Your Local Police: To Serve, Protect and Slap?

I have no problem with cameras on cops.  That's not where this video came from though so what the fuck are you blubbering about?  And you don't know the first thing about that cop's state of mind when that accident occurred so quit just filling in that cavernous void of knowledge with whatever misguided anger you've been hauling around your entire life. You and others here are trying to make this situation confirm some dopey narrative about cops you so badly need to believe.  Fuckin' dumbass.

Honestly most of my comments about this site are meant somewhat tongue-in-cheek as I've come to the conclusion that Harvey is an okay dude.  But I guess in a perfect world, this site wouldn't profess to be a "NY Ski blog".  It seems like effete little metrosexual hipsters like you and milquetoast, suburban superstars from Long island or New Jersey are completely over-represented.   You're sort of an embarrassment.  Why don't you wow us all with another daring tale of top-roping in the Gunks undoubtedly followed up with an organic chai tea latte in some lame New Paltz, new age cafe.  Be honest:  You're wearing a pair of Birkenstocks right now aren't ya'?  Aren't ya'?

The story I saw said that the guy was doing 60 mph in a 20 mph zone, and lost control of his vehicle, hitting a car coming the opposite way.  The driver of the other car was paralyzed and sued Saratoga for $60M.  The case was settled for $6M.  While he was chasing some kind of offender, I think calling it a car accident under sells it by a lot.

Noah John wrote

I've come to the conclusion that Harvey is an okay dude.

Woah Noah. I never would have guessed.  When you work hard on something and someone craps all over it, you assume either they have no respect for you, or themselves.  Maybe it is the latter. How do you have so much time to spew? I'm thinking of calling your boss and asking for a job.

You can say you don't care about this place. Maybe you're here because this is the only place that hasn't banned you.  But you're in the top 20 posters, you repeatedly edit your posts to make sure they say exactly what you want, you lurk constantly, you email me... it feels like you care. You emailed me like a crying baby when Andy Z (RIP) outed you. Ban him! Ban him! I don't get it. Whatever.

NYSB supports worthy north country organizations. BETA, APSA, ORDA. Is it really in your best interest to undermine that?

I don't want to moderate this place, but you seem determined to force it. After a bottle of merlot and a great evening with my family, all I can think is... life is short. Why do I want to listen to your crap all day long? I don't have to uphold the first amendment here. Sorry if that doesn't fit anyone's idea of what is real, man. I need a break.

Noah John wrote

It seems like effete little metrosexual hipsters like you and milquetoast, suburban superstars from Long island or New Jersey are completely over-represented.

Harvey wrote

Woah Noah.  I need a break.

just noticed 'time out' on noah's avatar.

victim arrested
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Man-allegedly-slapped-by-deputy-faces-criminal-5903240.php

The fellow who videotaped the abusive cop earlier this month is in the news again.  From the Post-Star today:

The Saratoga Springs man whose videotaped confrontation with a police officer led to the officer's arrest earlier this month was arrested Tuesday after he had a run-in with a mall security guard and nearly drove into him, officials said.

Colin A. Fitch, 20, was charged with misdemeanor reckless endangerment and non-criminal counts of harassment and trespass for the Monday encounter at Wilton Mall, according to State Police.

Fitch was the young man who was videotaped apparently being smacked by a Saratoga County sheriff's officer after he refused to let the officer search his car.

He was arrested after a mall security officer spotted him in the Route 50 mall and recognized him as someone who is banned from the mall, police said.

The mall's property manager, Mike Shaffer, said Fitch was banned in 2012 for a "violation of the mall's code of conduct policy," but he would not say what prompted the ban.

Trooper Mark Cepiel said the ban was not the result of a prior incident that resulted in criminal charges, but he said it was up to the mall to release for what it was imposed. He said the mall does have surveillance cameras, and State Police planned to review it to see how much, if any, of the incident was captured by them.

When the officer escorted Fitch out into the parking lot, Fitch allegedly got in a car and drove "recklessly" in the parking lot toward the security officer, nearly hitting him and requiring he "jump from the path of the vehicle," State Police said. No injuries were reported.

Police were called and located Fitch on Tuesday night and filed the charges. He was arraigned and sent to Saratoga County Jail for lack of $500 cash bail or $2,000 bail bond.

Link to full story here.

EDIT - SORRY, JUST REALIZED FREEHEELIN POSTED THIS AT THE SAME TIME...

If I have this right, this kid was banned from the mall, two years ago and was spotted there today and busted? What get's you banned from the mall?

One thing was totally predicable. The kids lawyer saying the fix was in, the police dept saying more to the slapping than meets the eye.

Still the cop has to be a pro. Even if the kid was trying to provoke him, you can't slap him.

They haven't released information regarding why the guy was banned from the mall two years ago.
Maybe the cops are out for retaliation, or maybe the guy is emboldened from the incident earlier in the month and was provoking the mall security guards.  Either way, the  guy's not exactly squeeky clean.  And of course nothing changes the fact that the cop in the slapping incident was totally in the wrong.  It'll be interesting to see how this develops.  

this is why I am not a cop or a teacher... I think the kid needs a swift kick in the pants (to quote my grandfather)
the kids smug mug at the end of the video says alot

gorgonzola wrote

this is why I am not a cop or a teacher... I think the kid needs a swift kick in the pants (to quote my grandfather)
the kids smug mug at the end of the video says alot

He needs a beating because he doesn't want the cop to search his car? Where you see as a smug look I see a look of bemused shock that he actually caught the cop doing his best old school police investigative work. This officer had no problem using verbal and physical intimidation because he falsely assumed there were no witnesses. He also knew there would be no way to investigate the possible complaints.

If there was no camera this ahole cop would still be out there......

 I did not say the cop should be the one to administer such.... or that it right or justified. my point was that I have a very low tolerance for bullshit and the kid is sounding less and less like a blameless victim. maybe some accountability on everyone's behalf..... naaaah

x10003q wrote

 This officer had no problem using verbal and physical intimidation because he falsely assumed there were no witnesses. He also knew there would be no way to investigate the possible complaints.

If there was no camera this ahole cop would still be out there......

X2.

IMO, it's extremely important to note the cop also made another very real, credible threat. It shows his true colors.

The slap and false accusation " You want to resist ? " is just a half step from a false arrest, more beating and then an unrighteous imprisonment that may be short or may be long.

The cops and the kids are douche bags.   What the cop did is way wrong but don't give those shit heads a free pass.  They could use a good ass kicking

gorgonzola wrote

this is why I am not a cop or a teacher... I think the kid needs a swift kick in the pants (to quote my grandfather)
the kids smug mug at the end of the video says alot

+1

freeheeln wrote

Harvey wrote

Woah Noah.  I need a break.

just noticed 'time out' on noah's avatar.

Ahahahaha

Noah was a bad boy

campgottagopee wrote

gorgonzola wrote

this is why I am not a cop or a teacher... I think the kid needs a swift kick in the pants (to quote my grandfather)
the kids smug mug at the end of the video says alot

+1

I know 2 women who went into teaching as it was " their calling ", they loved kids and wanted to help them. How nice.

After a few years their views changed dramatically to....... "They're a bunch of lil bastards and their parents are even worse "

They both left teaching for other fields.

Harvey wrote

... you repeatedly edit your posts to make sure they say exactly what you want, you lurk constantly, you email me... it feels like you care. You emailed me like a crying baby when Andy Z (RIP) outed you. ...

this is awesome, the "lurk constantly" in particular.

and spray....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/20/cop-pepper-spray-video-saratoga_n_7343660.html

so this was the post that got noah john banned?  wow, doesn't seem so bad.  he actually makes some good points about the case and the people that post here.  oh well,  judge the messenger and not message, that often is the easiest thing to do

ml242 wrote

and spray....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/20/cop-pepper-spray-video-saratoga_n_7343660.html

I'm not one to rush to defend cops who behave poorly (and the officer in this incident did), but the guy who flipped the cop off was deliberately looking for trouble and got what he deserves.  I respect the fact that cops have a hard job that requires constant split-second judgement calls, there's no need for citizens to bait cops into making the wrong call.  What an a-hole.