LexFather

PORTLAND, Ore. - An attorney who watched a police officer park illegally in front of a restaurant, then wait around while his meal was prepared, issued the officer a series of citizen-initiated violations.


Eric Bryant said he was sitting at the restaurant March 7 when Officer Chad Stensgaard parked his patrol car next to a no-parking sign and walked inside to wait for his food, the Portland Mercury reported Thursday.

Bryant told the weekly paper that when he asked Stensgaard about his car, the officer asked Bryant, "If someone broke into your house, would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house or have to park three blocks away and walk there?"

Bryant filed a complaint as a private citizen alleging several violations, including illegal parking and illegal operation of an emergency vehicle.

Stensgaard was issued a summons to appear in traffic court in May. The fines could total $540.

"Citizens should be concerned that he used his status as an officer of the law as justification for breaking the law," Bryant said.

Cathe Kent, a spokeswoman for the Portland Police Bureau, said Stensgaard would fight the complaint in court, "as he rightfully should."

Parking is limited on city streets, especially with many construction projects downtown, she said, and officers remain on duty even when they are picking up food.

"We are emergency responders and need to be ready to take an emergency call," Kent said Saturday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080419/...hFj3buR5QuQE4F

TJW98LS

iTrader: (1)

Sorta a ***** move. It wouldnt have bothered me much that a police officer parked in a no-parking zone, but i do agree that the police should obey their own laws. I see where the officer is comming from when he says that they need to be on call in case of an emergency.

100plus

I see lots of NYPD cops on their cell phones in hand and yakking away. Great way to enforce the law eh officer? Im sure some of you guys see similar things.

Sewell

iTrader: (9)

Its called a Drive Through. Do Cops not get lunch breaks?

-Regan

Gojirra99

I think the police has a case ("We are emergency responders and need to be ready to take an emergency call," etc.) & probably would prevail in court ...

mmarshall

I'm certainly not for cops breaking their own laws, but the officer has a point.
And if a cop turns on his lights and siren, of course, he/she is immune form normal traffic laws such as speed limits or red lights, though obviously, that's not going to be the case eating in a restaurant.


That lawyer will probably have a cop tailing him everywhere he goes, looking for something. He won't be able to even use a rest room in private. I would not want to be in his shoes.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't have bothered with it unless the cop was parked in a handicap stall or someting. We do live in a class system no matter what people think. You get certain rights afforded to you depending on your status, income, or job title. If the cop turned on his blue lights just to run a red light because he didn't want to slow down, that is different. If the cop is just illegaly parked for a little wile waiting for his food order, no bid deal for me since everyone else does it. Now, if the cops was previously ticketing many of those illegaly parked in that same area doing the same thing, that would befferent as well.

Personally, if the cops no start ticketing everyone doing that same thing I'd be more pissed at the lawyer since now I wouldn't be able to illegally park to wait for my food Not that I would do that of course

omarg

all i can say is good. Let a cop know how it feels to be taxed by the govt for stupid laws. Cops act as if they are these immune gods that can do whatever they want.
They park in handicap spots all the time, to get some coffee from my friends shop. They are always speeding more than 10 over the limit, they race their engines, and give out tickets to get revenue, so they can pay for all the gas they waste.

I was stopped at road block and illegally searched for drugs 3 nights ago. They didnt search everyone, and i gave them no reason to search. (my lex is not nice enough to be a drug dealers car). They tried to make me scared, and open my glovebox and trunk. When i objected (because i know my rights and they were locked) they tried to say they could arrest me for disobeying an officer. Whatever, i told em my bro is a criminal defense attorney, they quickly let me go afterwards. If i hadnt known my rights, who knows what they coulda done to me. The search and the stop was completly illegal BTW! Cops cant do a road block, looking for drugs! Supreme court knocked that ***** out!

I feel that normal people are being targeted and prosecuted as criminals, and the REAL criminals run free.

Sorry for the rant, i've just been very annoyed with the legal system the past few years.

Jewcano

iTrader: (4)

^Think about it, which is easier and less dangerous? Of course a cop rather write a ticket than go after an armed criminal.....who wouldn't

But I still disagree. The cop should have found a parking spot like everyone else. He shouldn't be immune to parking in a no parking zone. If he gets a call, he needs to drop what he's doing and run to his car. Thats fair, unless he's some fata$$ who can't barely run, then he shouldn't be a cop in the first place.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

What if he had to park his car two or three blocks away like everyone else, then gets a call while waiting for his food? Kind of a waste of time to have to run two to three blocks back to his car. What if that minute or two turns out to be costly to a victim?

Not saying it is right from them to break the law, but sometimes certain things are just not an issue. Time is of the essence for any emergency or law enforcement vehicle. Kind of reminds me of the stories of how people don't pull over for the Ambulance. One guy gave the Ambulance driver the finger as it passed, only to find out further up the road it was his own mother in a server accident. That is a true story from an EMS worker.

Jewcano

iTrader: (4)

^Again that is always a possibility. However, you are also neglecting to mention one more factor. Is there only one cop in that entire area? I highly doubt he was the only cop in that entire region, and the fact that there is a SLIGHT SLIGHT chance someone would happen in his area and he were the only cop there, then the notion of him parking in front of the restaurant in a no parking spot would be valid.

Think outside the box folks. This isn't the days of old where there was one sheriff in town. If most of ya'll go on a drive around town, you'll see plenty of cops everywhere. I see absolutely no merit for what he did, UNLESS he was the only cop in that entire district, all other cops were off duty, and there was an emergency that needed to be taken care of. If all three of those factors are satisfied, then and only then I agree with what he did, otherwise FINE his A$$.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

I think this is great. I know too many cops who feel above the law just because of the badge that they wear.

REALITY CHECK!

bruce van

As much as I hate letting cops acting like they are above the law, I don't think it would bother me at all knowing that if there was an emergency, he would probably drop his lunch and respond.

Seriously, it doesn't seem like a big deal. Imagine if someone was being robbed and he had to run to the car and lose 1 minute to respond. Come on folks. I know a lot of cops probably abuse their power from time to time, but let's think of the bigger picture.

Since when does anyone on this board EVER side with a lawyer?

Jewcano

iTrader: (4)

When the lawyer is right As rare as it may seem

valgs350

iTrader: (1)

Why is the cop getting food while on duty in the first place!!!!

If he is off-duty then he should park his car and he would not be on call unless something huge happened, the officer was on duty and went to get food while on tax payers money, that is wrong.