Skip to main content

Seattle's jaywalking: Cop strikes jaywalker

First, if you're not familiar with what happened recently in Seattle,watch the video: http://www.bittenandbound.com/2010/06/16/cop-punches-woman-video/.

Let's break it down. Is jaywalking something that should be enforced? Quite simply, yes. If it is a law on the books, then it is enforceable, and should be enforced. If the citizens of Seattle do not want it enforced, then get involved and have it repealed.

Did the officer over react? No. First, although I am not, nor have never been a police officer, I do know that it is standard procedure in most jurisdictions...and common sense to boot that when citing, or simply questioning someone and others insert themselves into the situation, the officer, most especially when alone, must contain the situation. This will often result in at least one individual being handcuffed. The fact that the jaywalker's friend assaulted the officer (pushing is assaulting), thus inserting herself and escalating the situation, the officer was fully within his rights and responsibility to strike her in an effort to gain compliance.

The fact that Seattle has chosen to step up enforcement of jaywalking, again is an issue that will take community involvement to change. From what I know of Seattle, it is known as a pedestrian-friendly city. It only stands to reason that as a matter of public safety, pedestrians choosing to cross traffic lanes outside of marked crosswalks should be cited.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America This, in my opinion is where our focus should be. Throughout our country's great history, we have slowly given many of those rights rightfully reserved to the States respectively to our Federal Government. Using the current debate as an example, if a state decides to have universal health coverage, so be it. If they can make it work, good for them. I do not believe it can work and I believe that any state that attempted it would become bankrupt (can anyone say CALIFORNIA?) quickly. Nonetheless, it should be a state's choice...it is the State's right! Our fifty United States need to take their rights back. Individually, as their citizens, through their legislators decide.
1 comment
Read more

Who is serving whom?

Our Founding Fathers were very careful when they came to establish this great nation. Through the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and through the correspondence among the Founders, the words to describe their vision were chosen carefully. The words of personal letters, public addresses, and our founding documents were carefully crafted as they were expected to live for the ages. In this, our Founders succeeded, as these documents are as relevant today as when they were written. Initially, from the First Continental Congress, through the early 1800’s, following the War of 1812, being a member of Congress was basically a part-time job. Then, as now, Congress sat in regular session for about six months per year. Pay for Congressmen at the time was $6 per day they were in session. It is difficult to give a direct comparison in today’s dollars since most colonial Americans still used barter as a primary means to acquire goods. However, an ill...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shared sacrifice

In light of current news, I realized today that many in my family, including myself, are employed in controversial jobs. I have two family members that are teachers, two that are air traffic controllers, one that is a city employee and a son that is a Soldier. I am a military retiree. Excepting myself, since I always wanted to be a career military man, most of my family didn't start out to be a public employee. My brother, an Air Force veteran, became an air traffic controller when President Reagan fired so many, creating an opportunity. My son followed in my footsteps and my niece followed in my brother's. Regardless, as it stands, several of us make a living off of the public dole. My nephew, a teacher and I have been having a back-and-forth about the protests in Wisconsin. I just wrote a paper for college on the dated nature of tenure in our public schools. His input has been invaluable, and while I understand his passion for the subject, I feel both of us have missed...
Post a Comment
Read more