Comments on: Texting Crash Should Be Lesson For Coppers

By: angryman

angryman — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:54:13 +0000

Yeah I think there’s a difference between some idiot texting his girlfriend, pizza order or whatever and a Police Officer who is checking his MDT for information on a dispatched call for service that one of us called in.

What a reach for an obvious attempt at bashing “coppers”. Its obvious theres already a slant since you try to belittle the profession by calling them anything but police officers with every story you do.

Unbelieveable!

By: dog

dog — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:44:16 +0000

Yeah G-man, don’t ever forget, those dudes would take a bullet for you.
Two Cops in a car! You ever smell what two hard working guys is like on a hot day on a black car?
Besides what if one cop was gay?
Where would the citizen ride along sit?

By: Brianthedog

Brianthedog — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:35:57 +0000

Cops are better drivers then any of you. Now get over it and get on with your life. Compare miles driven with the accident rate of the average motoring public.

By: Amused with Dave

Amused with Dave — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:10:09 +0000

Dang it Dave… Here I am poking fun at you for telling POLICE OFFICERS to stop multi-tasking and then you have to go and come up with a solution that makes sense! (i.e. 2 man cars). So, in an effort to amuse myself, I suggest combining my suggestion & your suggestion: 2 man cars that sit at the fire station and save TWICE the gas! HA!

Mr. ?Logic?: I simply DEFY poor logic. Like LJ said, the nature of policing is a double edged sword. You sound like one of those whiny libs that wants to ban ‘tag’ on the playground because thousands of kids end up in the ER with injuries…. Guess what – sometimes society doesn’t get to be 100% safe. And yet we’ve managed to make it this far.

By: LJ

LJ — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:32:01 +0000

Not saying anything about coppers having a ‘super sense.’ I was stating that I do not know how to eliminate the problem. They have to read the computer, and at times run names/license plates while driving. It is a double edged sword.

I think you have a great point with the two man unit concept. It saves gas, equipment, and is safer for the officers. It also decreases response time because they don’t have to wait a block away from a scene waiting for backup (their backup is already there)!

By: LJ

LJ — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:36:49 +0000

Unfortunately the job of a police officer requires you to multitask…not sure how we can eliminate this problem. In todays world the ‘coppers’ get very little information from dispatch (dispatchers are handling multiple calls at once),so they have to rely on the computer to get the information regarding the call. Based on the urgency of responding to some calls they don’t have the luxury of pulling over on the side of the road, running names, and looking up vehicle information on the suspect who is fleeing the scene.

But hey, amused with dave has a point…reactive policing only! Coppers could wear a jump suit, and sleep during the night. When a call came they could respond just like the fire/ems people do…

EDITOR NOTE– Having a problem with this one. The message seems to be that coppers have some sort of super sense that allows them to be safe drivers, watch out for crime/violations AND bury their noses in a computer. We can buy all but the computer reading and writing while driving. These arguments make a good case for two man patrol units. LJ, you are scaring me! You mean if the call is urgent, they not only type and read the computer, but the also drive fast?

By: Mr. Logic

Mr. Logic — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:35:25 +0000

Amused– You simply defy LOGIC and common sense. Coppers themselves admit there have been accidents due to computer use in patrol units. Talk to the survivors of the L.A. train wreck about texting!

By: Amused with Dave

Amused with Dave — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:39:30 +0000

Dave, I agree! “Coppers” should not be expected to multi-task while driving! They should be prohibited from using the MDT’s, radio, cell phone, spotlight, and all their other toys. In addition, they should be DRIVING, not looking for things (I.e. bad guys, broken windows, people trying to flag them down etc.). Because, as you said, it’s just not safe.

My solution: Area officers should be assigned to their area Fire Stations. They could sit in the Lazy Boys and wait for Dispatch calls. They could then drive straight to the call and not have to worry about distractions! AND… Think of all the fuel we could save if the Patrol officers would just stop PATROLLING! It would be green heaven!

By: Mike Murphy

Mike Murphy — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:02:10 +0000

I hope they lock that moron up for a good, long time for Inattentive Driving and Depraved Indifference.

I believe it’s time to outlaw Texting and Cell Phones when driving within Boise City Limits, and substantially increase the penalties for an accident where they were in use.

And from the Pot-Calling-The-Kettle-Black Department: The Police!

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:29:04 +0000

DWI..Driving While Inattentive.

I have actually seen people on the phone, driving on the freeway, and flipping throught what looked like an order book while eating a hamburger.