I was startled to get pulled over in Pasadena, Maryland and then the officer accused me of swerving. He brought another officer and yelled a lot and wanted me to take tests for drunks. I looked at his name badge and he said to back off so I did and he continued by yelling in a threatening manner about if I come close to him again and yelled to consider myself warned, but he didn't cite any law or say how close I wasn't allowed to come. He also didn't give me his name but I remember it a little from the name tag read. Then he made the other officer give me a Breathalyzer test that of course yielded a 0.0 result.
It's quite scary for them to be allowed to threaten about anything they want, especially since in this same city an officer walked up to my face to make sure his screaming was as loud toward me as possible.
Should I just accept that they can abuse at will and leave us terrified without any avenue to take? I don't want my family to be harrassed.
2007-10-11 04:59:24 · 47 answers · asked by Jonathan H 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Thanks everyone. I want to file a complaint but I don't know where to file it. The police department seems to be the wrong place. Also I don't know his exact name for sure and I don't know how to get it.
Lisa M, it was county police and I'm not a minority.
I've been feeling terrified about the incident since it occurred Monday evening, but the answers here have given me much hope in eventual reform, as well as the integrity of non-police officers in this nation.
2007-10-11 05:19:52 · update #1
just accept the abuse, I went thru it a few times as a bar tender back in the day, leaving the bar soaked shoes that wreaked of alcohol.. getting pulled over @ 3am for swerving, no turn signal, truck was a big 4x4 & looked suspicious on the hwy, tinted windows, driving with interior light on, etc etc beacuse I put in a 12 hour weekend shift...
hmm yeah the cash was good in those days. The officer swore up and down I was drunk since he smelled alcohol. No matter how many times I had to repeat myself that I was a bar tender, his this skull and wax clogged ears never seemed to comprehend... once I failed a field test for walking but I had 2 spraigned ankles ffrom a wakeboarding accident.. oh no took this one all the way to trial, and 5500.00 later I won, why beacuse the cop got fired for harassament.. too bad this wasn't on CNN or Larry King, nation news I say... now not all offiers are shittie like a very large number are, but when they give up their rights as an officer, just let them be a jerk if they have to be... they just hate their job is all, and no of nothing else career wise...
Sucks those of us in the green have to deal with it, but it's a part of life that many have to go thru, right or wrong. The key is to being on police car video & audio, if you were drunk and knew it, never admit to drinking on tape, never blow on tape, and lastly never take a field test on tape. They use that against you in court to get you to admit one way or another ;)
best of luck!
2007-10-11 05:17:33 · answer #1 · answered by ? 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋
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2016-06-11 01:12:01 · answer #2 · answered by Roberto 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should TRY to file, yes. But, if when you get there; they start trying to talk you out of it, then that's a sign. A sign that it's a corrupt department and you shouldn't be surprised if one of their low life's tries to mess with you. You can pick up on the atmosphere when you get there. But even if it is bad, you must go there and mention the complain anyway. You tell them there, that you feel that you had an unjust incident with one of their people. Tell them the story, and let them say something back. You just going there, shows that you have respect for yourself whether you file or not; because if you were really intimidated you wouldn't have gone in the first place. And that's a little bit of revenge, in it's own right. And if your too scared to even do that, you still have to do something; go to the state offices and get out of that county ****. Go above them. Even if there all in on it together and don't listen, you still have the satisfaction of standing up for yourself and the fact that they'll know it! They hate self esteem and confidence being in their victims. It shows it's not weakening your mind. And ultimately it's a war against your consciousness; and nothing more evil than that.
2015-07-16 10:39:57 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Is it worth filing a complaint against a police officer?
I was startled to get pulled over in Pasadena, Maryland and then the officer accused me of swerving. He brought another officer and yelled a lot and wanted me to take tests for drunks. I looked at his name badge and he said to back off so I did and he continued by yelling in a threatening manner...
2015-08-18 06:49:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My ex-boyfriend is a cop in Barstow, CA his name is Jarell Gilmore I think he's the only black officer in the town. Anyway he and I are in the middle of a heated custody battle the judge awarded him FULL CUSTODY of my 5 year old son just because he is a cop.
He is the most unethical, crooked, low-down person I have ever seen in my life. He has no conscious and loves to throw his weight around. He has had me falsely arrested several times during my visitation with my son in an attempt to take him back early.
I don't know if complaints are heard against police officers but I guarantee this is one police officer who is going to reap what he sows and the rest of the department can go down with him. He is a womanizer who cheats on his wife repeatedly but acts as if he's the most devoted husband and father in the world, but I know the truth he's nothing but a fake and a wannabe who will soon be an unemployed fake and wannabe.
2014-08-11 07:58:42 · answer #5 · answered by Shannon 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you should file a complaint. Your complaint alone may not do anything, but it will stay in the officer's file and when enough people complain something will happen. Or maybe others have already complained and yours will be the one that forces some action to occur.
Anyway, it's important that it be documented.
2007-10-11 05:06:34 · answer #6 · answered by Whoops, is this your spleeen? 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes file one. Your complaint alone might not make a difference. However, since this cop is an asshole for having a little dick or something else, he will yell at others who complain.
Once there are too many complaints filed from many different people, there is no question as to "who the problem really is."
2007-10-11 06:01:37 · answer #7 · answered by Workcompguru31 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes! File a complaint. Even if nothing happens with your case, it will still go on his record. If enough people complain, he will get reprimanded. In the event that he totally goes off the deep end then there will be a record of complaints leading up to the event.
If he goes further than threatening and beats up someone or smacks them with his gun, and there are ZERO complaints, then he will get off with a slap on the wrist. They will consider it an unusual thing for him.... If there is a history of complaints about his abusive behavior, they will take things more seriously.
If a police officer (someone who is meant to protect us, not abuse us) is using unnecessary force, then it is your responsibility to report him. Think of the next person this jerk abuses?
2007-10-11 05:07:05 · answer #8 · answered by Yup Yup Yuppers 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I was a cop and from the way this story sounds he was a bit out of line. There was no need for him to yell...unless you were yelling at him. If you kept calm and did nothing to provoke his actions...yes...I would file a complaint. Even if you don't have the officer's name...you can make the complaint by listing the time, date, and street location you were stopped. All stopped are recorded by dispatcher...plus some departments have dash-cams, which record everything in front of their car. If this shows him being an a**...and you doing nothing...he is in big time trouble.
2007-10-11 05:09:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
Well im not sure if filing a complaint will give you the result your looking for but if your complaint adds on to a list of numerous complaints this cop has or will have it eventually will get noticed. Im from New York and cops over here get away with murder. Literally.
2007-10-11 05:05:36 · answer #10 · answered by karen d 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I accept the abuse because I have no choice. I have made complaints about officer Jay Ostrowski for following me to the bar and harassing me and my friends while nit on duty. He is known for not taking no for
an answer so I try to stay away from him. But he also follows me and blocks me in traffic. Its sad that a police departmentcant help a single mom. His friend Lieutenant Tom Gorski does the same thing and gets awsy with it. Constant harassmment on the road and in
2014-09-28 14:56:11 · answer #11 · answered by Jennifer 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋