Police U-turn amusement again

**southernmike** · 8th August 2008, 11:26

Maybe they should put an 'I turn often' sign on the back of patrol cars or even the one I was going to put on my bus 'If you can't see me in my mirrors...you're fucked!'.

**Sanx** · 9th August 2008, 01:58

Would it be acceptable for a member of a Police armed response unit to accidentally shoot and maim a passer-by? Would the officer concerned be allowed to continue as an armed officer until the resulting investigation had been completed?

I fail to see why the two situations should be treated any differently. In this case and the two like it last year, as well as in my hypothetical situation, the officer concerned showed a monumental lack of judgement. If an officer really is capable of performing highly suspect manouvers in order to secure some extra revenue, then he should be stood down from driving until the results of the SCU investigation have been completed. And if he's shown to have caused the accident due to his desire to start a pursuit, he should never be allowed to drive a Police vehicle again.

**peasea** · 11th August 2008, 15:07

Originally Posted by Sanx

Would it be acceptable for a member of a Police armed response unit to accidentally shoot and maim a passer-by? Would the officer concerned be allowed to continue as an armed officer until the resulting investigation had been completed?

I fail to see why the two situations should be treated any differently. In this case and the two like it last year, as well as in my hypothetical situation, the officer concerned showed a monumental lack of judgement. If an officer really is capable of performing highly suspect manouvers in order to secure some extra revenue, then he should be stood down from driving until the results of the SCU investigation have been completed. And if he's shown to have caused the accident due to his desire to start a pursuit, he should never be allowed to drive a Police vehicle again.

The police tell us (and rightly so) that motor vehicles are potential weapons. When in the wrong hands (drunk, too loose etc) they can and do kill people, just like guns. We aren't about to remove guns or cars from society so accidents will continue to happen and when they do the people who operate the weapon need to be made accountable for their actions, regardless of their occupation. Hiding behind the "execution of their duty" mantra is not on.

Doing a u-turn on any road, be it a back road or state highway, is a dangerous operation and you must be 100% sure that you are doing it as safely as possible. Had the officers been on motorcycles I doubt that they would have been so careless. Some are behaving like blinkered cowboys in the pursuit of their 'performance expectation' with a callous disregard for anything or anyone to get their tickets written up.

However, the police have a whitewashing juggernaut in the form of the PCA to cover everything up so mark my words; nothing will happen.

**peasea** · 11th August 2008, 15:08

Originally Posted by southernmike

Maybe they should put an 'I turn often' sign on the back of patrol cars or even the one I was going to put on my bus 'If you can't see me in my mirrors...you're fucked!'.

Or "I turn often with warning or looking"

**Indoo** · 11th August 2008, 16:22

Originally Posted by peasea

However, the police have a whitewashing juggernaut in the form of the PCA to cover everything up so mark my words; nothing will happen.

Yeh just like how 'nothing' happened to the cop who injured the biker doing a U Turn down the line.

**peasea** · 11th August 2008, 16:51

Originally Posted by Indoo

Yeh just like how 'nothing' happened to the cop who injured the biker doing a U Turn down the line.

Just because he's been committed to stand trial doesn't mean anything will happen.

We live in hope of equality though. And I assume you mean the Buller Gorge incident?