Police Thugs Arrest Pensioner

[Max Power]

:shock: Did any one else see the incident where a group of plods smashed a pensioners side window in and dragged him from his car for failing to stop.
He had previously been spoken to for not wearing his seatbelt and thought the matter was dealt with.
The police chased him at speeds of 30mph and when the pensioner( who had recently suffered a stroke and thought they were escorting him home) stopped, one of them smashed his window in and another jumped on the bonnet of his car and tried to kick his windscreen in :shock:
Must have mistaken him for a violent gang of bank robbers :roll:

 

[studders]

Yes I saw it. Pensioner or not he was clearly taking the P but, the reaction from the Police was totally out of order; they're supposed to be professionals, not succumb to Road Rage which is what it clearly was.

 

[pren]

From what I understand of this incident from reading around it, the 'disabled, frail pensioner' had a history of driving offences including failure to stop. He also had illegal number plates, illegally tinted windows, he 'alledgedly' drove into a police officer before driving off and subsequently refusing to stop despite being persued by police with lights and sirens for 17miles.

From looking at the video in it's isolated context, I'd say that the police reaction is excessive, IMO. Take the same set of circumstances but replace the 'disabled, frail pensioner' with an 18yr old 'yoof' and I wonder how many people would be applauding the police for finally taking the 'nanny-state gloves off'? I'd say that a video of this could appear on one of those 'Police, Camera, Action' shows, raising nothing more than a 'serves him right' from the viewer.

Presumably now that this man realises how dangerously 'confused' he can become whilst in charge of a large vehicle, he will voluntarily surrender his drivers license and cease driving before someone finds themselves under his wheels having 'come out of no-where'? :?

I'm not defending the heavy handed actions of the Police and I'm not trying to start and argument. It just pisses me off that someone who is happy enough to repeatedly flout the law and should know better then tries to play the 'poor, frail me' victim card when he's caught.

 

[studders]

someone who is happy enough to repeatedly flout the law and should know better then tries to play the 'poor, frail me' victim card when he's caught.

I agree with you, the Courts should throw the Book at him, disqualify him and fine him heavily but, having finally got him stopped, the Police's job was to arrest him and charge him, not to take out their frustration/anger on him or his vehicle, that IMO was very unprofessional.

 

[Max Power]

Agree entirely with the comments re his driving but the reaction was completely out of context.
The baboon who jumped on his bonnet and attempted to kick the windscreen in should be sacked , his conduct was far worse than anything the pensioner did

 

[PeterBassett]

I've seen the full video which included the original stop. The "Pensioner" did indeed knock over an officer with his car and is indeed a tw*t and deserves everything he got.

 

[monkeybiter]

I haven't seen the video in question, but in reference to tv programmes such as 'police camera action' I can't watch them as I get too angry, watching a bunch of violent arrogant thugs bullying and provoking people. I don't have sympathy for the criminals, but I am dismayed that the decision makers within the police consent to portraying this sort of image of themselves on the one hand, then whine about losing the public's respect on the other.

 

[bugbear]

From what I understand of this incident from reading around it, the 'disabled, frail pensioner' had a history of driving offences including failure to stop. He also had illegal number plates, illegally tinted windows, he 'alledgedly' drove into a police officer before driving off and subsequently refusing to stop despite being persued by police with lights and sirens for 17miles.

Overall I suspect there's a great deal of context/history/previous to this which we're not privy to.

Perhaps more will emerge in articles from local newspapers.

BugBear

 

[pren]

The baboon who jumped on his bonnet and attempted to kick the windscreen in should be sacked , his conduct was far worse than anything the pensioner did

Yeah, to be fair, I'm not entirely sure where in the Police Training Manual it would cover the 'jump on the bonnet and stamp on the windscreen' technique. :lol: I think that was bourn more out of anger that the 'pensioner' had driven into one of his colleagues before making off.

The Police are supposed to be proffessionals who can restrain their emotions. They are human tho. If I was the Police officer who had just been hit by this guy I think I'd be a little 'baton-happy' when it came to getting him out of his car too.

I don't think the intercept should have happend like it did but I can understand why it did.

 

[Max Power]

I wonder what the position would be if the old guy had suffered a heart attack (given his history of strokes not beyond the realms of possibility)
another whitewash no doubt

 

[pren]

I wonder what the postition would be if the old guy had suffered a stroke at the wheel and plowed into a minibus full of kids after being allowed on his way on the basis that he was a 'frail, disabled pensioner'?

The Police would be crucified. Again. :roll: Damned if you do, damned if you dont.

 

[Dibs-h]

I wonder what the position would be if the old guy had suffered a heart attack (given his history of strokes not beyond the realms of possibility)
another whitewash no doubt

Unfortunately if you puts others in harms way and harm comes your way - however that may be - it's a bit much to complain?

Obviously I agree with some of the comments made - i.e. Plod should know better and affect an arrest as per guidelines. Jumping on bonnets doesn't achieve anything and puts the plonker at further risk.

 

[wobblycogs]

IMHO the guy got everything he deserved.

Smashing the front window was probably an attempt to discourage him from driving off as it would make it hard to see out. Perhaps not a terribly normal response but in the heat of the moment I think it was good thinking.

I would guess that they smashed the side window to get at the keys (took the policeman enough goes to break it though - wimp). I wouldn't be surprised if it's in the manual to assume the door is locked and just go straight for the window. Breaking the window is also pretty shocking so the driver is less likely to respond.

Don't forget this guy had just committed a hit and run I think it's safe to assume that he would be prepared to commit another. When the police approach the car they are putting themselves in a lot of potential danger it's hardly surprising their blood is up a bit.

I think as a general rule the police are too heavy handed, especially with the youth, but in this case the response looked well justified. Personally I'd probably have punctured the tires too.

 

[studders]

(given his history of strokes not beyond the realms of possibility)

In which case should he have been driving at all?

 

[studders]

IMHO the guy got everything he deserved.

Which is the whole issue really. It is not the Police's job to give law breakers 'What they deserve' any more than it is mine.

 

[The Bear]

Smashing the windows is an approved distraction technique. Although the execution on both counts leaves a bit to be desired. In fact distraction techniques extend to hitting the person first if , in the split second they have to make the decision, they think they will otherwise be hit first.

History shows many of these clips shown on TV when investigated independently (by a body who are no great friends of the police) turn out to be far different than we first think, and at best the police need nothing more than"words of advice", as all was within their training, guidelines and the statute.

 

[wobblycogs]

The police didn't judge him or dish out any punishment. They did use a degree of force to make sure they could bring the driver into custody without him hurting anyone else though. If the guy didn't want to be arrested in that way he shouldn't have driven off after running someone over.

It's easy to condemn the police when watching a clip like this but put yourself in their shoes for a moment. You've got to somehow get a guy who's already hurt one person out of his car. You don't know if the guys gone nuts, has a weapon or is going to try and drive off just as you reach in to get the key but you can be pretty sure he's not going to want to get out. I know it would scare the oranges out of me.

 

[Anonymous]

so the clips i can find on youtube don't show the full story, Strange that.

I wonder what this guys previous is - if any?

 

[Digit]

According to the press Mark, quite a number of motoring offences.

Roy.

 

[RogerS]

..... I can't watch them as I get too angry, watching a bunch of violent arrogant thugs bullying and provoking people. .....

Is that the police or the criminals? The little that I have seen of the series all had one thing in common....some nasty little oik (ie not police) driving a car very fast at great risk of hitting an innocent bystander...usually already banned and without insurance. Personally I'd drag the little scrote out of the car and give him a bloody good kicking.