My mother is a school bus driver and an off duty police officer made her come up to the police dept. after her bus route one day and told her that she was illegally blocking an inersection during her bus route. She explained that she was only doing what her boss asked her to do, and he still wanted to give a ticket. She had a kid that his parents asked to drop off on the opposite side of the street as the bus stop because she didn't want him to cross the street, so in order to do this she turned off her bus lights and immediately turned them back on to let the kid off on the other side of the street. The off-duty officer said that he almost hit her bus because he could not see the stop sign come out on the side of her bus. Can she be cited for this? The school districts administrator went up to the PD and talked to the captain and it was dismissed. Now the police officer follows her around in her bus in his private car waiting for her to do something wrong. Isn't this harassment?
2007-03-26 03:07:55 · 13 answers · asked by waynem10 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
If this continues, then she should file a formal complaint against this officer. From what you've stated, it sounds like he is a hotheaded cop who got his pride hurt and is seeking revenge. This is assuming that you have not embellished or left out parts of the story. A police officer is a police officer 24-7 and (at least in most areas) has the same powers of arrest whether on-duty or off, but if he is spending his off time to pursue a school bus driver for a minor traffic violation, then he has some serious problems to overcome. He has got a lot to learn about becoming a police officer. Rule # 1 is that you never, NEVER, take any part of this job personally. It sounds like he has done just that, and needs to be revaluated as a police officer.
2007-03-26 05:35:16 · answer #1 · answered by LawDawg 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Video tape the police officer doing said deed and them provide to his superior. this is harrassment if it is done as an act with the intent to prosecute. He is not "on duty" and as such he cannot actively persue a case during this time. However he can "respond" to lawlessness if he is in a position to witness an act.
Personally I would brake suddenly and have him rear-end the school bus. He will be arrested for traffic violations and who knows maybe he drinks!!!!
2007-03-26 06:33:09 · answer #2 · answered by Kevin 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, simply because your mother drives the short bus does not mean that she gets to break traffic laws. Officers do not rescind their arrest power when they punch out for the day.
Most cops are jerks, especially when they are inconvenienced by something. If your mom really wants to pursue this, she can file a complaint with the PD.
2007-03-26 03:18:10 · answer #3 · answered by Micromegas 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If he is doing it in his personal car, it can be considered stalking or harassment. When he is off duty, he is not a cop and he can make a "citizens arrest" if he sees the crime occur. But following is harassment. She should mount a camera or video camera to the bus to monitor the activity unless there already exists a camera on the bus as some schools have in the country. She should also go to the police department website and file an inquiry or speak to the desk sergeant.
2007-03-26 03:15:27 · answer #4 · answered by rand217 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
It certainly sounds like harrassement.
Can she talk to the sergant of the officer in question?
I guess that is a bit risky, because you don't want the entire police department on your tail, but if she doesn't do something about it, it might not stop anyway.
Sorry to hear about her troubles. Who would have thought school bus drivers will be harressed by a police ?!?
2007-03-26 03:11:18 · answer #5 · answered by tamara_cyan 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sounds like she needs to get a video camera mounted on her bus and start documenting what is going on, because that does sound like harassment.
If the school won't do it there are ways she can do it herself.
2007-03-26 03:19:20 · answer #6 · answered by Gray Wanderer 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The police can do what they want in this country and law-abiding citizens should have no fear, only law-breakers. As long as she's not doing any wrong, she should be OK. Anyway, they should not talk to the captain about him before they spoke to him. Sound like snitching.
2007-03-26 03:23:45 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
hell yeah follow him with a camera or bait his *** out while filming let all the parents at the school know it puts they're children in danger in fact get a restraining order against him but be carefull people like this think they can get away with anything.
2007-03-26 15:46:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it's harrassment. But it's harrassment by a citizen not a law enforcement officer in this particular case.
2007-03-26 03:12:31 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yep, I'd say that was EXTREME harassment!
Could your Mum get some witnesses to this, and report him when she's got enough evidence against HIM!
This is a horrible situation to be in, my sympathies to your Mum!
2007-03-26 03:11:37 · answer #10 · answered by Moofie's Mom 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋