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Pepper-Spraying Texas Cop Update

4K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  Karl Hungus 
#1 ·


A firestorm erupted last March when a video surfaced that showed a Texas police officer pepper spraying a group of motorcyclists riding past his patrol car. Motorcyclists who watched the video (now with more than three million views) were angered at the apparent assault on riders. The cop, William Figueroa, claimed he needed to spray the riders because they wouldn’t vacate the lane next to his patrol car that was pulled over at the side of the road.

Surely the overly aggressive cop would be severely reprimanded for his actions that could’ve hurt or even killed riders as they rode past, right? Well, thanks to our favorite moto-riding attorney, John Butrus, we were able to dig into the situation. Sadly, the outcome of the investigation seems to be far too lenient for an officer who demonstrated a complete lack of concern for the safety of our fellow riders.
Read more about the Pepper-Spraying Texas Cop Update at Motorcycle.com.
 
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#4 · (Edited)
It's not a uniquely American problem, I don't think.

Tolkien once wrote:

“The most improper job of any man, even saints (who at any rate were at least unwilling to take it on), is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity.”

When you offer a job that requires employees to carry guns and sticks (and pepper spray), you're invariably going to attract, in droves, people who are looking for an opportunity to use those things. It used to be that such candidates were weeded out early in the selection process. And while I won't go so far as to say that such personality types are these days being actively recruited, I will say that more and more of them are sneaking in under the wire, so to speak.
 
#9 ·
Texas has a "move over" law. So the cops probably argue that the motorcyclists should have moved over or slowed down to 20MPH under the speed limit. Now, I'm not sure how pepper spraying people will help with that. Clearly the officer used poor judgement and should have been properly investigated. But it's Texas. 'Nuff said.
 
#6 ·
We are over policed, and the police have turned themselves into an occupying army for crying out loud, they even want to wear full combat gear, ridiculous.

Take the guns away and give them stun guns. Far too many situations the guns come out against unarmed citizens.

I almost got blown away years ago by a CHP when a chrome flashlight on the seat caused him to pull out his gun and go totally nuts on me, with a 2 and 4 year old in the back seat. The 4 year old end up with nightmares that went on for over 6 months.
 
#7 ·
It's been out of control for years, and is finely coming to light because of the cameras everywhere.

We have also found out they can't be trusted with the camera information. I remember there for awhile they were confiscating cameras from people. They had a federal judge rule they can no longer do that.
 
#12 ·
I have two family members that are big city cops. They are OK but through them I have met many others. Let's put it this way...they ain't hired for their IQ.

Many were working menial low pay jobs while they hoped their name got to the top of the list. Or they know a politician. And there are a few who like to beat people up for very little reason. Those cops are usually the ones who get right in your face.

Cops murder people and get away with it all the time. Sad.
 
#14 ·
I have two family members that are big city cops. They are OK but through them I have met many others. Let's put it this way...they ain't hired for their IQ.

Here's a guy who was dismissed from the police academy because his IQ was too high. Let that sink in for a minute. They tell us that the bar is lowered because people who test out too high are liable to get bored with police work and abandon the profession. My guess, though, is it's because intelligent people are more given to thinking independently, and are therefore less likely to blindly obey orders that conflict with their own sense of morality. There are many, many things that police officers do every single day that I would never in a million years do to another human being; i.e., forcibly deprive that person his liberty - using violence if necessary - for a victimless crime.
 
#20 ·
Surprised they needed the political connections; many big-city departments are looking for hyper-aggressive, low-information meatheads who can be relied upon inflict violence without any moral pause.
 
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