Square Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 The sad truth is you have a lot of people become police officers for the wrong reasons. They are very controlling type A personalities and a large amount of them really aren't that intelligent. Many cops make an immediate attempt in all encounters to establish their dominance over the situation. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sox Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Apparently he drew his gun as well. Dallas police chief apologizes for conduct of officer that drew gun on NFL player at hospital Officer Powell may well lose his job.At the very least he should be transferred to a position that doesn't involve dealing with the public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBalata Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 * Thomas' wife detained by Moats' cop Comment Email Print Share ESPN.com news services Another allegation has surfaced against the officer who prevented Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats from entering a hospital to see his dying mother-in-law last week. The Dallas Morning News reports that Maritza Thomas, wife of former Cowboys linebacker Zach Thomas, was handcuffed and spent approximately three hours in jail after Dallas officer Robert Powell pulled her over for an illegal U-turn in July 2008. "This in no way compares to what happened to Ryan Moats and his family," Thomas told The Morning News. "But we wanted to tell our story, not knowing how many others have been affected by Officer Powell. We know the vast majority of the Dallas police force are good and professional people, but this guy just seems excessive." Four of the five tickets issued against Maritza Thomas were later dropped including failure to show proof of insurance, running a red light, improper address on driver's license and a registration sticker was not on the windshield. She accepted deferred adjudication for the illegal U-turn charge, and her record will be cleared next month. "This situation never should've happened," Maritza Thomas' attorney, Brody Shanklin told The Morning News. "Unless extraordinary circumstances exist, no person should be arrested for a Class C citation. In this case, it was an example of Officer Powell being overzealous and exerting his authority in a manner that he never should have." Bob Gorsky, Powell's attorney, defended his client's actions. "I do understand that an arrest on multiple traffic charges happens often and is absolutely proper under these circumstances," Gorsky told The Morning News. "Often, when there are multiple charges, an arrest made and bond posted, some of the charges from a single event are later dropped." Powell pulled over Moats for running a red light on his way to the hospital to see his dying mother-in-law. Powell detained Moats for 13 minutes, in which time his mother-in-law died. Powell issued an apology on Friday. A Dallas police spokesman declined to comment but said the department would investigate any complaint filed against Powell, who is on administrative leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Powell issued an apology on Friday. Hogwash. The only reason he is sorry is so he can keep his job. Guys like him revel in displaying there power. He's not sorry. Remember the scene in Pulp Fiction where Bruce Willis is almost butt plugged? I wish what happened to the black actor (can't remember his name) upon Officer Powell. Yeah I said it...what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 Texans RB Ryan Moats and his wife Tamishia said Monday that they have accepted the apology of police officer Robert Powell. While Moats said he hoped the apology was sincere, he added that he's left it up to his wife to determine whether she wanted to hear from Powell. Tamishia said she would appreciate a personal apology and would accept it "because, you know, he's a human being so we would, definitely." Wow some classy people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Wow, the Moats clan is displaying a lot more class than most people would these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Wow, the Moats clan is displaying a lot more class than most people would these days. +1 - they seem like good people. From Ryan staying outside to them not being out for blood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msaint Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Remember the scene in Pulp Fiction where Bruce Willis is almost butt plugged? I wish what happened to the black actor (can't remember his name) upon Officer Powell. Yeah I said it...what. Ving Rhames/"MarcellusWallace" That cringe-worthy rape scene provided one of my favorite exchanges in movie history. After Butch (Bruce Willis) slices the one guy open with the samurai sword, saves Marcellus (though not soon enough to NOT be anally raped), and rapist Zed is cowering in the corner with his nuts shot off... Butch: You ok? Marcellus: Naw, man...(pause)...I'm pretty f*cking far from ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboyz1 Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I kind of doubt it. I'm white and have had scumbag cops ride my ass about petty inconsequential things before. I feel had I been in this same circumstance with this same cop he probably would have been a dick to me too...just my feeling. You could be right but I am pretty sure you would have been let go. Just when i think we are making progress as a sociaty I see stuff like this. Truth is the ONLY way this guy could have ignored the pleas of all involved and continue to insist on detaining Moats was that he saw him as INHUMAN period. Most human beings have a sense of compassion so long as the are seen as fellow humans. However, when a man like this cop see's Moats and the other woman in the car pleading for relief he just ignores them and even puts his gun on them, it shows clearly that he doesn't think of black people as human beings at all that deserve compassion or understanding. He could have just put them down like dogs if the situation esclated and still thought "he was doing his job". If the department doesn't fire this guy for rasicm immediatly and forget about him then there are still people in high position in that department that think just like him and until that changes then we will still have racist cops out there treating minorities like non humans. Now that said, we blacks have to start behaving like human beings also in order to earn that respect because there are still examples in ever city and around the world that we treat eachother the same way as that cop treated Moats. So I also realize the mirror shows the same reflection no matter the person looking into it is black or white! Treating peoplel like animals is just that, inhuman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 You could be right but I am pretty sure you would have been let go. Just when i think we are making progress as a sociaty I see stuff like this. Truth is the ONLY way this guy could have ignored the pleas of all involved and continue to insist on detaining Moats was that he saw him as INHUMAN period. Most human beings have a sense of compassion so long as the are seen as fellow humans. However, when a man like this cop see's Moats and the other woman in the car pleading for relief he just ignores them and even puts his gun on them, it shows clearly that he doesn't think of black people as human beings at all that deserve compassion or understanding. He could have just put them down like dogs if the situation esclated and still thought "he was doing his job". If the department doesn't fire this guy for rasicm immediatly and forget about him then there are still people in high position in that department that think just like him and until that changes then we will still have racist cops out there treating minorities like non humans. Now that said, we blacks have to start behaving like human beings also in order to earn that respect because there are still examples in ever city and around the world that we treat eachother the same way as that cop treated Moats. So I also realize the mirror shows the same reflection no matter the person looking into it is black or white! Treating peoplel like animals is just that, inhuman. I agree with Crazysight, as sad a spectacle as that was I didn't see anything that suggested it was race related. I've been harassed by cops before & treated as if I didn't matter. I think this guys just has a serious lack of good judgment & compassion. It's a shame too because it seems a lot of black people think that when they get a bad shake it's only because of their color and whether it is warranted or not things like this only support that thought process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I agree with Crazysight, as sad a spectacle as that was I didn't see anything that suggested it was race related. I've been harassed by cops before & treated as if I didn't matter. I think this guys just has a serious lack of good judgment & compassion. It's a shame too because it seems a lot of black people think that when they get a bad shake it's only because of their color and whether it is warranted or not things like this only support that thought process. +1 IMO, anyone seeing this definitely as racist just has a chip on the shoulder and is looking for it. Now I could be wrong, since I have no idea what it is to be black, but I've been treated like I was dung on the bottom of a cop's shoe before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboyz1 Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 +1 IMO, anyone seeing this definitely as racist just has a chip on the shoulder and is looking for it. Now I could be wrong, since I have no idea what it is to be black, but I've been treated like I was dung on the bottom of a cop's shoe before. Yes but was an immediate family member dieing at the time and was others telling the cop that also, including two nurse's and a fellow cop. Or basically what I am saying is given this dire situation, was your example compariable? Because there are just $hitty people out there, I recognize that, but even those people can many times find compassion in dire straits. This Cop didn't which begs the question why? I don't know isn't good enough and neither is he was just a Tool. I gave you my answer and chip on shoulder or not, i haven't heard a better one that explains this one away yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted April 1, 2009 Author Share Posted April 1, 2009 I agree with Crazysight, as sad a spectacle as that was I didn't see anything that suggested it was race related. I've been harassed by cops before & treated as if I didn't matter. I think this guys just has a serious lack of good judgment & compassion. It's a shame too because it seems a lot of black people think that when they get a bad shake it's only because of their color and whether it is warranted or not things like this only support that thought process. Would he have pulled a gun on a white family? Does running a stop sign warrant that reaction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicster Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 While I certainly respect the opinion of Cowboyz', I have to disagree. I just don't think that it is fair that everytime there is a ruckus between a white person in power and a black person, that it is a direct result from the white person being racist. Yes, there are many instances where the fact that the white person in power is racist and is taking it out on the black person. But there are many more instances where the white person in power is just an idiot and doesn't know any better on how to treat people with respect, and it has nothing to do with the fact the person is white or black. But in this specific case, I don't see anything to lead me to believe that he treated these people this way because they were black. He was simply on a power trip and chose to use bad judgement in his handling of the situation. Basically, he has shown that he doesn't have the mental capacity to handle the pressures of being a Dallas cop. All that and I had a roommate who was training to be a cop about 18 years ago. He tried to pull a 18 year old girl over for speeding on a Sunday morning where she was headed to church. She didn't stop immediately and went on to the church where her family was waiting for her. Because she didn't stop immediately, he chose to treat the stop as a felony. So, when he exited his vehicle he drew his gun and pulled her from her car and put her on the ground and cuffed her, all of this in front of the church and her family. Needless to say, this guy never made it as a cop. She wasn't black or anything, but I knew this guy was just an incident away from losing it on someone because he was one of those guys who got picked on and the gun made him more of a man in his eyes. We've all had to deal with incidents like this from time to time, it's part of what happens to people who are in a position of authority. Happens in management at work as well. What's the saying, "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sox Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 This wasn't a racial deal. It was a not too bright control freak turned cop that had no clue how to deal with a fluid situation.He also had the problem of having zero people skills or empathy as to the plight of others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboyz1 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 (edited) While I certainly respect the opinion of Cowboyz', I have to disagree. I just don't think that it is fair that everytime there is a ruckus between a white person in power and a black person, that it is a direct result from the white person being racist. Yes, there are many instances where the fact that the white person in power is racist and is taking it out on the black person. But there are many more instances where the white person in power is just an idiot and doesn't know any better on how to treat people with respect, and it has nothing to do with the fact the person is white or black. But in this specific case, I don't see anything to lead me to believe that he treated these people this way because they were black. He was simply on a power trip and chose to use bad judgement in his handling of the situation. Basically, he has shown that he doesn't have the mental capacity to handle the pressures of being a Dallas cop. All that and I had a roommate who was training to be a cop about 18 years ago. He tried to pull a 18 year old girl over for speeding on a Sunday morning where she was headed to church. She didn't stop immediately and went on to the church where her family was waiting for her. Because she didn't stop immediately, he chose to treat the stop as a felony. So, when he exited his vehicle he drew his gun and pulled her from her car and put her on the ground and cuffed her, all of this in front of the church and her family. Needless to say, this guy never made it as a cop. She wasn't black or anything, but I knew this guy was just an incident away from losing it on someone because he was one of those guys who got picked on and the gun made him more of a man in his eyes. We've all had to deal with incidents like this from time to time, it's part of what happens to people who are in a position of authority. Happens in management at work as well. What's the saying, "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."? Well said. I would like to believe this and is quite possibly true as I am not God and have no powers to get into this guys mind. That said, I can certainly see your argument and would like to believe the guy was just as you say "A guy on a Power trip". I just have a hard time picturing the same situation as a white Family pulls up to the Emergency room and files out pleaing that a lovedone is dieing and the cop doing the exact same thing. Maybe it is me and I am bias but I just have a hard time with that. I so hope I am wrong and I am a bit overzealous when it comes to this sort of thing because it seems to happen so much more often to us. But this is exactly the kind of conversation I enjoy with guys like all of you on this board so I can see and view others views and log them into memory so that I may make better and more informed judgements on what I see. Our country is getting so much better, because in days past this post would take on a whole other direction. That said, until I see a bunch of White Baby's (God forbit that for any child) with there bellies so buldging out from hunger that it hurts to watch, asking for help, I still say we have a long way to go until we all see eachother as human beings with equal compassion. Espesially those foreign leaders who see this every day and do nothing but line their own pockets and stay far away from shanti land. Then again maybe I am a dreamer and utopian fool to think this world will ever see that day, then again I never thought I would see Obama as President, so I have to hope right? Edited April 1, 2009 by Cowboyz1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted April 1, 2009 Author Share Posted April 1, 2009 While I certainly respect the opinion of Cowboyz', I have to disagree. I just don't think that it is fair that everytime there is a ruckus between a white person in power and a black person, that it is a direct result from the white person being racist. No not everytime, but there can be profiling even if the cop isn't racist himself. The policies can be. I still don't believe if a white family ran a stop sign and pulled into a hospital a gun would be pulled. Drawing a gun over a traffic issue makes no sense to me. The people were running away from the officer so he can't say he felt threatened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sox Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Drawing a gun over a traffic issue makes no sense to me. The people were running away from the officer so he can't say he felt threatened. He wanted them to know that they had better obey his orders or...well you know...something bad might happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 (edited) The Dallas police officer who detained Ryan Moats while Moats' mother-in-law was dying in the hospital on March 18 has RESIGNED Edited April 1, 2009 by tazinib1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboyz1 Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 The Dallas police officer who detained Ryan Moats while Moats' mother-in-law was dying in the hospital on March 18 has RESIGNED The world is just getting better and better. Pressured to do so I am sure, so well done DPD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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