Police treating the famous different.

B

BerettaCougar

New member
Alright, we all saw the video of Paris Hilton and her drunk friends committing a hit and run, which is a felony in most states, also the driver was seen drinking at a club just minutes before, the driver was 19 at the time. underage drinking is an arrestable misdemeanor in most states... Why did the cops not do anything? Because theyre famous? That's a load of crap.


In my personal opinion the police officers are just as guilty as the people responsible when they choose to let things slide just because of someones status. :mad:

I wonder what the LEO members here have to say.
 
BC, I know of no department that makes exceptions for the rich and famous. I'm sure there are individual officers that have, but they're going against departmental policy when they do, and they're putting their own jobs at risk.

I've been asked many times, "Do you know who I am?" Answer is, no, and I really don't give a damn. Then there's the old "I know so-and-so". Don't really care there, either. My answer there usually goes something like, "Problem is sir, you don't know the person you really need to know right now."

Reply: "Yeah, who's that?"

My answer: "Me." ;)

Let me put it like this: If I find myself in a position in which I have to arrest one of my own officers, and I do just that (I have, by the way :( ), do you really think I'm going to wink and look the other way because someone's popular and knows a few people?

Now if a scantily clad Paris Hilton gave me that "come hither" look, wellllllll........... just kidding :D .
 
I think there are more anticdotes of prosecutors failing to prosecute or offering unusually light plea bargains than LEOs letting people off because of their connections or fame.
 
I think there are more anticdotes of prosecutors failing to prosecute or offering unusually light plea bargains than LEOs letting people off because of their connections or fame.
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One needn't be a musician to know when the right note has been struck. I just can't figure a better way to say "+1". :D
Rich
 
I think there are more anticdotes of prosecutors failing to prosecute or offering unusually light plea bargains than LEOs letting people off because of their connections or fame.
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Bingo!
DA's are notorious gadflys at the homes of rich & famous folks in some cities. And they've been known to tread lightly because the accused is a friend of the local newspaper publisher, famous business owner or the like.

Let me put it like this: If I find myself in a position in which I have to arrest one of my own officers, and I do just that (I have, by the way
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Cap'n Charlie, no disrespect meant, but if you are a command-level officer then that's your perogative. However, after 3 oral boards in the 70's for me, and having others take oral boards as recently as 2001, that's not what the interviewers at oral exams want to hear. Their preferred answer is that if you can't convince him to take a cab, call your supervisor (sergeant) or watch-commander to deal with a DUI fellow officer and let them make that decision; then go along with it, whether if it means driving him home or to the graybar hotel.

Of course, this is Kalifornia too.
 
Cap'n Charlie, no disrespect meant, but if you are a command-level officer then that's your perogative.
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No prerogative there Bill; mandated arrest. I realize BC was referring to a DUI, but my case involved domestic violence. And yes, I'm command level, but sometimes "command prerogative" weighs heavily. I did what I had to do, but I certainly took no pleasure in it, and there's no way that I would delegate such an action to a subordinate. If someone has to be the "bad guy", it's only right that they be brass.

Still, the point remains that if I have to arrest one of my own, why should I cut slack to someone I don't even know, and who's claim to fame is simply being able to flash a sexy smile at the cameras?

I don't want to turn this into a "should cops give cops breaks" debate; that's already been done here, several times over. It was strictly an example of, If I've got to kick my own dog, I probably won't have sympathy for a stray.
 
LawDog, and everyone else..

I am talking about this.

http://videos.humpingfrog.com/12024/2005/11/paris-hiltons-drunk-boyfriend-crashes-his-bentley.html

The guy driving is 19 years old, admitted to being drunk, and the cops let it slide.. also theres a few other times where celebs get to walk off major infractions... Steve-O from Jackass (mtv show) shows a group of cops a bag of weed, tells them its weed, shakes theres hands then the cops drive off...

Also Halle Barry, second time hit and run offender, being charged with another misdemeanor?

http://www.hollywood.com/news/detail/id/312138

:\ That is what im talking about...
 
"BC, I know of no department that makes exceptions for the rich and famous."

Sorry Charlie, but I don't believe that for even a second. The guy that started the thread posted one example and in my lifetime there have been MANY others that became high profile news items. AND, this certainly isn't limited to the rich and famous. It is also routinely done with the powerful and connected.
The idea of saying this doesn't happen is like trying to tell people that white is black and black is white.
 
Sorry Charlie, but I don't believe that for even a second. The guy that started the thread posted one example and in my lifetime there have been MANY others that became high profile news items.
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You didn't quote the rest of my paragraph, 444, which was...

BC, I know of no department that makes exceptions for the rich and famous. I'm sure there are individual officers that have, but they're going against departmental policy when they do, and they're putting their own jobs at risk.
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Does it happen? Absolutely! Is it condoned by any department's policy? Absolutely not! Find me one verifiable example of one that does and I'll eat my hat. You're always going to find people that are swayed by glamor and fame, and political power. Remember that one or two officers does not a police department make. Those who do let fame and fortune influence their integrity are NOT doing so with the blessings of their department and are at risk of being charged with dereliction of duty.
 
Charlie, I personally have been let off on any number of speeding tickets, and once a potential assault(I tossed, literally tossed as he wasn't very big, a goober out of my office after he threatened me) because I'm known around here and, more importantly, my dad was and still is well connected and so were both my grandads. There's no other reason they smiled and said "Have a nice day".

Certainly wasn't my sparkling personality.

I've been there when a mayor discussed his rule of NEVER "harrassing" locals that "matter" when writing seatbelt tickets and other minor "safety drive"(revenue generation) tickets. I'd call that official policy, wouldn't you? I've heard plenty of tales at plenty of Chamber meetings and Party get-togethers, too. Someohow I suspect that at least some of them were true.

Regardless, even if 99% of the time it isn't official dept policy does that actually matter to the people who see it? How are they supposed to recognize policy from individual favoritism?
 
Above the law

Why did the cops not do anything? Because theyre famous? That's a load of crap.
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Why was Patrick Kennedy allowed to crash his car at 3AM, obviously under the influence of something, and not be forced to take a breathalyzer test - like any of we commoners would have been forced to do?

It appears that some people are above the law. Patrick Kennedy's dad - Ted, captain of the Chappaquiddick Swim Team - drowned a woman in his car and didn't have to answer for it - it must be a Kennedy family birthright to circumvent the law.:barf:
 
" I'm sure there are individual officers that have, but they're going against departmental policy when they do, and they're putting their own jobs at risk. "

You are correct. My bad.

However, that is a pretty political answer. Of course there is no written policy that certain people are above the law. But, I guarentee you that many of these decisions are made at the highest levels and passed down orally. I am sure that the decision to simply let one of the Kennedy's walk away from that accident was not made by the first officer on the scene. When that guy realized who was involved he started the trip up the chain of command.

FWIW, over the last 20+ years working as a paramedic/firefighter in Las Vegas I have seen a few things involving VIPs, people that are connected, political figures, internationally known people, and people who could buy and sell small countries. This whole issue isn't simply a matter of guess work for me.
Remember, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
 
What are the standard procedures for requesting a pit maneuver? I ask only cause I didn't see any in the O.J. Simpson pursuit. If you call it a pursuit. Still the problem is more likely a result of prosecutors pushing agendas rather than on the LEO level.:cool:
 
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