Police: Rumors, Scandals, and Scoops

Wacky Police News

 

Christian Torres, a former New York transit officer, was sentenced on Monday to 10 years in prison for pulling a gun on three bank tellers, one of them nine months pregnant, during a Reading, Pa. bank robbery. Torres also faces charges in New York for two bank robberies there.

Christian Torres made off with $113,000, but was caught just a few blocks from the bank.

Two New Mexico state troopers narrowly escaped death when their patrol car became stuck in deep ruts on a train track in Valencia County. The officers were attempting to push the car off the tracks when they heard the oncoming train.

Police car was struck by a train after becoming stuck on railroad tracks.

Baltimore police officer Robert Cirello was charged with assault and reckless endangerment following a road rage incident where he flashed his gun during a disagreement with another driver. the dangerous display of temper took place while moving along city streets. The officer has been in trouble before for false arrest and use of a chemical spray and was the subject of a civil lawsuit. The plaintiffs, four young men, won the suit receiving nearly two million dollars as judgment.

 

Road rage.

Friday, May 15th is Peace Officer’s Memorial Day. It is one of two days when flags are to be flown at half staff. The other is Memorial Day. 133 police officers were killed in 2008.

 

The Parsippany, NJ Police Department is investigating a YouTube video showing one of their officers napping behind the wheel of his patrol car. The officer was caught snoozing while the emergency lights on the top of the car flashed. Parsippany is the home of the Deadly Ink Writers Conference.

 

Not the actual officer.

FYI – What many people don’t realize is that police officers who work the night shifts must also appear in court during the day. These court appearances can result in the officer testifying in several cases that requires their presence for many hours, if not all day, which leaves little time to sleep before their next shift. And this is not a one day event. In some areas, misdemeanor cases are heard on one day, felonies and juvenile cases also have their own day of the week. This doesn’t include grand jury hearings or traffic court, which are held on separate days. If a trial lasts for several days, or weeks, the officer may be required to attend each of those days until his testimony is complete. Sleep then becomes almost nonexistent.

A Palmdale, Ca. police officer shot a boy for pointing a toy gun at him. The child’s toy was not properly marked with the traditional red or orange barrel tip.

 

Toy guns should be clearly marked with orange or red markings on the barrel.

The officer received a call about someone riding a bicycle and brandishing a handgun. The officer ordered the boy to drop the weapon, but the youth instead pointed the faux weapon directly toward the police officer. The child is expected to live.

A Seattle man who ran from two sheriff’s deputies is now in a coma after one of the deputies tackled him, forcing his head into a wall. The critically injured man, Christopher Harris, had done nothing wrong. The deputies had mistaken him for a criminal suspect.

 

Christopher Harris has been in a coma since he was tackled by 270 lb. Deputy Matthew Paul. Deputy Paul is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation. KOMO news photo.

There are conflicting reports from witnesses as to when, or if, the deputies who were dressed in all black identified themselves to Harris as police officers. One witness stated the officers did not identify themselves, but when the fleeing man realized the two were police officers, he stopped running and held his hands in the air. The report then states that the victim was blindsided by a sickening, bone-crushing hit. Other witnesses say they heard the deputies yell, “Police,” before running after Harris. A camera at a nearby business captured the event on film. The video has not been released due to the pending investigation by a neutral police agency.

Update – 2:47pm (11:47am in Seattle). Deputy Matthew Paul has officially been temporarily re-assigned pending the outcome of the investigation.

* Take a moment to visit DP Lyle’s new blog The Writers Forensic Blog.

3 replies
  1. queenofmean
    queenofmean says:

    Some of those toy guns look pretty real. My son had left his air soft gun on the kitchen counter & my sister had to do a double-take. She said it looked a lot like her husband’s service weapon. If only all parents knew or cared what their kids were doing.

  2. Lee Lofland
    Lee Lofland says:

    Will – You’re right. But I think parents should make sure their kids are playing safe, and that means leaving the toy gun tips in place, as is.

    Hey, I’m an eclectic sort of guy – an old school rock and roller who also likes classical and jazz, along with a sprinkle of the Rat Pack era. Shoot, toss in a little Cher, Herman’s Hermits, and Willie Nelson and I’m good to go. Now that’s a mix of issues…

  3. Wilfred Bereswill
    Wilfred Bereswill says:

    Those orange tips on air soft guns can come off pretty easily. And then there are the idiots that paint the orange tips flat black.

    Quite a mix of issues here, Lee.

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