Woman arrested for using F-Bomb

[Michael]

[web:a421b0aa45]http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=eQN&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&ncl=1236717906[/web:a421b0aa45]

[Doczilla]

So, let me get this straight. The Fire Marshal, who is off duty, ARRESTS a woman for using the F word in a public place, handcuffing her after she tells him where to go. I guess there is a shortage of arsons and malfunctioning sprinklers in La Marque that this idiot feels it necessary to wander around the Wal Mart looking for people swearing. Oh, but it's a CRIME. One that demands immediate intervention from an off duty peace officer.

The arrest of an individual is tantamount to the government taking away your freedom (life, liberty, etc.), and the law is fairly stringent regarding the conditions under which this can be done. It doesn't sound like the Fire Marshal here is in a very good position to defend the arrest. It sounds like he stuck his nose in, and when she wouldn't give him the answer he wanted, he had a choice; defuse the situation, or escalate it. Good cops know when to choose one over the other. Looks like we know which one he chose.

This is so incredibly stupid, I can see why the town didn't want to release a copy of the summons.

'zilla

[Anthony Mayernik]

Wait, saying "They're all ----ing gone" is a crime? Wow. I should just go surrender myself to the authorities. Now, there are, of course, two sides to every story, but I can't say that citing someone (and cuffing them, apparently) for swearing is something that would cross my mind unless it were truly "disorderly": refusing to stop, continued, louder than normal conversation, etc.

Reading the article, it looks like he was going to stick with the written citation. When she became belligerent, he decided that for his his protection, she needed to be handcuffed. I think there's a little gray area between being "handcuffed for the protection of law enforcement officers" and "being arrested", but the fundamental point is the same: why?

There's more to this story than a woman saying the F-word to a relative about the inventory of the store.

This should have been a "Ma'am, there are children present, can you please watch your language?" conversation and nothing more. A citation was a bit much, and the handcuffs were too much. And he had to take her out to the car to get the citation book? If you're prepared to handcuff someone, why aren't you carrying your citation book?

Of course, how many people know that there are people with arrest authority that aren't cops? One supposes that fire marshals would have arrest authority (and the ability to issue citations) over things involving, you know, fire, but everything else? If you ask me who can arrest people, the only people that spring to mind are are police officers and deputy sheriffs...fire marshals don't even jump up and down in the back of the room waving their arms for my attention.

On a related note, I think it's safe to say that I'd be a little belligerent if someone handcuffed me that I couldn't easily identify as a peace officer with that kind of authority. And, "I can do this" isn't sufficient. In this day and age, there are too many wackos out there with L&S on their car...

[firedoc5]

Someone let their arresting powers go to their head. :bs:

[ERDoc]

Someone has obviously never been on the streets of NYC. Something like that would be considered a compliment.

[frontcrawl]

Check this out

Kentucky Revised Statutes 75.160

(2) The regular members of the fire department in fire protection districts, except volunteer firemen, shall have the same powers of arrest as now given by law to sheriffs of this Commonwealth and they are hereby expressly declared conservators of the public peace whose duties, in addition to their other prescribed duties, are to conserve the peace, enforce all laws and preserve order, and they shall have and are hereby expressly given the same right and the same power to arrest, search and seize as is now given by law to sheriffs of this Commonwealth, and they shall be at all times subject to the orders of the county judge/executive in which the fire district lies while enforcing the provisions of this section. Provided, however, that members of said fire departments shall not have the power to serve subpoenas, summonses and notices in civil cases and they shall receive no fees for performing any of the duties prescribed in this section as pertains to powers of law enforcement. The members shall constitute a law enforcement agency in addition to the patrol and investigation functions of the sheriff and his deputies under KRS 75.150 to 75.170.

Effective: February 28, 1956.

Yeah, all of em.

[flight-lp]

Personally, I would have beat him over the head with his handcuffs. I know this goon, an absolute moron..............

[Michael]

Update here.

[mshow00]

Technically anyone can make an arrest, but it sounds like this guy couldn't cut it as a cop and has the "big d*ck complex".

[Asysin2leads]

Let's call him up and tell him to go f--- himself.