Police muscle in on funeral cortege

**Drum** · 22nd April 2006, 08:16

In light of the unavailability of patrol cars to attend the "Pokeno bad driver" incident, this is even more surprising (nz herald).........

When Les ("Jack") Jackson rode his motorbike behind the hearse carrying his son's body, he was not expecting to be pulled over by the police.

But the grieving father and his family were left distressed after Henderson police tried to stop him for not wearing a motorcycle helmet in the funeral cortege.

Mr Jackson, a member of the Akarana Riders Club, says he rode his Harley-Davidson without a helmet as a mark of respect to his only child, Dean, a blind man who died of an epileptic seizure at 26.

Three police cars tried to stop him in the short distance between the funeral at the Lincoln Rd Bible Chapel and the burial at the Waikumete Cemetery, pushing in behind Mr Jackson and in front of his wife, Kerry, who was being driven behind him.

The funeral director, who declined to be named, complained to the police.

"The mother was extremely upset that they cut in between her and the hearse, and so were a number of other people," he said.

Dean Jackson was active in his church and a regular guest on the Radio Live show Dawn Patrol with Des and Les, where he sang songs on air.

Co-host Bruce Hopkins (aka "Les"), one of 400 people at the funeral, said: "I came out on to Lincoln Rd and there were about 12 or 15 big motorbikes, Harleys and all sorts, which held up the traffic until they could all get in a line and travel along Lincoln Rd. I had tears in my eyes because it was such a powerful image."

But another mourner, who was listening to the police radio in his car, said he heard a an officer describe the procession as "a gang funeral".

Mr Jackson, a truck driver, refused to stop when the police cars pushed in. "There was no way I was pulling over. That would have held everyone up."

When the cortege stopped at a roundabout, an officer shouted to Mr Jackson asking him again to pull over.

"I pointed to the hearse and said, 'That's my son in there'," Mr Jackson said. "He said, 'I don't care'. That's when I gave him the one-finger salute, which evidently he got upset about."

The three police cars in the cortege were joined by two more at the cemetery, but the officers allowed the burial to go ahead. When the mourners left, the police had gone. No charge was laid against Mr Jackson.

Waitakere area police commander Inspector Mark O'Connor said in a statement yesterday that the law did not allow an exemption from wearing a helmet in a funeral cortege.

"Police are sensitive to the needs of families in these circumstances."

**Quasievil** · 22nd April 2006, 08:26

Makes the police look like a pack of fucken nazi's as far as Im concerned, whats with cops, once they had a good image and got respect from probably 90% of the public.now they are depsised by 90% of the public.......why acts like that and over the top traffic enforcement make them appear to be heartless and money grabbing pricks, wheres the discretion ?

**T.I.E** · 22nd April 2006, 08:32

shame the policeman couldn't use some discretion.
"i am god " attitude again.
i guess they were lucky alot of upset people in that situation could have turned ugly for the police.

**Timber020** · 22nd April 2006, 08:34

Its a funeral, it doesnt make it alright to smoke P, do 200kmph, take virgins as a sacrifice, shoot ak47's in the air or not wear a helmet on a public road.

The police did a simular thing at a gang funeral in a few years back when they did not allow members to ride without helmets. According to the gang "in protest at the end they rode home at high speed." Incidently they were on harleys so they were probably beaten home by the hearse

I cant see how a helmet interfers with the grief process, the guy has lost a son and is in alot of pain, but not wearing the helmet wasnt about the funeral, it was just an excuse to get away with not wearing one.

I dont know how the cops could have handled this one, if they let it go its shows them willingly turning a blind eye to a very obvious breaking of the law which could lead to a dangerous precedent, yet the papers jump on them for doing what we expect them to, upholding the law for everyone.

They were damned if they do, and theyre damned if they dont

**Quasievil** · 22nd April 2006, 08:37

Originally Posted by Timber020

They were damned if they do, and theyre damned if they dont

Negative, they were Damned cause they did, and no one would have given a toss if they didnt

**scumdog** · 22nd April 2006, 08:45

Hmm, they don't get pulled over for that down here...

Just another thing to add to the list of "Why I don't Live in Auckland or any other Large Metropolitan Area"

**Indoo** · 22nd April 2006, 08:47

Originally Posted by Quasievil

Negative, they were Damned cause they did, and no one would have given a toss if they didnt

Funny that cos i distinctly remember not too long ago the Police being criticised for allowing the funeral procession of that head hunters idiot to ride down the motorway without helmets.

**Bonez** · 22nd April 2006, 08:51

Originally Posted by Timber020

Incidently they were on harleys

(p/t)Apperently that's ment to put riders above the law(p/t).

**Toast** · 22nd April 2006, 08:58

Quasi summed up the issue here in one word: discretion.

Another example of the police stringently enforcing the laws with tunnel vision and not looking at the bigger picture. Smoking P while riding or doing 200kmph would have likely endangered the public, and the rider himself. Riding with no helmet is stupid, but really, they could've just given him a ticket a month later when he was able to take it.

**Quasievil** · 22nd April 2006, 08:59

Originally Posted by Indoo

Funny that cos i distinctly remember not too long ago the Police being criticised for allowing the funeral procession of that head hunters idiot to ride down the motorway without helmets.

Well gangs need to be smacked hard at every opportunity, and once smacked smack em again and again for anything possible. Its called policing, bothering a small family procession is harrasment, bringing three or more cars into a smaller family procession highlights that cops dont know how to police, dont know how to use discretion, and have no ability to think anymore you know using their brains!

If gangs are involved bring out the guns for littering.......literally

**scumdog** · 22nd April 2006, 09:03

Be a boring old site if the Police did everything right for everybody all the time..

I wonder what 'they' would pick on instead??

**Indoo** · 22nd April 2006, 09:08

Originally Posted by Quasievil

....If gangs are involved bring out the guns for littering.......literally

"But another mourner, who was listening to the police radio in his car, said he heard a an officer describe the procession as "a gang funeral"."

I think its just another case of Herald journalism, the Police are the target atm so what story they can twist around, they will take.

**Smokin** · 22nd April 2006, 09:17

Originally Posted by Toast

Quasi summed up the issue here in one word: discretion.

Another example of the police stringently enforcing the laws with tunnel vision and not looking at the bigger picture. Smoking P while riding or doing 200kmph would have likely endangered the public, and the rider himself. Riding with no helmet is stupid, but really, they could've just given him a ticket a month later when he was able to take it.

Im with you on this one Toast, Not the best way to go about it but ya can't let them away with it either. Not wearing a helmet out of respect? Bollocks, he wanted to look like a tough guy.

**Timber020** · 22nd April 2006, 09:23

There were up to 15 bikes at the funeral, 400 people attended. The law applies to this guy, he gave the cops the finger when asked to pull over. As mentioned before when the cops dont do anything about these sort of situations they get raked over the coals about it

Now if I refused to pull over, gave the cop the finger I wouldnt be expecting a "go ahead sir, have a nice day".

The cops didnt stop him from attending the funeral, they just did what they could to stop him breaking the law, which he was doing on purpose and extremely publicly.

**slimjim** · 22nd April 2006, 09:24

Originally Posted by Timber020

Its a funeral, it doesnt make it alright to smoke P, do 200kmph, take virgins as a sacrifice, shoot ak47's in the air or not wear a helmet on a public road.

The police did a simular thing at a gang funeral in a few years back when they did not allow members to ride without helmets. According to the gang "in protest at the end they rode home at high speed." Incidently they were on harleys so they were probably beaten home by the hearse

I cant see how a helmet interfers with the grief process, the guy has lost a son and is in alot of pain, but not wearing the helmet wasnt about the funeral, it was just an excuse to get away with not wearing one.

I dont know how the cops could have handled this one, if they let it go its shows them willingly turning a blind eye to a very obvious breaking of the law which could lead to a dangerous precedent, yet the papers jump on them for doing what we expect them to, upholding the law for everyone.

They were damned if they do, and theyre damned if they dont

no wrong here mate,, its about been and given the respect to or of someone, i too have ridden without my hat on funeral rides of a fallen mate,, police have asked of us ,only to wear our hats afterwards when leaving the grave site and not all were gang related !