi · Jul 30, 2004, 11:26 PM

Originally posted by OSX Abuser:
Should of made her lick the third rail

I agree.

damn hippies with their candybars on trains..

JohnnyAppleseed · Jul 30, 2004, 11:44 PM

I was almost arrested once for eating a lady on a subway. She was sweeeeet!

macroy · Jul 31, 2004, 12:12 AM

Originally posted by turtle777:

For Pete's sake, he's a freakin' Transit Officer, not a full-blown cop. Whatever happened to this country that chewing a candy bar makes you suspicious...

Metro Transit Officers' ARE sworn Law enforcement officers. Did he go a bit far? Probably, but it seems she sort of brought it on by being a smart ass and telling him to piss off - albeit not in those exact words....

Captain Obvious · Jul 31, 2004, 03:43 AM

Originally posted by macroy:
Did he go a bit far? Probably, but it seems she sort of brought it on by being a smart ass and telling him

She. It was a chick cop. Officer Cherrail (which i can only assume is a deviation of Cheryl) whom I have not seen on camera and Stephanie Willett who is a huge lard ass. Just two people from south east getting sassy with each other it turns out.

theolein · Jul 31, 2004, 09:16 AM

Originally posted by typoon:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/07/....ap/index.html

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A government scientist finishing a candy bar on her way into a subway station where eating is prohibited was arrested, handcuffed and detained for three hours by transit police

Metrorail has been criticized in the past for heavy-handed enforcement of the eating ban. In 2000, a police officer handcuffed a 12-year-old girl for eating a French fry on a subway platform.

In 2002, one of their officers ticketed a wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy patient for cursing when he was unable to find a working elevator to leave a station. Unflattering publicity eventually led the police to void the ticket.

Stupid fu�ken cops need to die in masses. Makes Singapore seem like a liberal paradise.

Ghoser777 · Jul 31, 2004, 10:21 AM

How nice. They swear to defend and protect us, and when you have two incidents (only one of which, the 12 year old one, is really stupid) of where cops go over the line - let's f'n kill them. Great idea

It's so much easier to notice the bad than the good, eh? Let's localize the problem just to D.C. transit cops, please?