Cops Gone Wild - Bringing A Gun To A Snowball Fight Edition

AngelHedgie

DC cop overreacts to local snowball fight, brandishes gun

According to an eyewitness, a D.C. Police detective (pictured above w/ gun) went nuts after kids pelted his Hummer with snowballs at 14th and U Streets NW this afternoon. The veteran detective got out of his car and eventually grabbed for his gun, displaying it to the crowd. He did not immediately identify himself as a police officer. He calmed down once his fellow uniformed cop arrived. Apparently, someone called 911 to report a man with gun. The snowball fight had been well hyped on Twitter. The news of the incident first broke there.

Video of the incident.

Yeah, this reaches the levels of WTF. Note that the cop didn't identify as such initially, leading someone to call 911 about a crazed gunman. But incidents like this highlight the problematic "us vs. them" mentality we see in the police more and more.

Seriously, a gun at a snowball fight?

Kneel

Talk about unbalanced teams.

On a more serious note, isn't this just the latest in stories of cops with issues that lead them to threaten/use far more force than necessary? What was the last one, beanbag shotgun to the leg?

zerg rush

Outrage. Outrage.

I'm sure the cop has learned his lesson from the mandatory month of paid vacation he's been granted. It's possible he could be put on a desk job, but I'm sure the police union would march against such unfair treatment to an officer.

Rhan9

Hardly seems fair, hiding a stone inside the snowball wouldn't balance out enough, we need to nerf the cops.

On a more serious note, what the hell is wrong with this guy? Kids throw snowballs at his car, so unlike normal people (who'd probably shout at them or something), this guy jumps out of the car and starts waving a gun around, without even identifying as a cop? Talk about overkill reaction. At least he didn't start shooting the kids, that might've got him put to a desk job.

Pony

You know, I don't really think that law enforcement has more violent, hyper-aggressive, psychotic douchebags than other fields of employment, on average.

the difference is

if some Wal-Mart grocery clerk rages the fuck out because a bunch of little shit-headed kids intentionally spill soda all over the floor

someone isn't as likely to get shot.

Staxeon

They just showed a clip of this on my morning news. Well dressed but still plain clothes detective just waving a gun around. In an intersection. Ankle deep in snow. Insane.

I hope some disciplinary action comes down, and I don't just mean paid leave.

dlinfiniti

doesnt it actually take a coupla years of good policing to make detective?

SmokeStacks

I wonder what would have happened if someone had shot him, assuming he was just some sort of crazed gunman.

Likely a huge funeral at taxpayer's expense and a bunch of pissed off cops because, when you're a cop, no matter whether you or he are good cops or bad cops, you "clean up after each other".

If an off-duty member of the armed forces had done the same, I wonder what the reporting would have looked like? Or even just some average Joe who had a concealed carry permit?

Significantly different I'd wager.

I doubt anything will come of this. As much as we don't want to believe it, the Police live under a completely different set of laws that you and me, and anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves. As long as they are not held accountable for their actions in the same manner that we are, there will always be an "us versus them" mentality.

Bendery It Like Beckham

dlinfiniti wrote: »

doesnt it actually take a coupla years of good policing to make detective?

If so then "good policing" is poorly defined.

SmokeStacks wrote: »

If an off-duty member of the armed forces had done the same, I wonder what the reporting would have looked like?

Iraqi Veteran suffering from PtSD terrorizes D.C. youth, more at 11

zerg rush

SmokeStacks wrote: »

I doubt anything will come of this. As much as we don't want to believe it, the Police live under a completely different set of laws that you and me, and anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves. As long as they are not held accountable for their actions in the same manner that we are, there will always be an "us versus them" mentality.

I would celebrate so hard if the USMJ were changed to apply to police.

I would party in the streets until the police had to haul me away, and I'd be so happy I wouldn't even call 'em pigs or nothing.

Malkor

Assistant Chief Peter Newsham tells LL: "There was no police pulling guns on snowball people."

"And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!"

At least no one was hurt.

Eat it You Nasty Pig.

Pony wrote: »

You know, I don't really think that law enforcement has more violent, hyper-aggressive, psychotic douchebags than other fields of employment, on average.

the difference is

if some Wal-Mart grocery clerk rages the fuck out because a bunch of little shit-headed kids intentionally spill soda all over the floor

someone isn't as likely to get shot.

also someone generally gets fired

It was nice, at least in that 30 second video, to see the group of people being pretty responsible about how they handled it. I wonder how long it's going to take police to adapt to ubiquitous video coverage, especially given the assistant chief's statements. I mean guys, just assume someone's got photos, okay?

mcdermott

Staxeon wrote: »

They just showed a clip of this on my morning news. Well dressed but still plain clothes detective just waving a gun around. In an intersection. Ankle deep in snow. Insane.

I hope some disciplinary action comes down, and I don't just mean paid leave.

Well, history suggests you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

kildy

Assistant Chief should learn a lesson about weasel words. "I'm not aware of any of our officers brandishing a weapon at this snowball fight, but I will look into it" leaves you the out of "well shit, you lied and someone photographed your stupid ass" with the cop in question. Yeah it's nice to show confidence in your team with ironclad statements, but look what happens.

As for the incident in general: seriously? I mean they didn't even hit HIM with a snowball, just his freaking car. Maybe some yelling, but the usual response is "fucking kids", not "check out my piece! who wants some!"

The Crowing One

Malkor wrote: »

Assistant Chief Peter Newsham tells LL: "There was no police pulling guns on snowball people."

"And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!"

At least no one was hurt.

What the fuck?

Seriously. The casualness of denials just makes me fear the police even more. Woe to us when the first corporation figures out how to financially back a larger, urban police force.

Henroid

Jobs I've worked in the past have told me that even when not on the job, if I'm present at the location I'm still a representative for the company. So don't act like a jackass. Hey, that's a reasonable thing.

A cop is an employee of the city / county / state. Everywhere he goes he should act with better discretion.

He should face consequences from the chief. But yeah, like was said above, paid leave is more than likely. Which sucks.

The Crowing One

Henroid wrote: »

He should face consequences from the chief. But yeah, like was said above, paid leave is more than likely. Which sucks.

I really need to get up on this whole "fuck up at work get a vacation" thing. I'd kill for it, actually, which seems about right.

Henroid

The Crowing One wrote: »

Henroid wrote: »

He should face consequences from the chief. But yeah, like was said above, paid leave is more than likely. Which sucks.

I really need to get up on this whole "fuck up at work get a vacation" thing. I'd kill for it, actually, which seems about right.

Clearly we're not in the right line of work.

kildy

Henroid wrote: »

Jobs I've worked in the past have told me that even when not on the job, if I'm present at the location I'm still a representative for the company. So don't act like a jackass. Hey, that's a reasonable thing.

A cop is an employee of the city / county / state. Everywhere he goes he should act with better discretion.

He should face consequences from the chief. But yeah, like was said above, paid leave is more than likely. Which sucks.

Even if I'm not at work, anything I do can be taken as representing the company. I wouldn't go to a bar and slag off our customers, for example. It would be a PR nightmare.

You definitely don't pull a gun in DC (where, you know, only cops are supposed to have them) unless you're responding to a life threatening situation you happen to be near. Hypothermia from snowballs isn't nearly fast enough to require armed response, however.

Ego

kildy wrote: »

Assistant Chief should learn a lesson about weasel words. "I'm not aware of any of our officers brandishing a weapon at this snowball fight, but I will look into it" leaves you the out of "well shit, you lied and someone photographed your stupid ass" with the cop in question. Yeah it's nice to show confidence in your team with ironclad statements, but look what happens.

As for the incident in general: seriously? I mean they didn't even hit HIM with a snowball, just his freaking car. Maybe some yelling, but the usual response is "fucking kids", not "check out my piece! who wants some!"

Police, on duty or otherwise, do not take well to anything they consider disrespect. Unfortunately a lot of officers have an exaggerated sensitivity and exaggerated reaction to this disrespect.

I guess Smokestack asked what we all wonder: why shouldn't police officers, at the very least off duty ones, be treated the same way as anyone else when they do something stupid?

kildy

Ego wrote: »

kildy wrote: »

Assistant Chief should learn a lesson about weasel words. "I'm not aware of any of our officers brandishing a weapon at this snowball fight, but I will look into it" leaves you the out of "well shit, you lied and someone photographed your stupid ass" with the cop in question. Yeah it's nice to show confidence in your team with ironclad statements, but look what happens.

As for the incident in general: seriously? I mean they didn't even hit HIM with a snowball, just his freaking car. Maybe some yelling, but the usual response is "fucking kids", not "check out my piece! who wants some!"

Police, on duty or otherwise, do not take well to anything they consider disrespect. Unfortunately a lot of officers have an exaggerated sensitivity and exaggerated reaction to this disrespect.

I guess Smokestack asked what we all wonder: why shouldn't police officers, at the very least off duty ones, be treated the same way as anyone else when they do something stupid?

Because if a snowball gets one to pull a gun, think what they'd do if you actually tried to fire them or dock their pay!

Henroid

Ego wrote: »

Police, on duty or otherwise, do not take well to anything they consider disrespect.

I think that is a lesson that needs to be imparted to everyone, not just cops. "Hey son, when you grow up people are going to give you shit for what you do. Just learn to ignore them."

JustinSane07

People that drive hummers are assholes anyways.

KalTorak

I think Sean Connery said it best when he told Kevin Costner, "They pull a snowball; you pull a gun! They send one of your guys to warm up by the fireplace, you send one of their guys to the morgue! That's the Chicago way!"

Bama

Damn Obama for bringing Chicago politics and law enforcement strategies to DC!

Henroid

KalTorak wrote: »

I think Sean Connery said it best when he told Kevin Costner, "They pull a snowball; you pull a gun! They send one of your guys to warm up by the fireplace, you send one of their guys to the morgue! That's the Chicago way!"

Well played, Mr. Torak.

Bama wrote: »

Damn Obama for bringing Chicago politics and law enforcement strategies to DC!

Also well played.

RUNN1NGMAN

This isn't even close to the most ridiculous thing DC cops have been doing lately.

How about I see your pulling your gun on snowball throwers, and raise you providing protection for a drug dealer while in your patrol car, and driving off after things go bad and a bystander runs up to your car to report a shooting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/16/AR2009121604089.html

Throwing grey dirty snow at each other is not a proper snowball fight, silly DC people

The Crowing One

RUNN1NGMAN wrote: »

This isn't even close to the most ridiculous thing DC cops have been doing lately.

How about I see your pulling your gun on snowball throwers, and raise you providing protection for a drug dealer while in your patrol car, and driving off after things go bad and a bystander runs up to your car to report a shooting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/16/AR2009121604089.html

Throwing grey dirty snow at each other is not a proper snowball fight, silly DC people

"The worst thing an officer can do is betray the public trust," D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said in announcing Jones's arrest Tuesday night. "In this case, the officer went far beyond that. He did so carrying our badge and wearing our uniform."

Sometimes I just want to wave my arms and jump up and down. It would probably get me shot.

Bullhead

JustinSane07 wrote: »

People that drive hummers are assholes anyways.

JustinSane07

I think the best part of that story is that one of the robbers is dead because the other robber shot him.

Who also happens to be his son.

It's like Jerry Springer.

Raiden333

Peachy, I was waiting for this thread to pop back up. If you need proof that the cops are an "Us vs. Them" situation, I present to you Exhibit Motherfucking A.

The article is long, but I'll quote the barebones to give a (still long, but not as long) summary:

IT WAS just after midnight. Brian Westberry and a woman friend sat frozen in his bedroom, hoping the persistent pounding on the front door of his Northeast Philly home would stop. It didn't.

Westberry, 24, slipped his licensed .38-caliber revolver into his pants pocket and crept downstairs to open the door.

There stood Gregory Cujdik, 32, who demanded to see "Jen," his girlfriend. Westberry told him "Jen" didn't want to see him, and repeatedly ordered Cujdik to leave. When Cujdik refused, Westberry threatened to call police.

" 'Do it. My family are cops,' " Cujdik said, according to Westberry.
---
Before Westberry could finish dialing 9-1-1 on his cell phone, Cujdik stepped through the doorway and punched him in the throat, Westberry said.

That's when Westberry pulled out his gun and Cujdik fled, Westberry told the Daily News.

Westberry never fired the gun. In fact, Westberry suffered the only injury when Cujdik staggered him with a punch. But rather than arrest Cujdik, a convicted drug dealer, authorities slapped Westberry with a slew of criminal charges, including felony aggravated assault, possession of an instrument of crime, terroristic threats, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
---
Six months after the incident, on Oct. 6, prosecutors withdrew the charges, but by then Westberry had spent thousands of dollars in legal fees. His record has yet to be expunged.
---
After Cujdik punched Westberry, Westberry completed his call to police. An officer came to his house, took a report and left.

Later that Sunday morning, at about 11 a.m., three or four officers showed up at Westberry's door. Westberry said that he thought the officers would take his statement and arrest Cujdik for assaulting him.

Instead, the officers handcuffed Westberry and led him outside. He saw Gregory Cujdik standing near a police cruiser.

"I heard one of the cops say, 'I don't know him [Gregory Cujdik] but I know his father,' " Westberry said.

Westberry soon learned that Cujdik had just called police - nearly 11 hours after the incident - and told them that Westberry had pointed a gun at him while inside Westberry's house.
---
Officers took Westberry to the 15th Police District, in the Northeast, where he was held in a cell for about three hours.
---
The next day, April 6, Westberry went with his aunt Kitty Ragan to file a private criminal complaint against Cujdik at the D.A.'s office.

"They wouldn't do anything because we didn't have his [Cujdik's] address," Westberry said.
---
Eight days later, on April 13, Westberry was surprised to see Eberhart and two special agents with the state Attorney General's Gun Violence Task Force at his front door.

They asked to see his guns.

An avid gun collector, Westberry had 40 guns, all legal, all registered and all locked up.

"I'm thinking they just want to verify the serial numbers, verify that everything I own is legit," Westberry said.

But they confiscated his guns and said that they had a warrant for his arrest.

"I was shocked," Westberry said. "I asked them how they could do this. It makes no sense. I just couldn't understand."

What Westberry didn't know was that Capt. McGinnis had asked that the case be reopened because he considered it a domestic dispute involving a gun, a high priority in his eyes.

Cujdik "admits he punches [Westberry]," McGinnis said. "He punches him because he sees his hand by his side and he sees a silver gun in his hand.

"He punches him and runs out the door. To be truthful, that would not be unreasonable," McGinnis said.

(Westberry contends that he pulled the gun out of his pocket only after Cujdik punched him.)

"I have zero tolerance for domestics with guns," McGinnis said. "When someone points a gun at you, it's aggravated assault. People kill people all the time in their own home."
---
At a preliminary hearing, Cujdik testified that Westberry had ordered him to leave at least three times and had threatened to call police.

Westberry pointed the gun at Cujdik after he punched Westberry, Cujdik testified.

Municipal Court Judge Teresa Carr Deni dismissed the aggravated-assault charge against Westberry, but held him for trial on all other charges.

Westberry's attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr., said that the case was a head-scratcher. "It didn't appear to me that a crime had been committed by Brian at all."

"It was not worthy of prosecution," Perri said.
---
Last month, Cujdik allegedly delivered a chilling message to Westberry through a mutual acquaintance: "I'm gonna get a couple of guys from North Philly to torch his house."
---
On Nov. 14, Westberry awoke to find the white aluminum siding on the front of his house singed with black soot, a pool of gasoline beneath. There was no other damage to the house.

The city's fire marshal's office ruled the case arson. A police report was sent to Northeast Detectives naming Gregory Cujdik as a "person of interest."

Westberry and his parents allege that the detective assigned to the arson case, Andrew Danks, called them that night and said that he couldn't pick Cujdik up for questioning.

"He said it was Brian's word against [Cujdik's]. He said it was all hearsay. He said there was nothing he could do," said Westberry's father, Glen Westberry, 54.
---
After the Daily News called Northeast Detectives, McGinnis reviewed the case and told a reporter that Cujdik was obviously a suspect.

"Without a doubt, [Cujdik] is a strong suspect," McGinnis said in a Dec. 4 interview.

McGinnis then said that he asked Danks why Cujdik hadn't been questioned. Danks told him that he had planned to interview Cujdik but had a backlog of cases on his desk.

I'd love to see anyone try to defend this.

AngelHedgie

Wow. That's "the US attorney needs to be involved" fucked up.

Sipex

Raiden333 wrote: »

Peachy, I was waiting for this thread to pop back up. If you need proof that the cops are an "Us vs. Them" situation, I present to you Exhibit Motherfucking A.

The article is long, but I'll quote the barebones to give a (still long, but not as long) summary:

...

I'd love to see anyone try to defend this.

Rage Meter: 100%

Make a selection:
> Rant
> Yell
> Stew
> Vigilante Justice

The Crowing One

Rage Meter: 100%

Make a selection:
> Rant
> Yell
> Stew
> Vigilante Justice

Who can make bulletproof latex?

zerg rush

Every time I get away from the "Fuck the police" mindset, those fucking assholes have to kick it up a notch.


Fuck the police.

Raiden333

I didn't add it to the summary since it has no direct bearing on the story, but it's worth noting that the family had some history:

McGinnis said that he didn't know of the Cujdik family until after the Daily News launched its "Tainted Justice" series earlier this year. The series detailed allegations that Jeffrey and Richard Cujdik and other narcotics officers disabled surveillance cameras at corner grocery stores that sold little ziplock bags, which police consider drug paraphernalia.

After the officers cut or yanked camera wires, thousands of dollars in cash and merchandise went missing, the merchants allege. The FBI is investigating the allegations.

CptHamilton

Malkor wrote: »

Assistant Chief Peter Newsham tells LL: "There was no police pulling guns on snowball people."

"And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!"

At least no one was hurt.

OT, but that is a hell of a cellphone shot, assuming this isn't evidence of someone just wandering around with their camera handy.

urahonky

Oh come on... One cop flips the fuck out and it's immediately "fuck the police"? There are unstable people everywhere. Unfortunately that also means there will be unstable police officers.

Couscous

urahonky wrote: »

Oh come on... One cop flips the fuck out and it's immediately "fuck the police"? There are unstable people everywhere. Unfortunately that also means there will be unstable police officers.

When unstable people flip the fuck out, they are fired from their job. When unstable police officers flip the fuck out, they are given paid leave and protected by other members of the force.

Bama

CptHamilton wrote: »

OT, but that is a hell of a cellphone shot, assuming this isn't evidence of someone just wandering around with their camera handy.

One of the articles (possibly that one, I don't remember) mentioned at least one person who was there specifically to photograph the snowball fight.

Sipex

urahonky wrote: »

Oh come on... One cop flips the fuck out and it's immediately "fuck the police"? There are unstable people everywhere. Unfortunately that also means there will be unstable police officers.

I admit the snowball incident doesn't have me at 'fuck the police' but the later story makes me want to say it.

Rational thinking is the only thing keeping me back.