Not Just Hollywood: Nearly a Dozen Police Cruisers Respond to Possible "Crazed" DUI Suspect; Cops Come Guns Drawn

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded to an apparent "crazed DUI suspect" by sending about 10 police cars to Sunset Boulevard. According to TMZ, which caught the police action on tape, cops responded with guns already drawn. This incident may have happened in Hollywood, yet such arguably excessive shows of force have become par for the course not just for the LAPD, but cops around the country.

Watch below, via TMZ:

Comments

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Makes you long for the days when the LAPD would just beat the shit out of you with a baton if you didn't STOP RESISTING!!!

[Francisco d'Anconia]

If you're from Colorado...don't drive through Idaho.

Nutpunch! At least he wasn't shot.

[Paul.]

Where da dashcam video at?

[Sunmonocle Backwards Tophat]

I imagine the cops surrounding the suspect, each at 36 degrees of separation, guns drawn, ready to fire. In with a quick drop to the ground, 10 heroes lost their lives to a crazed-DUI suspect. #UltimateSacrifice

[SusanM]

Interesting article from Cracked of all places, regarding the Ukraine protests. One bit jumped out:

"The Automaidan patrol the streets, they know where the police are -- which streets you can expect to see them at and when their patrols are scheduled for. If a car does get stopped by those police, they have a radio system, and they can call for reinforcements. Cars full of protesters will swarm the traffic stop and start taking video and yelling whenever we catch them violating some procedure."

Read more: http://www.cracked.com/article.....z2xl8NLyrW

[sarcasmic]

What's the point of being trained to smash windows and drag people out of cars if you're not going to smash windows and drag people out of their cars at every available opportunity?

[EDG reppin' LBC]

As long as every one of those brave Boys in Blue made it home safely...

[sarcasmic]

Seriously though, I made the mistake of stopping on COPS while channel surfing the other day. I don't know where it was, but it appeared that standard procedure when pulling someone over was to train their weapon on the driver and order them out of the car, then make the person prostrate themselves to the officer before being placed in handcuffs. You could tell that the officer totally loved every aspect of his job, and was begging for an opportunity to kill someone. Heroes.

[RBS]

My wife watches COPS sometimes, that show drives me insane. I usually end up screaming at the suspect not to listen when the cops says he's going to help if the guy would only admit to the drugs being his.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Try watching The First 48. I'm always yelling at the TV "Lawyer up! LAWYER THE FUCK UP!"

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Tom Segura does a bit about that in his stand-up routine. I'd link to YouTube but I'm on my phone. Google it.

[Kaptious Kristen]

A bit about what? Lawyering up? Or The First 48?

[EDG reppin' LBC]

About watching First 48 and screaming at the TV to, "lawyer up!"

[Kaptious Kristen]

Cool - I'll look it up!

[Zeb]

It has always amazed me that police departments want to be on that show. They must actually think it makes them look good.

I used to watch it sometimes for late night stoner entertainment, but the appeal was mostly how awful and violent the cops tended to be.

[Ted S.]

It always amazes me that the arrestees sign releases to be on the show.

[Zeb]

That is kind of a surprise as well. I wonder how many refuse?

I guess being on TV is a lot more important to many people than not looking like a jackass.

[sarcasmic]

It's filmed by the cops themselves. Lots of people will sign anything handed to them by someone in uniform with a gun while surrounded by a dozen more angry people in uniform with guns.

[gimmeasammich]

I used to watch it sometimes for late night stoner entertainment

Is that why G4 used to run all-day marathons of that tripe?

[JW]

Officer safety fun time!

[Tim]

Seems like a prudent precaution to me.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Related: LAPD police chief Charlie Beck overturns verdict after police disciplinary board voters to fire cop

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck is responding to accusations of providing special treatment for an officer being disciplined in the department.

LAPD Officer Shaun Hillman became involved in a late-night altercation at the Maverick Bar in Norco, and reportedly used racial slurs, before allegedly lying to investigators.

While the disciplinary board decided that his actions were severe enough for his termination from the force, Chief Beck overturned the board's verdict, and on Tuesday defended his decision to do so, following a police commission meeting in San Pedro.

"Well it has become a very public issue, but that can't be what drives my decision to make these kinds of calls," Chief Beck said.

"I've got a tough job, and I have to apply a standard that is consistent, not just because of a person's position, or just because of who they're related to, or any other reason. It has to be a consistent standard that I set. And I did that in this case."
Beck also said that, while his decision carries greater weight than that of the disciplinary board, the officer in question will serve a suspension of 65 days.

[John]

LAPD Officer Shaun Hillman became involved in a late-night altercation at the Maverick Bar in Norco, and reportedly used racial slurs, before allegedly lying to investigators.

So now the defense attorney in every case against a black defendant he is involved in will be able to play the race card and claim his client is being framed by a racist cop.

Way to go Chief. That is keeping the system clean right there.

[Ted S.]

Defense attorneys ought also be using the fact that this guy got off as precedent when their clients are accused of assault or perjury.

[John]

They should but sadly no way would a judge let them.

[Paul.]

Higher standards!

[John]

You missed the money quote

Officer Hillman's father was an LAPD officer, while his uncle, Michael Hillman, was a popular and well-known deputy chief, who ascended through the ranks alongside Chief Beck.

Beck, however, insists that favoritism had played no part in his decision on the matter.

That puts his righteous claims of applying a consistent standard in context a bit.

[sarcasmic]

My stepfather manages a car dealership.
Many years back he was driving somewhere with his daughter following him, and a cop pulled her over. He circled back and saw what was going on. He went over to the cop and said "I didn't sell this car to your boss so you could pull my daughter over with it." After a couple minutes on the radio the cop let her go.

It's all about who you know.

[John]

It is. I would normally find that stuff annoying. But I can't help but be happy to hear of some asshole cop get stepped on a bit.

[SugarFree]

I'd racial slur every last one of you motherfuckers to get 65 days off.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

I think you just did. Have a nice vacation, bub.

[Paul.]

HnR doesn't give paid suspensions. Yours would be unpaid.

[SugarFree]

The Commenters Union will hear about this! [shakes fist]

[paranoid android]

"I've got a tough job, and I have to apply a standard that is consistent, not just because of a person's position, or just because of who they're related to, or any other reason. It has to be a consistent standard that I set. And I did that in this case."

So it doesn't matter if he lets any number of predators and criminals infest the police force at every level--as long as he's consistent in excusing all of their crimes, there's no issue!

[The Late P Brooks]

"I've got a tough job, and I have to apply a standard that is consistent, not just because of a person's position, or just because of who they're related to, or any other reason. It has to be a consistent standard that I set. And I did that in this case."

That tough standard: NOTHING SHOULD COST A COP HIS JOB.

"Move along, folks, nothing to see here. If you do not vacate the area in the next thirty seconds, you will be arrested for Disorderly Conduct. Thank you for your cooperation."

[John]

What does having a tough job have to do with dropping an N bomb on someone while you are off duty?

[The Late P Brooks]

I'm willing to bet if Hillman dropped his Niggerbomb on the wrong man of color and got his honky ass stomped, The LAPD would have little interest in how "tough" or "emotionally stressful" THAT guy's job might be.

[Raston Bot]

The McCutcheon v. FEC facebook derp is ramping up. Apparently it's a stake in the heart of democracy because money.. or maybe it was squirrelz. I forget but both make as much sense.

[John]

I was thinking about that. Here is the best analogy I can come up with for what the courts have done to the 1st Amendment.

Imagine the Amendment contained another clause that said "Congress shall pass no law restricting the speed of vehicles on public highways." Then in 1973 Congress passed a national speed limit and the courts ruled it permissible because the competing interests of safety have to be considered when interpreting the prohibition against government speed limits.

That is exactly what the court has done here.

[Art Stone]

How about "unless you're selling tobacco products"?

[Robert]

No, Breyer's reasoning would be that the faster drivers, if they are allowed, would be restricting the speed of the slower drivers, because speed is relative, therefore a speed limit furthers the Constitution's role in allowing everyone to drive (relatively) fast.

[John]

In Buckley and a lot of other cases I mean.

[Paul.]

I can only imagine. I'm guessing the next six weeks on NPR will be this story, every six and a half minutes. Like when the market crash of 2008 happened, the first year of NPR became the NPR Paul Krugman News Hour.

[Zeb]

Well, it will be a welcome change from that stupid plane crash, Obamacare and "opiate epidemic!!!" stories anyway.

[JD the elder]

Am I the only one who wondered why the cameraman was apparently having an epileptic seizure while filming?

[BuSab Agent]

Either that, or he kept ducking because we all know how careful cops are with their aim and checking for objects/people behind their targets.

[Brendan]

Is it really wrong that I want the helicopter to experience a malfunction that causes it to just plummet into the middle of those cop cars?

[Robert]

I'd really like to know if we're seeing a trend or just finding out about something that's been true since civiliz'n began.