Canton Ohio PD / CCW Issue

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

The first officer missed his real calling. He should have been a gym teacher. Had a few, with slightly cleaner language, as gym teachers that sounded just like him. He might just get his dream now.

I think the cops are more tweaked that if the CCW'er had really been a bad guy with malice on his mind, they'd be dead right now.

With the last comment about getting to the tight cuffs fixed, it almost seems like the officer has cooled off and has realized that this is all on tape.

Thank God for dash-cams.

[jmp45]

OT, about the dash cams, is the audio coming from the officer's mic or is there a mic in / outside the car that captures audio?

I'm feeling a little like Trajan about carrying in Canton til these guys get a handle on our legal rights.

One of the comments the officer made: "people like you don't deserve to @#$%#$ move throughout public. Period!" I'm hoping is not a common sentiment.

My wife was soo upset about this last night, she wants to call Canton Mayor's office and PD and have a serious discussion about this and our rights.. She's a front line fighter for sure..

Gym teachers.. that was good...



Update.. Wife did call the Canton Mayor's office expressing her views for the ccw holder's rights, how this guy handled the situation and her thoughts concerning how they are dealing with him. Secretary was very cordial but didn't seem to know in detail the incident concerning the incident and dialog. Mostly is that it's all in internal affairs investigation. But, that she would pass on her views to the mayor.

We talked to a Jackson county officer concerning ccw last year in length being recent holders at that time. I have to say, they don't reflect this officer's views in any way. He said they look at it like the other poster said, a good guy's card. This seems an anomaly, an isolated incident (hopefully) for that department.

[QuietShootr]

OT, about the dash cams, is the audio coming from the officer's mic or is there a mic in / outside the car that captures audio?

I'm feeling a little like Trajan about carrying in Canton til these guys get a handle on our legal rights.

One of the comments the officer made like how these @#%^@# should not even be able to move throughout the public, I'm hoping is not a common sentiment.

My wife was soo upset about this last night, she wants to call Canton PD and have a serious discussion about this and our rights.. She's a front line fighter for sure..

Gym teachers.. that was good...

Likely it's a belt-mounted lavalier-type mic. Here, the officers are equipped with a system made by L3 (as in EoTech) that has an integrated wireless mic as part of the system. One thing I've noticed, is that the guys who are what I consider Good Guys are the ones that meticulously ensure that it's functional at the beginning of every shift. It only turns on when the overheads are activated, and then runs for 30 seconds after they are shut down. Other than that, there's no way for anyone to get to the stored video in the car other than a Captain downloading it either over the air or via USB.

There are one or two, though, who are a little 'lackadaisical' about making sure the mic is plugged into the transmitter at times.

[Irish]

Not to throw gas on a fire but... A lil history. http://www.cantonrep.com/topstories/...d-carry-arrest

Harless, 45, an Ohio native and former Marine worked as a police officer in Virginia for four years before coming to Canton in 1996.

During his career he has earned several commendations.

One was from a Virginia judge, who praised the way Harless handled a situation involving a man with a gun, according to records in his city personnel file.

Canton’s internal affairs unit has investigated 16 complaints involving Harless dating back to 2000.

He was reprimanded in one 2003 case. Harless and another officer were exonerated of using excessive force, but were given a letter of reprimand for not activating the in-car video camera at the scene per department policy.

I do not know the details on what it takes to be investigated 16 times by IA and some of the incidents could be quite trivial in retrospect. However, having an excessive force charge while your camera was conveniently left off is slightly suspect and points to a pattern.

I don't think this was a "single incident" due to the fact that he got out of that car wearing those gloves and was really jacked up even at that point. This statement has been confirmed by several LEOs who agree with that assessment. Single incident or not he has no problem judging those people for a single incident and any info he finds on his computer about them will be used against them.

[4x4twenty6]

IAD complaints shouldnt be indicative of your performance as a police officer, ON THEIR OWN.

That is when having a camera and being mic'd helps to prove that you were in fact being completely professional and the person you were in contact with was just a complete asshole.

Having had a few IAD complains and been exhonerated for all, it is something that you have to be aware of at all times.

There is a time and a place for certain behavior and believe that officer was out of line.

I am a huge advocate of CCP and look at that as proof that the person is obviously not a douche bag criminal. I would rather have someone carry concealed than open. I have my reasons and stand behind them.

Just another set back for the somewhat rocky police/civilian relationship.

[ryan]

IAD complaints shouldnt be indicative of your performance as a police officer, ON THEIR OWN.

That is when having a camera and being mic'd helps to prove that you were in fact being completely professional and the person you were in contact with was just a complete asshole.

Having had a few IAD complains and been exhonerated for all, it is something that you have to be aware of at all times.

There is a time and a place for certain behavior and believe that officer was out of line.

I am a huge advocate of CCP and look at that as proof that the person is obviously not a douche bag criminal. I would rather have someone carry concealed than open. I have my reasons and stand behind them.

Just another set back for the somewhat rocky police/civilian relationship.

Hopefully its a step forward in getting this hotheaded officer off the streets and a good American in his place. That said the driver should have handled it much differently, he should have known the reaction the officer would have for not stating his case quickly and plainly. The language the officer used doesnt bother me much, the threats especially towards the woman are what bothered me. Me personally, in a situation similar would have already had my hands out of the window DL, CCP & POI in them.

[Trajan]

This is on the front page of the Repository today.

[Zhurdan]

Okay. I called my boss and asked him, "What would happen if, in the course of my work day, said to ANYONE (client or not) 'Shut the **** up - I ought to pull my Glock and put 10 in your chest.'"

He said, "You'd be fired immediately, escorted from the site if you were on premises, and the police would be called and charges pressed if we could."

I then explained why I was asking. He's watching the video now.

Just as it's important to say "Officer, I have a permit to carry a handgun" rather than "Officer, I have a gun and a permit"... I'd make sure that in today's day and age, clarify the WHY first when talking to employers. hehe

[Irish]

That said the driver should have handled it much differently, he should have known the reaction the officer would have for not stating his case quickly and plainly. The language the officer used doesnt bother me much, the threats especially towards the woman are what bothered me. Me personally, in a situation similar would have already had my hands out of the window DL, CCP & POI in them.

Most states that I'm aware of don't make you state that you have a concealed weapon if you have a permit and officer's blood is not flowing in the streets. The driver has barely had his permit, was obviously nervous, and complied with the officer's command to shut up therefore there was no way for him to have handled it differently.

The threats of putting lumps on some broad is what bothered you? Him threatening to execute him for exercising his Constitutional rights bothered me a hell of a lot more. There should be no blame shifted to the driver of the car when that officer was completly out of control from the get go.

He is a disservice to his profession, his community and that uniform and should be fired and charged on multiple accounts.

[Magic Smoke]

As far as I know these are the states where you have to notify a LEO if you are armed. Alaska,Louisiana,Michigan,Nebraska,North Carolina,Ohio,Oklahoma,South Carolina,Texas,and Utah.