Abuse under color of law nomination

[CentralTexas]

Is that new forum up and running yet?

Woman Arrested, Cuffed for Eating Candy

1 hour, 25 minutes ago Add Strange News - AP to My Yahoo!


By CANDACE SMITH, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A government scientist finishing a candy bar on her way into a subway station where eating is prohibited was arrested, handcuffed and detained for three hours by transit police.



Stephanie Willett said she was eating a PayDay bar on an escalator descending into a station July 16 when an officer warned her to finish it before entering the station. Both Willett and police agree that she nodded and put the last bit into her mouth before throwing the wrapper into a trash can.


Willett, a 45-year-old Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites) scientist, told radio station WTOP that the officer then followed her into the station, one of several in downtown Washington.


"Don't you have some other crimes you have to take care of?" Willett said she told the officer.


Washington has been under heightened security because of the continuing threat of terrorism. And last week, police declared a citywide crime emergency over rising juvenile crime.


The transit police officer asked for Willett's identification, but Willett kept walking. She said she was then frisked and handcuffed.


"If she had stopped eating, it would have been the end of it and if she had just stopped for the issuance of a citation, she never would have been locked up," Transit Police Chief Polly Hanson said Thursday.


Metrorail has been criticized in the past for heavy-handed enforcement of the eating ban. In 2000, a police officer handcuffed a 12-year-old girl for eating a french fry on a subway platform.


In 2002, one of their officers ticketed a wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy patient for cursing when he was unable to find a working elevator to leave a station. Unflattering publicity eventually led the police to void the ticket.


Willett was the second person arrested this year for eating or drinking, Hanson said. In addition, police have issued 58 tickets and given more than 300 written warnings.


___


On the Net:


Metro: http://www.wmata.com

 

[thefitzvh]

you must be ????ting me

 

[porciniman]

Ahhhh...our tax dollars at work.
Sounds like another "pin the tail on the zygote genetic crap shoot" individual with some power!
Vb

 

[JPL]

Several years ago a metro thug handcuffed and arrested a 12-year-old girl who ate a french fry on the platform at one of the stations.

 

[Warren]

In New York a pregnant woman was cited for sitting on some steps.

 

[Jeeper]

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

 

[71Commander]

DC's protectors of liberty.

 

[cordex]

The police officer acted within his jurisdiction enforcing a rule he had every right to enforce. If we have a problem with it, we need to have the rule changed. But the media loves to screw over cops in this regard, so we should probably wait for more information before we make a judgement here.

 

[nero45acp]

Land vom freien und Haus vom taperen....




nero

 

[thefitzvh]

hey cordex... she disposed of it, just in her mouth. He then got buttsore and decided to be an ass

But she should be glad, right? At least he didn't kick her ass

 

[CentralTexas]

Crodex, It's like this-

some cops are bid power starved a holes. They have a lot of leeway in doing nothing or running you in for nothing.

Seems that this bozo didn't mind wasting taxpayers dollars to prove who had the "power" when she mouthed off.

CT

 

[moa]

I have no statistics on this, but I get the impression the Metro police force apparently does a good job. I read or hear of very little violence or crime on the trains and in the stations.

And lots of Metro's stations are in some very rough areas of D.C.

 

[Ellery Holt]

To use the phrase WildAlaska likes, cops are their own worst enemy.

 

[FMarlon]

Why does this remind me of the Star Trek episode in which Wesley was going to be put to death for trampling some flowers?

 

[DMF]

. . . we should probably wait for more information before we make a judgement here.

Especially because while the story it written in a way that suggests overzealous enforcement, cordex is correct that the officer was enforcing a valid statute within his jurisdiction, and the suspect would not cooperate as he tried to write the citation. Just like a motorist can't just drive away from an officer issueing a traffic citation, she can't just walk away from that citation.

The story also does not support the sensational claim of "Abuse under color of law," but I too have been accused of exaggerated thread titles. My attempts have been called trolling, I wonder if this will be so labeled also?

Either way, we really need more information.

 

[WT]

Here's their website complete with crime stats.

http://www.wmata.com/about/mtpd.cfm

The times I've been on the DC subway, I feel a lot safer than San Francisco or NYC. Hell of a lot cleaner.

 

[Sindawe]

Maybe its just me...

but it sounds/read like Ms. Willet DID finish her PayDay candy bar before entering the station,

Both Willett and police agree that she nodded and put the last bit into her mouth before throwing the wrapper into a trash can.
Willett, a 45-year-old Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites) scientist, told radio station WTOP that the officer then followed her into the station, one of several in downtown Washington.

Which I interpret to mean that Ms. Willet had put the last bit of the candybar into her mouth BEFORE entering that station. Looks to me like her primary 'offense' was disrespect of cop, then failure to stop and produce ID when demanded. NOT violating the ban on eating/drinking in the station.

Looks like abuse of authority under the color of law to me.

 

[TallPine]

The same story is also on Fox News dot com, and we all know how "anti-government" they are ....

And some people wonder why I don't have any desire to ever visit the east coast.

 

[El Tejon]

Tall, is it because you like PayDay bars?

So, does just what exactly what is the crime--eating in the subway or resisting law enforcement by walking away???

Will the DA (or whatever they call it out there) prosecute this? Sounds like a bad one politically?

 

[Foe[H]ammer]

I'm typically as LEO friendly as they come, having met them on both sides of the right and wrong of the law.

This is just frelling bullsnipe chickensoup crud. A Metro cop asked someone to not eat in a "no eating zone" (don't get me started on the foolishness of that idea) and then decided to cite her for finishing her food BEFORE she was in the station? I realize it must have been a crippling ego blow that she didn't run right to the nearest trash bin and chuck the offending item away at his\her behest.

My natural assumption is that the ordinance is in place to limit littering, SHE THREW THE DANG WRAPPER IN THE TRASH!!!!!!!!

While admittedly the officer was within the law to cite her, why would you? She was commiting no socially damaging deed. She was eating not robbing the Wells Fargo.

Police officers have within jobs a certain amount of discresion, don't kid me cops, you do, he\she should have used a bit at this particular time.

If a cop wants to cite me for speeding and I was, no problem.(safety of others)
If a cop wants to cite me for public intoxication and I was, no problem.(safety of others and myself and protection of "community standard[don't get me started on this one either])
If a cop want to cite me for littering and I was, no problem.(protection of community standards and environmental issues)
But eating?!?!?! , that's a big problem law or not.

While I agree that who ever thought up the law and those who helped pass it should be hung, the officer should have let it go before the verbal warning and certainly after the disposal of the "contraband foodstuffs in a no eat zone" and it's wrapper in the most efficient and mutually beneficial way.

Cop on a trip, 45 year old scientist perpetrator of the abhorrent crime of "contempt of cop".

 

[El Tejon]

Foe, it's the War on Obesity! Quick, register spoons and forks!

If so, then why haven't they arrested Ted Kennedy?

 

[Standing Wolf]

Washington has been under heightened security because of the continuing threat of terrorism.

Whew! We've won another Great Victory in the War Against Terrorism!

 

[Chris Rhines]

There is likely some grey area in exactly where the station entrance is. Top of the escalator? Bottom of the escalator? Some point in-between? Most Metro stations have trash cans and no-food-signs at the bottom of the escalators, and I frequently finish my morning latte during the ride down. Never been cited yet - maybe I should start wearing my "Vote From the Rooftops" t-shirt to work...

- Chris

 

[Shield529]

Why on God's earth do cops like this exist? They are a embarassment to every true officer out there.
I have been an officer for the last three years, since the age of 21, and this kind of trash is what makes people think we are all JBT. I use discretion every day and quite a bit. I see no reason the bother people who are not hurting someone else or placing lives at risk.
A #@$^%#$ CANDY BAR, with gangs running around and terrorist threats, and rapes, muggings, ETC. Its a CANDY BAR.

To every officer out there stop and think about what you do, the impression it creates to the public, how it makes people feel about us, and the kind of hate and anger you can be breeding towards us. That last simple fact comes down to your own safety and mine. Your badge weighs about 4 ounces don't make it heavyer than it needs to be. Common sence

 

[Sindawe]

HERE! HERE!

Sheild529, you are right on the money bud! These sorts of activities by police creates a very bad impression on the general public, IMHO. The reports like this, 'minor' though it is, and the incidents where the police really FUBAR the situation by intentionally shooting invalids in their own bed and the like REALY sour folks like myself on police in general. I'm aware of it, and try very hard to not let it effect my occasional interactions with the police, even when one is playing games to stay out of my field of view when talking to another officer on a call *I* made to them about my licenses plate being stolen.