Can I get fries with that.....??!!

Very Well said cuz!!

I personally know this women and think she is a nice lady; however I read the report and knowing how fiesty she can get and believe every bit of the Officer's report. Read the report before you take an opinion either way. I dont care how old Jean Merola is, when an Officer asks you to move up, well darn it you move up. Even if he says, Hey lady get the f*ck out of my way, you still move up, get the cops name and report him. If she wanted to talk to someone important, like the chief, she should have moved forward and waited for someone, say a sergeant to respond. Not sit there and cause a scene. For god sake, she got her food and still refused to move. What was he suppose to do? Leave then get a complaint from McDonald's, because he didn't do his job. He was in a lose lose battle and the sad part is none of you pricks want to back up your fellow Officer. Instead you want to bash him. I love the comments about who the witness' were, i.e. "Mexican Girl". What the hell difference does it make. The McDonald's staff had to have an employee outside directing people around Mrs. Merola, collecting money and handing out food. This is an obvious danger to the McDonald's staff this Officer had no choice but to make a decision. Good job Parco and shame on Mrs. Merola for not doing the right thing. MOVE YOUR CAR!

I know her too. The point is she was waiting on her food at the drive thru and he (Parco) was pissed he could not get around her. She did move up as instructed by McDonalds and was waiting in the drive thru line. Parco then blew his horn at her and claims he could not get around and she was holding up the line. Ok, first what law has she broken? She did as asked and pulled forward ,still no law being broke. Parco is now steamed, ok too bad wait in line like everone else. Now he is so irritated he gets out of his car and asks her for her DL and registration. If he was blocked in, how did he get out of the car? If you are an officer like you claim to be, ask yourself HOW DID PARCO get out of his car? I have been at that same McDonald's there is NO Way you can exit the car without manuevering your vehicle, so if he could do that why didn't he have enough room to get around her??? Fact is he was pissed off and wanted to show his authority. Again, no law was broken she did nothing wrong. Now that I laid it out, you look like the fool too. There are good cops at CPD, also some with no common sense and Parco fits the bill on that one. What a joke!!!!!!

He may have been an Officer from another state prior but this is Florida so that is no excuse. My question is why did a supervisor allow this to take place. This is a case of Pissed Off Police Officer. Why was he behind her honking and waving his arms, that just makes no sense to me at all. Regretfully we all have these types in our Departments so do not hold us all in the same regards as the few that are like this. In no way did that women deserve a Disorderly charge according to what I have read. And as for read the police report, I mean come on, do you think he is gunna put in there " ya I was pissed and took her to jail for no reason".

I am just glad it was not my department. lol

I come from a law enforcement family from another state and have been living in Pinellas County for several years. My grandfather was a police officer who was killed on the job. He left behind a young, widow who never remarried and several children who became police officers themselves. So my level of respect and gratitude for police officers is quite high, perhaps higher than that of an average citizen. My expectations of professionalism, honesty, courtesy and integrity for police officers are quite high, too. I personally witnessed rudeness, incompetence, bullying, and completely shoddy police work by Pinellas County deputies (and two supervisors). I was shocked. I read the police report which was full of inaccuracies and mistakes. I do understand now why normal, hardworking people can't stand the cops. I can only conclude that this attitude begins at the top. I'd like to see more PCSO deputies walking the beat rather than driving around in cars. I'd like to see a sheriff who spent the majority of his career as a regular cop. So, fellow citizens, remember that that 75 year old senior citizen could be your mother, your grandmother, your sister, your wife and someday your daughter. It's time for a change in leadership at the PCSO.

but the St Pete Times is one of the most unbiased, honest, ethical, even sided, fair reporting newspapers in the country. They would NEVER slant a story to fit the stereotypical liberal view of law enforcement....

Congratulations! Your po-dunk police department made Fox News
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,324249,00.html

I applaud officers that can keep a cool head, deal with argumentative people, and use their verbal skills to solve a problem. You are truly "Law Enforcement Professionals" and a value to our society.

On the other hand, your fellow hot-tempered, bullying officers are turning the USA against the entire body of police officers. I hope you wise, seasoned officers will intervene and teach these punks and bullies how to be real cops.

This is what we used to call a P.O.T. bust. In other words P issing O ff T rooper. A POT bust would generally result in time off for the trooper involved after the AI (Administrative Investigation) was over. Most POT busts never made the paper. If and when they did, since the Trooper embarrassed the department with a massive lack of common sense, they would be fired or sent somewhere in the bowels of HQ where interaction with the public was non existent.

Hopefully, Mrs Merola will obtain a large cash settlement, to keep her in McDonald's for years to come.

The other thing that a POT bust would generate is peer pressure that would often cause the trooper involved to seek employment in something other than law enforcement. Amazing how the lack of backup works to change someone's attitude.

Relax people! More to this than the St Pete Slimes put out there!

If she wanted it "Her way", she should have gone to Burger King!

...Like anybody wants a P.O.'d granny angrily spitting denture juice on the plexiglass all the way to county. ALL of us go way, way, way out of our way to avoid that...if only the arrestee's would do the same.

Maybe I should cruise by Top'o'the World and sit idly in the exit lane with my high sodium fries, a triple whopper, and a literacola. Bet that would make the news.

Typical idiots who speak/type before they even attempt to gather the facts. The ORDINANCE straight from the city's website:

Sec. 21.11. Disorderly conduct; obstruction of public places.

Subsection (2)

"Obstruction of public places. It shall be unlawful for any person after first being warned by a law enforcement officer to willfully obstruct the free, convenient, and normal use of the Pinellas County Trail or of any public or quasipublic sidewalk, curb, bicycle path, walking area, mall or that portion of private property utilized for public use, so as to endanger the safe movement of pedestrians or vehicles thereon; and no person after being warned by a law enforcement officer shall willfully block or obstruct, or willfully prevent the free access to the entrance to any building open to the public. "

Seems like this would apply well to this situation.

You think these TV and newspaper reports would at least put the facts out there.

Officer Parco did not use the "Misdemeanor" act of Disorderly Conduct as several media outlets have reported. He instead used the ARRESTABLE Ordinance Violation.

Mayor Frank, if you opened your mouth before you had the facts, shame on you! We are waiting to hear it from you mouth. Then the SUPPORT RITA GARVEY campaing will begin. And shame on the PD for not releasing a statement. I am sure Wayne would have set the entire situation straight.

Pleading with some cranky geezer for 20 minutes? Asking her to move her vehicle up 1 foot? Warning her she could be arrested? And the officer has a witness who backs up his account of the situation. Sounds again like a communist "news" paper with an axe to grind against law enforcement. The media also fails to report that she would have been release with what amounts to a ticket if she had dropped the granny-knows-best attitude and provided the information that the officer asked her for.

Attention OLD BAG! You might beat the charge, but you didn't beat the ride. Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame before you take your dirt nap.

Well done Officer Parco!

I can not believe those who are bashing this cop ( I will not type his name since I doubt many of you would like your name on here) You are suppose to be brothers. No matter what! You should be sticking up for him even if he was wrong. (which if you were not there then you really have no say) Image if this was you. And don't reply with I would never do that. You really don't know because you were not there.
For those of you posting that she is a 75 year old woman. oh boo hoo... Then a 75 year old woman should have learned to respect people by now. Are you honestly going to tell me that a 75 year old woman can't shoot you. When you start to treat people like they are old and feable is when you get your butt in trouble. You have to treat everyone like they are a criminal unfortunatly. You can do that with respect or not.

Also why is no one bashing Frank Hibbard? I mean I know him so does that mean that I can treat anyone the way I want to and I get to go on good morning America because I know him? Wow!! Must be nice.
That woman shoud be ashamed of herself for taking this as far as she has. She really wanted her 15 minutes of fame before she kicks the bucket!