Drunk cop draws down on two men

[Balog]

Taken from http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1077366616288810.xml Emphasis added is mine.

Deputy jumps gun, then points it at men

02/21/04

Jesse Tinsley
Plain Dealer Reporter


Lakewood-Two men searching in a friend's car for change to pay their bar tab were surprised by an off-duty Cuyahoga County sheriff's deputy who thought they were stealing from the car and stuck a loaded gun in their faces, police said.

The deputy also put his gun to the head of the car owner and aimed the weapon at a man talking on a cell phone nearby, apparently for staring, police said.

Lakewood police arrested the deputy, Jamie Bonnette, 29, who was charged with public intoxication, aggravated menacing and using a weapon while intoxicated, all misdemeanors.

Police did not test his blood alcohol level because he was not driving.

Police said Bonnette smelled of alcohol, swayed back and forth and slurred his words.

When asked by police whether he felt he was in any condition to intervene in a crime, he replied, "probably not," but that he believed it was necessary to "take action," according to police.

Bonnette has not been suspended but faces discipline, and possibly firing, said sheriff's inspector Douglas Burkhart.

Bonnette's problems began about 11:15 p.m. Thursday, when he spotted David B. Taha, 22, and Jonathan S. Zingale, 23, in a car parked near Winchester Bar at Madison and Winchester avenues.

"He confronted them, and they gave him the story that it was a friend's car who was in the bar, and that they ran out of money and needed some change," said Police Chief Tim Malley.

Bonnette had not been drinking in that bar.

© 2004 The Plain Dealer. Used with permission.

 

[P95Carry]

Another case, it would seem ... where for sure ...... ''alcohol and firearms do NOT mix''.

I'd be interested to see just how much this does, or does not, affect his career. Might have been different even, if tho he'd drawn, he had stayed at just a low ready.

 

[Phyphor]

That cop is so fired.

Or, if there's any justice, he SHOULD be. If I pulled a gun out while under the influence of alcohol, I'd be cooling my heels in the local joint..... :banghead:

 

[Standing Wolf]

Only cops need guns. Remember that.

 

[Delmar]

I'll bet if it had been the other way around-those guys would have been looking at Felony charges! The PO should have called in on that one and let clear heads handle it.

 

[Phyphor]

Felony charges,

indeed. Of course, this probably won't happen.

He'll probably get a smack on the wrist "Oooh, naughty boy... don't do that again!"

 

[Balog]

I'm just waiting for the LEO-apologists to say we don't have enough info to make a judgement, and that we shouldn't "Monday morning quaterback" the poor guy.

 

[P95Carry]

I'm just waiting for the LEO-apologists to say we don't have enough info to make a judgement

I hoped I had implied as much really ... when I said

Another case, it would seem

I was for now purely going on ''info supplied'' .... as ever . there could be data to which we are not as yet privvy.

 

[JJohnston015]

I'm just waiting for the LEO-apologists to say we don't have enough info to make a judgement

Or to say he "couldn't know" they weren't breaking into the car.

I'd say in his condition, the perp "couldn't know" much of anything.

 

[LEO]

I guess nobody figured out he was undercover.
It just looked like he had been drinking.



RIGHT!!:banghead:

 

[ceetee]

First, they'll put him on probation, maybe make him fly a desk until the charges are dismiss-- umm.... settled. They'll make him go to rehab, or AA for the duration.

After the dust settles, he'll go back on regular duty, administratively assigned to the crappiest shifts, never given any overtime, and never allowed to test for sergeant. (For at least a few more years, that is...)

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Wow! I guess Hollywood is right. Little people shouldn't be permitted to own firearms. Only those really qualified law enforcement personnel can handle the responsibility....

 

[tyme]

Sounds like a scene out of Training Day.

 

[c_yeager]

Guys, at least all the officers made it home safe. In the end thats all that matters.

Of course if it were an off-duty officer rummaging around in his car and I pulled a gun on him id be going down for some kind of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge. Assuming of course that i even made it to trial.

 

[P-35/53]

Cleavland Ohio - it's an intresting place to almost be killed in .

 

[tcsd1236]

An example of why I try to stay out of bars on those rare times I drink, and why I never carry armed when I AM in one.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

What c-yeager said.

 

[cratz2]

Unless they were looking for a reason to fire him before this 'incident', I doubt he'll be fired.

This does beg the question of if a drunk, off-duty law enforcement agent points a gun at your head and then points at another person, would you make a move if you were legally carrying and had not been drinking.

I know that if anyone EVER points a gun at either of my kids heads then points the gun in another direction with agressive intent, that person is dead... right then... Regardless of who it is and regardless of any circumstance I can envision. And I'll deal with whatever I have to deal with afterwards.

And I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with cyeager... The fact that everyone made it home is NOT all that matters. I mean, I'm certainly glad everyone made it home safely, but that's pretty far from all that matters. The fact that someone that is EVER allowed to have a gun pointed it at the head of someone that was not breaking the law combined with the fact that the off duty officer demonstrated EXTREME poor judgement and acted on that judgement should mean he should be fired and prohibited from ever being allowed to legally carry in any state, let alone be issued a gun. If someone wants to protect his job and let him fill out paperwork for the rest of his career, that's fine with me, I suppose.

In my humble opinion, of course.

 

[jsalcedo]

believed it was necessary to "take action,"

He should have called a real cop.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

Cratz2, I assumed C-Yeager was being sarcastic when he said that the important thing was that all the POs made it home safely.

 

[cratz2]

Cratz2, I assumed C-Yeager was being sarcastic

True... I was too enraged to make out the difference between sarcasm and reality at that moment...

Sorry yeager...

 

[rock jock]

Of course if it were an off-duty officer rummaging around in his car and I pulled a gun on him id be going down for some kind of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.

Well, you may be charged with something. That type of action constitutes law enforcement, not something you or I are licensed or employed to do.

 

[GraniteState]

Guess he was never taught "S-T-O-P"
Stop (maybe even sit-down)
Think (am I on duty? am I in control of my motor skills?)
Observe (what were these guys really doing; we're they that suspicious?)
Plan (what action to take)

Perhaps if he had taken these steps he might have realized that he needed to call someone on duty. At a minimum this officer needs to be relieved of his firearm, sent back to basic training and put on desk-duty for a while.

Maybe even 6 months viewing of T.J. Hooker is called for

 

[son of a gun]

I wonder who called the sober police that arrived later ?

 

[GLOCKT]

He'll walk

They take care of their own,and the FOP will look to it also.