City Government
Prompt Policeman Pulls Part From Pump
September 5, 2010 
Since we don’t get the media reports from Boise PD anymore, we can’t tell you if this little story got reported to the rest of the media or not. However, based on our reader report, we think it was true and worth sharing. Now if we can just get the video!
“True Story! Witnessed today at KJ’s Phillips 66 at Fairview & Cloverdale. A
Boise police cruiser was at the pumps filling up with gas. He was just
sitting there inside his car when he got a call on his radio. Being the
prompt and responsible officer that he was in fulfilling his lawful duties,
he promptly slammed his door shut and with lights flashing drove away from the
pump with the nozzle and hose still hanging out his gas tank! Tore it right
off the pump! You had to be there to believe it…”
It would be interesting to have heard what his fellow officers said as he pulled up on whatever scene it was that warranted such a dramatic departure dragging a gas station nozzle minus 10 feet of hose.
No word on whether the conscientious copper was an overeager rookie or an absent minded oldtimer, but he certainly qualifies for a GUARDIAN “DOPE COPPER AWARD”–like our dope reporter awards.
UPDATE MONDAY–The clerk reports the copper later returned with the nozzle and sheepishly presented it to her. She also said “all the media” stopped by in an effort to get the video, but only management had access.
UPDATE 9/8/10–We have confirmed from sources within BPD the car was indeed a BPD unit. We also confirmed BPD cars can and do fuel at the Kicks 66 station in question. All the reader comments questioning the identity of the department, fuel policy were in error. The reader who offered the post and GUARDIAN account is correct. We will not reveal the officer’s name since there was little or no damage–the nozzle is designed to disconnect and stop the fuel flow. He did get excited and forget to do what was needed and it is a good lesson he will remember forever. No harm, no foul and our integrity remains intact at the GUARDIAN.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Sep 5, 2010, 10:34 pm
Interesting that he was filling up at the one station in town advertising “no ethanol”. I’m all about clean burning fuel, but that ethanol sure gunks things up.
Sep 6, 2010, 9:35 am
“No word on whether the conscientious copper was an overeager rookie or an absent minded oldtimer”
It’s truly sad to see that the Guardian can only classify our police officers as one of the above.
As a fire figher, I have seen this same accident happen to all sorts of people. We’re all human.
EDITOR NOTE–We offer equal time when the doors get knocked off #8 station or they leave #5 with no tillerman on the truck and whack an oncoming vehicle. Live and learn.
Sep 6, 2010, 10:15 am
There are videos on the internet of this little trick, usually a blonde driving. Any blondes at BPD?
Sep 6, 2010, 10:24 am
This has to be humiliating. I can only imagine the volumes of paperwork, the investigation by another agency to deterimine liability, errors and the consequences for this officer.
Haste really did make waste in this instance.
Sep 6, 2010, 1:30 pm
That’s an interesting bit of fiction since BPD only has a fuel contract with Shell and Stinker stations. Maybe the cop was filling up the car on his own dime but I doubt it.
EDITOR NOTE–We talked to the clerk and she confirmed the incident and told us the copper sheepishly returned with the nozzle–the hose remained on the pump. You refer to “fiction.” Is it the GUARDIAN, the reader, or the clerk you doubt?
Sep 6, 2010, 10:01 pm
Wonder to what kind of call he was over-reacting.
Sep 7, 2010, 7:35 am
I am blonde, but not dumb, just sometimes preoccupied. Last week I went to Maverick, paid $10 for gas on pump 3, went back outside, climbed in my car and drove away. It hit me halfway up the street that I’d neglected to pump my gas. Fortunately, after making a quick U-turn, I got back to the pump before anyone else got a surprise gift of 10 bucks in gas. The store clerk, who herself was overly busy, and I had good laugh over that! Stuff happens, even to cops.
Sep 7, 2010, 9:11 am
Cops are routinely called upon to multi-task and they have to do it in fractions of seconds.
I can see how this could have happened and thankfully nobody got hurt from the spilled gas remaining in the hose before the pump shut down automatically.
I hope this guy doesn’t get in too much trouble over this incident.
Sep 7, 2010, 10:51 am
It’s being blonde, KTA. Clearly being blonde! It also explains previous posts. (Just kidding……)
Sep 7, 2010, 5:10 pm
Yeah I concur with “jstew”, really interesting piece of fiction, considering BPD uses Jacksons and Stinker stations for gas. Unless of course you were confused on which one he was at, and went to one of the aforementioned, but I doubt that you would make a mistake…
EDITOR NOTE–As a copper you should learn to trust witnesses rather than try to discredit them. I personally drove across town and talked to the clerk at the KJ Phillips 66. She said “all the media” had read the GUARDIAN and were after the video, but only management has access. From what you guys are telling us it seems possible the copper was making an unauthorized purchase. I will be happy to provide name, rank and serial number through a records request if you are still in doubt.
Sep 7, 2010, 5:33 pm
Seeing how BPD doesn’t have a fuel contract with Phillip’s, the fiction would be a Boise officer using his own money to fill up the patrol car. It was more than likely another agency in the valley but since you have recently developed an increased distaste for Boise PD you immediately believe it was a Boise officer. I have no doubt an officer did it, I think you were just quick to blame Boise. Maybe they recently got a Phillips contract and I’m wrong but I doubt you will follow up on that.
EDITOR NOTE–The previous commenter agreed with this comment BEFORE it was posted. WARNING TO ALL If you are going to fabricate posts using an alias, you do little to lend credibility to your comments or your department. You will produce your own fiction here, but never in court? Some of your “brothers” and command staff would prefer that we not post your comments at all.
If it was another agency, we will certainly post it.
Sep 7, 2010, 7:53 pm
Calm down now, I just agreed with JStew that BPD doesn’t use Phillips 66 and never have, so maybe it was another agency that does use it, and if it was a BPD unit, I have no idea why he would be paying with his own money for gas in his cruiser. Sure, do a records check, I would be interested.
Sep 7, 2010, 8:52 pm
Sir, if you are refering to me, and undoubtedly you are, I believe everyone on here is using an alias or a “screen name”, as am I. And shame on you for making an accusation that I am providing any fiction on here, or that I would in court. If you do not want to post my comments fine, I have never said anything but facts that I have first hand knowledge of, and always will. However, if those facts do not correspond with what you have, maybe you do not have the correct story and should do some more investigating yourself.
In regards to this “story”, again, I concurred with JStew, and still do stand by what i say that BPD does not use Phillips 66 and never have. So, again saying what JStew said, maybe it was another agency, investigate that before you slam on BPD or any other folks you do on here before you publish your “story”.
Sep 7, 2010, 10:37 pm
Maybe the car was on empty, heshe needed fuel and was on that side of town and was using a BPD card?
Could it be that there is confusion regarding the contract as an absolute provider of services?
There well may be a couple of preferred vendors with contracts, but for something as a necessity such as fuel I can’t see an entity such as BPD being locked into using only 2 absolute fuel providers. That doesn’t make sense.
Sep 8, 2010, 5:30 am
One thing i know FOR SURE…the cruiser in the photo is NOT at KJ’S!
EDITOR NOTE– Photo was a stock image of BPD car.
Sep 8, 2010, 7:12 am
BPD seems a bit defensive. And they have a lot to be defensive about.
EDITOR NOTE–We have closed comments on this post. The author sent it in good faith as a cute “gotcha,” but commenters have lowered the bar with insults and accusations not suitable for the GUARDIAN.