Deputy in wheelchair incident update
 

An arrest warrant was issued for the deputy who tipped over the wheelchair with the handicapped person. The deputy is charged with third-degree felony abuse of a disabled person.



You can go to Baynews9.com to follow story.

Well, I was hoping to see something would be done. Certainly didn't expect an arrest.

:eek:

Good. I mean, what next, yanking somebody's oxygen tank, cuz it might have drugs in it?

That's refreshing news..I was expecting it to end with an "on leave with pay" till the story blew over. Glad I was wrong!

..And Brain, you never know what those old people might be inhaling through those tanks.:D (You know I'm kidding, right?) I hope to be fiesty enough to get away with something like that..Nothing illegal, just a little helium maybe to freak people out..

This is such a relief... I was just coming to post it. I was so worried she would get away with it.

I am so glad they aren't allowing her to justify her actions or make excuses. This is exactly the charge that the victim was asking for.

Very good sign, a step in the right direction. This also means of course that she will not keep her job either.

That's good news. I would expect that agency would HAVE to do something drastic because the incident was televised. I wonder what would have happened if it hadn't been? And how many times it's happened in the past and got swept under the rug? This deputy doesn't deserve to be employed there or anywhere. Justice was served - although it had to take this terrible incident to make it happen. I hope the handicapped man is OK.

CNN reported that the person was in there for a traffic incident? I understand that the police hear every excuse in the world, but those actions when you aren`t sure? Anyone else notice the other people in the room didn`t seem too surprised by it?

Yes - noticed that - I'm surprised they didn't decide to kick him while he was down - I think that perhaps some police are what we believe them to be but there are a lot of thugs and bullies in the police departments across the country that certainly shouldn't be where they are -

officer in question
 

I understand that this deputy can get 5 years in the pokey for dumping that man out of his wheelchair....

Question for those who live there/have access to news reports we don't hear:

I heard that this man was a former police dispatcher? Is that correct?

Yes, that is correct.

I live in Australia and this incident was televised here.

It made me wonder about what kind of training the police get. Doesn't seem as though disability awareness is part of it.

What happened was horrible but sometimes people are just NOT aware and if you are a law enforcement officer, a little cynical and burned out, doing a quite dehumanizing job then maybe such behaviour can be understood more objectively. Not justified, mind you. Just understood.

The woman concerned may not be the best person to be a police officer. I would hate to see her go to jail, especially if the victim was not hurt. Maybe she should simply lose the job, especially if she is not suited for it.

I just watched the whole incident on youtube. There's a whole bunch of various videos of this incident. NO sound, (I'd love to hear the audio from that incident).

The deputy has since resigned and offered some lame apology.

I watched as she dumped him on the floor and it took 4 people to put him back in the chair.

What I want to know is "what the heck was her motivation to do such a heinous thing?" She's been on the job for 22 years and now her career is over??

Why on earth would she do such a thing to another human being who is disabled??

I often wonder what is the mind-set of people who can do this to the handicapped.

She won't get jail time. But I do believe she has lost her career in law enforcement. She'll probably wind up as some mean guard in a nursing home.

God help us all!!!

It's awful when people are careless, disrespectful or violent to ANYONE, not just people with a disability.

If people grew up with the sense of basic respect for others, and if society encouraged this, it would be less likely to happen. But often it does for a whole lot of reasons.

Sometimes you can walk down the street and just feel the anger and alienation in others. Last night I walked past a busy intersection near where I live and the blaring car horns told the same story.

At different times in my life, I've felt that same kind of witless anger myself. Fortunately I haven't acted on it - well, not more than a blare of the car horn. :o

Who knows what was in that police woman's mind? She seems to have paid a price and maybe something can be done about the culture of her work place, training of police officers and so on.

Sorry MrsB. but I can't agree with you on this one.

I also live in Oz and saw the incident televised. I believe this woman deserves more punishment than simply a rap on the knuckles and losing her job. I know darn well that if it happened to me or some-one I cared about, I would not stop pushing until I saw justice served.

I agree. If this has been a woman just walking down the street, who had done this... everyone would be yelling that she should go to jail. There wouldn't have been any other consequence for her.

But, just because she loses her job doesn't mean that should be her only consequence. She of all people knew the consequences of her actions. She should have known what would happen. She should have simply not dealt with him if she couldn't handle it. But, she doesn't look angry to me. She just methodically dumps him out, as if she does it everyday.

I still say, if she did this knowing it was being videotaped...then what has she done behind the cameras?

She needs to go to jail. Maybe the next person will think twice about abusing someone who can't fight back? Maybe not... but at least this person will get justice.

I saw the video on the commercial news and a very short account of what had occurred. I guess I am little tired of trial by media. We rarely know the whole story of incidents like this. I was not condoning what happened.

I was careful to say that the action was wrong, and there should be a consequence.

Whatever, it does show that police need awareness training around disability issues

Perhaps this story will explain my position a little more.

In the 1990's here in relatively short period of time, there were 28 fatal shootings of mentally ill or disturbed people by police. Some of the shootings were simply not justifiable. By that I mean that other approaches could have been used to defuse situations. It was also questioned whether shooting to death was really necessary.

It was felt that the police involved did not understand mental illness very well and were frightened by it. Or they had strange preconceptions about it. The police also were not skilled in negotiation and defusing of situations. There was also quite a 'gung-ho' attitude about guns, especially with younger police.

So the Government of the day arranged training around mental illness and defusing particular situations. Police procedures around using guns were also looked at.

The outcome of all this was that the fatal police shootings of mentally disturbed people dramatically declined.

So, I am coming from that perspective.

In relation to the incident which sparked this thread, there may have been really insensitivity and even callousness in the deputy's treatment of that man in the wheelchair. There should be appropriate procedures in place to deal with the issue, but probably there are not. I don't know the US system all that well.

If this action was regarded as an assault, would jail be the normal consequence?

Best wishes to all.

maybe they sould tie the officers hands behind his back and dump her from the wheelchair

Yes, she has been charged with Felony assault of a disabled person. She is facing up to 5 years in jail. I doubt she will get it, but that is the possible punishment.

But at least it will be on her record - and she won't be able to hold a position of authority again.

I saw a suggestion of dumping her from a wheelchair - I think if we started to punish people with the same things that they did to others (an eye for an eye) our crime rate would go way down. You slam someone's head into a wall - hey, if it was good enough for them then it's good enough for you! I know it will never happen but it's nice to think that it could!

She had 22 years of law enforcement experience, prior to her arrest and subsequent resignation. ell me she didn't know better. :rolleyes: Three other people remain under investigation.

I watched the whole film. :eek: I'm glad I don't live in Tampa Bay anymore.

MrsB I agree trial by media is never good. We have only seen what the media has wanted us to see but with that said the deputy should have walked away no matter if the wheelchair man was taunting her...I also agree sensitivity training is in great need with law enforcement agencies all across America.

Sending her to jail...she will receive solitary confinment for her duration in jail because if you place her in general population the prisoners will KILL her...is that justice? Does that justice fit the crime? I AGREE fully that she deserves punishment. When the judge makes his ruling he will take into consideration the crime committed as well as all options of punishment to ensure she pays a price for her actions but also making sure that price is not the ultimate price.

Well, undoubtedly the system will work its way through.

My heart goes out to everyone concerned and I hope that mercy prevails for all.

In this country, it is highly unlikely that the policewoman would go to jail unless the 'victim' was seriously injured, and even then it would be unlikely. She would probably lose her job, however, and may be fined or sentenced to community service if she was convicted. A lot would depend on her past experience and record of work.

I totally agree with you.

Dear Silverlining,

I looked at your blog and can see where you are coming from.

There is much wanton cruelty in the world. I don't know where one begins to address it all. The vulnerable are many: the people with disabilities you mention on your blog are some. Homeless people, women and children who experience sexual assault and domestic violence, the poor, people who subscribe to particular religious beliefs, gay men and women - the list is terrifyingly endless.

I think each one of has to decide how we act. And society enacts laws to guide how people act as well as to punish them. In this case, there was no murder, and the woman concerned has been charged. There are different levels of crime. Murder or serious physical assault should always be punished according to the law and circumstances of the crime. The law differs according to the nature and circumstance of each crime, however.

I work in disability policy as well as having a number of disabilities myself. My job is to help ensure that the organisation in which I work provides access and fairness to people with a disability. To do that we have to work constantly in making people without disabilities aware and mindful of the needs and rights of those who have.

That is all we can do. Educate people in an ongoing way and act with kindness ourselves.

In other workplaces in my life I experienced extreme harrassment as well but it was because of personal life choices, not because I have a disability. I just wish sometimes the world was a better place. We can change our immediate worlds, however.


My best wishes. :hug:


.

My son is a police officer and he was very disturbed by this incident. He can be tough when needed but he has a compassion for people that I believe helps him in his position. Now, criminals will try to play upon that compassion but he has learned that he can be compassionate with a person's circumstances but still insist that they abide by the law.

Like he says, there is no reason to torment or ridicule a person he has taken into custody just for the mere fact that he "can". He can insist that they answer for their crime but he can remain professional while doing his job. Doesn't mean that he agrees with what they did or even feels sorry for them individually - but he feels like he is helping any victims of the incident by keeping his cool and being as professional and fair as he can be.

Law enforcement is under constant scrutiny - and like my son says - as long as you do the right and lawful thing you don't need to worry about whether or not you're on camera or not. He keeps his dashboard cam on each and every time he makes a traffic stop and doesn't turn it off until the car he stopped drives away.

You gotta CYA whatever job you have - he just has to make sure that his is documented.....

Mrs. Backyard:

You said:

hat is all we can do. Educate people in an ongoing way and act with kindness ourselves.

In other workplaces in my life I experienced extreme harrassment as well but it was because of personal life choices, not because I have a disability. I just wish sometimes the world was a better place. We can change our immediate worlds, however."

I think this is one of the most profound statements I have ever read. It nails everything right on the head.

I believe that Deputy was having a really bad day. People who can do this to another human being, well, they are capable of going home, and if their dog is in the wrong place and the wrong time, they will kick their dog. They act on impulses. This woman who dumped the guy, well she was acting on her impulses. She really needs to be in some kind of anger management course or something.

I especially liked that you wrote that people should be kind to each other. I try and do this every single day, because who wants grumpy, mean people around you. My husband had an operation the other day. I spent much of that afternoon sitting across the chair facing an 84 year old holocaust survivior. All she wanted was someone to listen to. She had diabetic neuropathy and her feet were on fire. I kept saying to myself "My god, this woman was in the holocaust and now her feet are on fire???" Doesn't seem fair sometimes. But I listened and held her hand. Her daughter looked worse than she did because of all the worrying.

When they left, do you know that they hugged me and thanked me for being kind to their 84 year old mother. If you think about it, what exactly did I do?? I just listened and held someone's hand and they felt a bit better. No magic bullets, just compassion.

I don't think the human race is born with compassion. I think it's an evolving, learning experience that often comes with maturity. Too bad a kid isn't born with it naturally. Maybe some are but often we are not.

That deputy screwed up a 22 year career because she made such a bad decision. I can only imagine that she's hitting herself over the head because she did such a thing.

I hope that the sheriff's office implements some kind of anger managment de-stressing program that will offer their employees a chance to chill out for a few minutes during the day.

In Japan, they take yoga breaks and they take time out for themselves. They REALLY KNOW HOW TO DE-STRESS.

Just wanted to share my opinion.

Good post on your part, my dear.

I bet she is. But I bet she isn't sorry she did it, only sorry that she was caught. She isn't sorry for what she did to this man, simply sorry for the consequences to her.

That is the entire problem I have with the situation. She isn't sorry. She doesn't care. She is just upset that HER life has been affected by it.

Thank you Mrs B...

Kitty, it's officer's like your son that get a bad rap because of the ones like this Deputy. It's very sad.

AMEN! If she had been in a room alone with that man and no camera had recorded the incident would she be admitting to it? I think not.

It's just like a cheating spouse - they're sorry and ready to admit all and change their ways once they are caught. Would they be doing the same if they hadn't been found out? No - absolutely not.

She is upset at the fact that she caught - and that's all. I shudder to think about what she's done that she hasn't gotten caught for.

That is exactly my point. If she is capable of this when she knows people are watching, then what has she done when people are not? If she'll do this when cameras are rolling, then what has she done when the cameras are off? :confused:

There is a trooper in Utah that I think could easily end up in the same situation or worse. He is on a total power trip and literally enjoys making people cry on the side of the road. While he has been "in trouble" a couple of times it's never been enough to get him off the road.

I shudder at the thought of what it will take to get him off the road eventually. :(

I want to borrow your avatar, jmiller, For some reason I have a fasination with tornadoes. How would I put it under my name, do you know?