Oaklahoma Highway Patrol Stop Abulance with Patient Inside

[SpookyCat]

I checked and didn't see this posted yet, apologies if it's a dupe, but I think this needs to go viral.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/31/highway-patrol-fight-para_n_209500.html


This is stunning to me. Even if, and that's very questionable, one paramedic did flip off this cop, the reaction is completely unacceptable to me.

What if this woman had died?

Film taken by the husband of the woman in the back.

Edit to fix stupid error on Tulsa vs Oklahoma. Typed in haste...

[NWHarkness]

1. White troopers, black patient and paramedic

Hmmmm....

[obliviously]

5. I have seen

this story on the local news several times. The highway patrolman's ego was way out of control. put a uniform on some people and they become gods. The disrespect the patrolman showed the ambulance driver was unbelievable.

[obliviously]

39. It is more

A problem with the institution then the race. White or black our highway patrolman are arrogant. It is not as much a problem with our county sheriffs or our police departments they tend to be vary courteous and professional.

[Kontora]

2. Oh this is making me RAGE.

What was this cop thinking? HE WASN'T THINKING. He needs to lose his badge!

[obliviously]

6. This has

infuriated me and at last report the patrolman was still on duty. Disgraceful

[SpookyCat]

7. It's amazing to me.

This cop escalated this because they thought one of the paramedics flipped them off. So this is an appropriate response? Because their widdle feewings were hurt?

They were aware the camera was rolling. Imagine what they would have done with no evidence.

A friend on Facebook also pointed out that the medic being held by his freakin' throat could easily have broken that cop in two, yet he kept his cool as much as the situation warranted. All I heard him say were variations on We have a patient in the back! We need to get her to the hospital!

I'm in SF, and see the BART cop who killed that kid in cold blood being made out to be the victim. WTF is going on?

[obliviously]

12. The ambulance driver

was clearly the bigger man. The highway patrolman would not qualify to be a pimple on his ass.

[donco6]

14. I agree. The EMT was doing everything he could -

just to be able to get back in the vehicle and get moving. The cop was insisting on "winning." What an asshole.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. There aren't enough zeroes to put on a check to this family

What an ass of a cop.

[donco6]

4. Obvious power trip.

In the scope of all things, THIS is what they chose to spend their time on? Stopping an AMBULANCE?

[obliviously]

13. In oklahoma

they are an elite class above reproach. I am glad the rest of the world is seeing what we put up with every day.

[SpookyCat]

16. .....

:hug:

Sucks. I'd invite you to move out there to SF, but sadly, we are getting our own little fascists. This isn't the bastion of the left it used to be, if it ever really was.

I feel deflated, for lack of a better term.

[Ferretherder]

36. That's sad, 'cause back in the day,...

...somewhere around '80 or '81, I was driving trucks cross-country for a now defunct freight hauler out of Fort Scott, Kansas, and happened to be hauling a load of paper out of Houston to a place down in the Mission district in San Fran. I had never been to the city before, and was pulled over on the freeway by a CHIPS guy on a motorcycle for being in one of the inner lanes with a big truck, which was a minor, almost unspoken rule. The highway patrolman who pulled me over was VERY courteous and damn-near apologetic for inconveniencing me - maybe he took pity on me when he heard my thick southern accent - and asked me where I was headed. I told him where my delivery was and he told me to follow him and he would point to the right exit as we approached it. Absolutely the kindest police officer I have, to this day, ever encountered.

(sigh)......times change, I guess.

[obliviously]

38. In fairness

They are not all bad. I have met many courteous highway patrolmen. It tends to be around the cities where the arrogance starts to be noticeable.

[Jazzgirl]

30. I used to live in Oklahoma.

The highway patrol was the only police I had any problems the whole time I lived there. I hated them. They were nasty and had a lot of attitude.

[metapunditedgy]

8. I watched this from across the country and my opinion of Oklahoma has dropped dramatically.

Nice PR for your state there, OK.

[obliviously]

41. In my opinion

we have it coming. I hope this problem gets addressed.

[Hoopla Phil]

9. I have a friend that's an EMT and had a very similar experience

The ambulance was running code and the city cop was running code. They met at a four way stop both coming to a screeching halt in the middle. They both flipped one another off and then both continued on their way. That was it.

[NJmaverick]

10. The black paramedic wasn't even driving yet he is the one the white troopers

wanted to arrest. That is very telling

[Obamanaut]

11. Does this indicate that not everything weird that happens, happens

in Florida? Thanks OK.

[snappyturtle]

15. or Texas! nt

[SpookyCat]

17. I know there's a lot of South Bashing that goes on here,

but stupid and bully knows no state boundaries, nor economic class. We have plenty here in my beloved California.

[obliviously]

20. I know law enforcement

has to put up with a lot of crap but they know that going into the job. I wish the could control their ego's a little better.

[cwydro]

21. Thanks for that.

The south bashing gets old.

[SpookyCat]

24. It also defies logic, given the number of Southern DUers. n/t

[cwydro]

29. I think the bashers are just jealous

of the beautiful southland.

[obliviously]

34. I've lived in northeast oklahoma for 30 years

it is beautiful so is every other state in the union i like them all and love to travel and visit. I just wish we could convince our law enforcement that they are no better than everyone else. They are citizens with a job to do like everyone Else. We all take chances in our occupations everyday. Having a dangerous job does not give you a free pass to behave anyway you want.

[cwydro]

40. Very true.

Welcome to DU!

[obliviously]

42. Thank you! N/T

[Coyote_Bandit]

18. That was the

OKLAHOMA highway patrol not the Tulsa Highway patrol.

State cops not locals.

[SpookyCat]

19. You're right, I got caught in where the event actually took place.

I'll edit my post. Thx!

[obliviously]

22. We know

what you meant. Our highway patrol varies from one part of the state to the next. The tulsa area hp is more arrogant than in rural areas.

[XOKCowboy]

33. Actually it happened in Okmulgee....

about 30 miles south of Tulsa on US75. It's a major commuter route and is HEAVILY patrolled. It's also where the Creek Nation casino is located.

Just in the spirit of accuracy.

[obliviously]

35. It bourders tulsa county

it is about 15 miles from my house.

[XOKCowboy]

49. Would you agree with me that US75 has a high OHP presence in that area?

I grew up in Skiatook and have been down that stretch of road frequently.

[madmom]

23. If the troopers were in such a hurry they had lights and siren, why were they able

to stop and take the time to harass these people? Something doesn't pass the smell test to me.:wtf:

[SpookyCat]

25. Aparently they didn't have lights and sirens on at the time.

They were originally stopped for failure to yield, according to the cops. They were only going to give a citation, in itself pretty odd to me, but then they claimed that one guy flipped them off, and that's when it escalated. I can hear the cop saying, you are under arrest to the guy he eventually grabs by the throat.

[NJmaverick]

26. The trooper didn't use his siren and was in the EMT's blind spot

[madmom]

27. Ok, when I first heard this story I read they both had lights and sirens. That

brought up the question who yields to who? So I was wondering if there was an answer to that.

[NJmaverick]

28. That really depends on the situaiton

since ambulances generally do not travel over the speed limit, common sense says the ambulance should yeild to the over taking trooper. Had the trooper behaved in a responsible manner the ambulance would have been aware of him and more than likely would simply have pulled over and let him pass. Howevery you have a racist power tripping trooper that has no business with either a badge or a gun. I am curoius to see how this story plays out.

[Coyote_Bandit]

37. It is a misdemeanor in Oklahoma

to interfere with an EMT in the performance of his duties.

Cop needs to face criminal charges and lose his job.

[Echo In Light]

31. Another fascist dickhead cop...imagine that

[chrisa]

44. I Can.

[BlooInBloo]

32. Thank goodness for white Oklahoma cops, saving us from black people saving people.

[obliviously]

43. In the age

of the digital camera things will improve!

[DaveinJapan]

45. without knowing all the details

I'll assume benefit of the doubt as to what happened BEFORE the camera started rolling (choke hold seemed pretty damned unnecessary though), but why would the cops pull them over in the FIRST place? If they had a problem with the EMT's, they could've followed them to the hospital and made sure the patient was dealt with before taking care of any business they had with the driver, no?

Power tripping cops with no brains. Nice.

[SpookyCat]

48. I appreciate your respect for Innocent Until Proven Guilt y,

but this does look fairly damning to me. I'm just afraid this cop will never see the inside of a courtroom, and that's pathetic to me.

[Coyote_Bandit]

46. I can't help but wonder

what would happen if that dumbshit trooper required medical assistance and the EMT who responded was the one he had in that choke hold. One could hardly blame the EMT for insuring that every needle stick hurt like hell.

[donco6]

47. And yet, that EMT would probably be as professional as ever.

At least, from the tape, that's how he strikes me.