Florida HP Stop of Miami Policeman Driving 120 mph

[cruisingbull]

First, I consider myself a great supporter of ALL LEO's. Y'all have committed to performing a job which is often aggravating and unrewarded, and you continually find yourself in life-threatening situations.

That said, I cannot understand how some LEOs are criticizing the FHP officer who stopped a speeding (120 mph?) Miami cop, threatening to deprive her of Back-Up on subsequent calls and/or chastising her for drawing her weapon when initially confronting the Miami cop in his car.

As the situation has been reported in thw news, the perp (yes, I am using that term in this case) was traveling, in a Miami PD marked car, at speeds in excess of 100 mph, without using flashing lights or siren. I don't know how long before he pulled over... The FHP officer approached the car with her weapon drawn. WELL, OF COURSE... IMO, she exercised remarkable restraint, and perhaps broke protocol, when she holstered her weapon after the Miami cop presumably identified him in some fashion as a fellow LEO. Had it been me, I would have ordered him out of the car, told him to assume the position, frisked him, and confiscated his weapon if he had one, before I obtained some confirmation of his identity. She didn't know him from Adam, IIRC, and he could have been an escaped felon who had stolen the patrol vehicle.

And what on Earth was the dispatcher doing advising her to fall back and discontinue pursuit when the FHP person initially called it in. If she knew something, Dispatch should have informed the FHP officer, and WHY would Dispatch choose to ignore a vehicle speeding at over 100 mph IN THE FIRST PLACE?!!?

IMO, ANYONE attacking this FHP officer, for performing her duty, is both unthinking and a discredit to the uniform he/she wears.

Kudos to all those who wear the badge to protect us all, facing risk and danger as the normal condition of employment. Without such folks, chaos would quickly ensue.

However, there is a culture among many officers that the law does not necessarily apply to them as it does to the rest of us, and that if a fellow cop breaks the law, it is incumbent upon other cops to ignore it rather than deal with it (Note that a FHP supervisor directed Trooper Donna Watts to back off her pursuit of a car weaving through traffic at 100 to 120mph, just because it was a cop car!). Few things could be more detrimental to a healthy police force.

I applaud and cheer what Trooper Watts did when she pursued and detained Officer Lopez, and I am completely disgusted by officers writing on this forum that they would not answer a call from assistance from Trooper Watts because of what she did. She performed her duty. Others should perform theirs.

You know, we hate Congress when it exempts itself from the burdens it places on the rest of us, and reserves special privileges for itself. We correctly say that such Senators and Representatives are not representing us at all in such things, and that they are corrupt. The same applies to anyone in authority who does the same. When cops arrest others for doubling the speed limit and excuse themselves, they do the same. When cops arrogantly berate a driver for the "danger" he presents by going 10 over the limit on a freeway, they do the same. When they belittle a driver who explains he was late for some appointment, and then protest when one of their own is ticketed for speeding because he is late for a job in Coconut Grove, they do the same.

Officers should know that the population hates that kind of hypocrisy in cops no less than in Congress.

The law is the law. If you're not on a call, don't do what you would ticket or arrest the rest of us for.

[USNavyRet]

This unfortunately is another example of the 'Above the Law' mentality that 'some' LEO's assume. I know that the majority of LEO's out there know the difference between right and wrong, but then there are those who just don't get it. Many a day I am traveling to work and I see marked police cars exceedeing the speed limit (ie 55 in at 35) on there way away from the city they patrol, so they are most likely going home.

This is upsetting to me to see that, knowing darn well that if that were me and I passed their vehicle, I would ge pulled over. So I applaude the FHP office that regardles of what dispatch instructed her to do (that also needs to be investigated), to stop the vehicle and put and end to his 'Fast and furious' ride on the turnpike.

I realize that LEO's serve the community in some very dangerous situations and very often put themselves in harms way dealing with the issues in our socity, but that does not give them one ounce of ability to violate the same laws that they themselves are sworn to enforce.

Being retired military, (21 years) I understand team work and what that requires. I served in Vietnam, and unfortunately, I am well aware of what 'Hell' and 'War' is like. And any officer that would not respond to another officer's request for assistance, because they were enforing the same laws that they were sworn to uphold, should not only be removed from the force, but be proscuted for aiding and abetting the person that was breaking the law.

As far as I an concerned they are traitors to the badge and as just as guilty as the perp.

My son was involved with the Sheriff Explorer program when he was in high school. He came home one day asking how it is that they can drive 90 to get to their events but we can't drive 90 to get to ours... Needless to say, that was a long talk about how some people are two-faced and have one standard for themselves and another standard for everyone else... but that doesn't make it right. Even if it is an LEO that is doing it.

I applaud Officer Watts for enforcing the law regardless of who it is that is breaking it.

Congratulations to the trooper for doing her job. So some cops think being late for work is justification not only for speeding but for driving so fast that you are putting the public at risk?? Seriously??

I am a retired LA County Deputy Sheriff who now lives in southern Nevada. I have absolutely NO PROBLEMS with the actions of the FHP trooper. For heavens sake the only *problem child* here was the moron doing 120+ MPH. And as to the trooper ordering the *SUSPECT* out at gun point----totally correct. The driving pattern of the *SUSPECT* coupled with his refusal to pull over for her lights/siren for approx 7 miles gave her good reason to fear that the patrol car could be stolen, as well as the uniform the *SUSPECT* was wearing. And here is a point for the idiot driving the Miami PD unit---not to long ago a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper was driving just like you, I believe going home to eat dinner. The big difference was he was not stopped by another copper. He only stopped when his patrol car crashed into another motorist killing the people in that car. The now-former officer is now doing time in a Nevada state prison----be thankful you only got a gun pointed at you!!!!!!!!!!

I am a retired Trooper and I agree mostly with the Fl. Trooper stopping the Miami PD car for an outrageous speeding violation. And the Miami officer deserved a ticket. But, if she had stopped me in the same situation and stuck a pistol in my face, we would have had a big problem. I would have not submitted meekly to arrest.

[Open minded]

FHP should fire trooper Watts. She broke more laws then the car that she was unsure of did. Pathetic.

According to Florida State Statutes
316.192 Reckless driving.--
(1)(a) Any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving.

So what I do not understand is how was Florida Highway Patrol Watts wrong for following the law? I mean the laws are written to be enforced... right? I mean at least that's what I thought.. The problem with you police officers is that your so used to doing whatever you want and taking advantage of the authority that's giving to you that you are too caught up in your "COP" world to realize that FHP Watts actions were correct. Step out of your world and start thinking reasonably ... 120mph is not justified because you are late to your off duty job. No one is in danger therefor there was no reason to drive at excessive speeds. Being late to an off duty job sounds like a personal problem to me. If I was doing 120mph every time I am late.. I would probably have my license suspended and have thousands of dollars in tickets. To me all you police officers bashing patrol Watts should be ashamed of your self's for your lack of values. Your bashing a woman for standing up and doing something someone never did. A real woman thats gonna put all you pigs in your PLACE.

In my first post, I worded this poorly:

However, there is a culture among many officers that the law does not necessarily apply to them as it does to the rest of us, and that if a fellow cop breaks the law, it is incumbent upon other cops to ignore it rather than deal with it (Note that a FHP supervisor directed Trooper Donna Watts to back off her pursuit of a car weaving through traffic at 100 to 120mph, just because it was a cop car!).

The FHP supervisor commented in the background that Watts should back off. There is no evidence in the recording that Watts ever received such an order. The Supervisor, though, illustrates the corruption of allowing LEO’s to violate the law at will.

I am a retired Trooper and I agree mostly with the Fl. Trooper stopping the Miami PD car for an outrageous speeding violation. And the Miami officer deserved a ticket. But, if she had stopped me in the same situation and stuck a pistol in my face, we would have had a big problem. I would have not submitted meekly to arrest.

Thank you for your service, and recognizing the fault of Officer Lopez. However: You’re suggesting to any officer that wants to uphold the law impartially that they are wiser to approach a vehicle with an unknown driver, maybe a cop, maybe not a cop, but either way NOT A LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, without being ready to defend himself/herself. That’s incredible to hear from a retired trooper. Every pullover I’ve seen after the driver had driven at high speeds and initially refused to stop, officers approach with guns drawn and aimed. LEO's are not exempt. LEO's had better submit meekly . . . just like they expect everyone else to do. If all LEO's obeyed the law they are committed to uphold, this wouldn't be an issue.

FHP should fire trooper Watts. She broke more laws then the car that she was unsure of did. Pathetic.

"Open minded," eh? Then you're up for discussion, right? Although I notice your post is the shortest one here. How about backing up your claim about all the laws Trooper Watts broke? Which laws? And on what basis should she be fired? How were her actions pathetic? Care to defend your views??