Cops = assholes. I know people always try to qualify it with "but not all cops are assholes" but I have yet to have one treat me as though they weren't.

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So what happened? Did this video get shown to anyone having to do with this guys superiors?

Does anybody else hear an insane clicking?
You can clearly see that he did use his blinker. Man that cop sure is an ass.

However, just because you always see 'asshole cop' videos on the internet, that makes all cops assholes? "Well, every video of cops I've ever seen, they are assholes." No shit. Who wants to post a video of a good cop giving them a simple ticket on the internet?

Also, why DID that guy have a camera mounted in his car?

Did he plan on pissing the cops off?

Fake? Hmmm....

However, the cop did have just reason to pull him over. Any car that pulls into a vacant lot at night can be deemed suspicious, especially in an area that has common break-ins and drug deals.
It's even more suspicious when it's a parking lot only 30 yards from a cruiser.

Marine, you beat me to it; what the heck is with that annoying clicking!?... it's like one of those newton's cradle toys ( http://www.physlink.com/estore/cart/SmallNewtonsCradle.cfm ), except it never ends!

"You want me to send you to jail bow-eh" That would be an awesome lawsuit.

I think we need more of the after story from the author here. Why the camera? What did he say to flip out the cop? Has he turned a copy of the tape in to the chief?

However, that said that cop was OBVIOUSLY trying to instigate something to get a reason to arrest and probably beat the hell out of this kid. Also, you can tell he knows he totally lost his cool and had said some things wrong when he starts calming down. That cop needs to take a vacation. Absolutely.

I would agree that the cop has the right (perhaps the duty) to check the vehicle out - but to stand there and verbally abuse the guy was completely out of line.

Not to mention the other bogus reasons sited that were clearly disproved by the video. And making up charges? This cop should at the very least lose his job and never find employment in this field again.

Lawsuit should be a foregone conclusion and goes without saying.

I think the clicking is the driver's radar detector.

yeah, he left his radar detector on, detecting 'k-band' wavelengths or whatever.

I questioned a cop's judgment once for pulling me over... never again! Know what they can and can't do, but outside of that its "yes sir, no sir, sorry sir, thank you sir, have a good night sir". No chit-chat, no discussion and debate.

Its a tough job that I wouldn't want... never give your garbage man a hard time and never give cops a hard time.

Oh, and as a final note, I've met more than a few cops who were great guys. The last cop that gave me a harsh speeding ticket was a good guy, all business, no BS.

I'll resist the urge to post my own experience here (not as big a deal as this, although this does stir up some nearly decade-old memories of a screaming state trooper for no reason), but I can say this does happen, and far too often. While not all cops are bad (obviously), I've seen more than fair share of bad apples, if not complete assholes, at least abusive bullies. This is what happens when you give this kind of power to the high school kids who couldn't make it any other discipline.

So he threatens him with nonsense charges, threatens him physically (it seemed), threatens arrest (again for nonsense), threatens that he could ruin his life/career/etc. That's a real tough guy. You've gotta love how this fascist pig changes his tune once he realizes he might be on video. Worthless scum crawling vermin.

Original poster: who and where ever you are, if this isn't settled by now, I hope you'll post this piece of shit's name. He needs to be held accountable.

Here's the story behind the story, including a transcript provided by the driver (http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/19/1961.asp). There's a link to another video where the driver is questioning certain legalities of sobriety checkpoints. In this video, when asked about the camera and security set-up, and whether or not he has a record, he mentions being assaulted by an off-duty cop, and the city of St. Louis paid him off not to sue them. So--clearly the cop abused his authority, and to get SO foul mouthed SO quickly is unconscionable. At the same time, the driver seems to have quite the chip on his shoulder, and might very well be driving about, looking for some rabid cop to annoy.

timefactor stated: "I think the clicking is the driver's radar detector."

Yes that's correct, near the end the cop stated: "...and by the way, that is technically a burglar tool,because you're scanning 'us'".

Agreed, this "officer" should lose his job. We should all try and respect the police officers that are trying to protect us, but this is a clear abuse of power and it should not be tolerated. Unfortunately, there are many policemen and women that get a power trip because they wear the badge.

Brett Darrow videoA motorist who refused to discuss his personal business with a St. George, Missouri police officer was threatened with arrest last Friday. Brett Darrow, 20, no stranger to unconventional encounters with police, caught a St. George Police Sergeant James Kuehnlein stating that he had the power to invent charges that would put Darrow behind bars. Update: Sergeant Kuehnlein was placed on unpaid leave Monday pending an investigation.

"Try and talk back... to me again," yelled Sergeant Kuehnlein. "I bet I could say you resisted arrest or something. You want to come up with something? I come up with nine things."

The incident began at around 2am. Darrow was to meet a friend who was working late and was going to pick him up. Darrow headed toward a 24-hour commuter parking lot in an unincorporated part of Saint Louis County in his 1997 Nissan Maxima. He put on his turn signal and entered the lot which, aside from Kuehnlein's cruiser, was essentially vacant. After stopping the car, the police officer approached and began questioning Darrow about what he was doing. When Darrow declined to discuss his personal business, the police sergeant exploded. Although the video clearly shows Darrow driving properly and using his turn signal, the police officer insisted that Darrow had broken the law.

"Oh, while you were coming towards me you were swerving back and forth within the roadway," Sergeant Kuehnlein said. "I might give you a ticket for that. You want me to come up with some more? When you turned in, you failed to use your turn signal, your right turn signal."

Without the video, Darrow tells TheNewspaper that he would have stood no chance disproving the officer's word in court. Twenty-eight percent of the St. George municipal budget comes from traffic citations. Darrow wonders how many of the tickets were legitimate.

"Looking into this guys eyes, he was crazy," Darrow said. "I was really scared he was going to assault me. I just wonder how many other people have been arrested on these charges."

After ordering Darrow against the car and searching him, Sergeant Kuehnlein released the motorist.

Eric, please fix your description "This happened in a speed trap town in Missouri called St. George with only a few ... all » officers" ... You don't need that all part there.

Pigs!

More news on the incident.

http://tinyurl.com/2wjs3a

Oh wow... the kid had a smart mouth. Saying things like: "What did I do wrong?" and "can't I park here?" Yeah what an asshole.
I realize that being a cop is a hard job. I realize that cops never know what to expect when they pull someone over.
Still, that cop should not only be fired. He should be made an example of and thrown in jail.
I really don't think all cops are dicks. Some have even helped me out a lot.
But this guy is fucking scary.

So basically, the guy (Darrow) just runs around the town looking for cops to piss off so they yell at him on camera?

Yeah, the cop was an ass. But Darrow is a moron too. Waiting for a friend my ass.

It feels fake. However i did see the STL Today news link. So i guess its real. What a shitty cop.

It is strange that the kid has a mounted camera, however there are conceivable explanations for why someone would do that. Perhaps a friend had a similar incident with police officers in the area, and wanted to make a point. I disagree that Darrow did anything to provoke a the officer. He was not overly courteous, but he had no cause to be.

I can't say anything bad about the driver. I've done the same thing, although not with the intention of being pulled over. I do carry a tape recorder and camera in my car for the next time I get pulled over. So far, I'm up to 3 times. All 3 I have gone to court and won. I try to do everything possible to avoid getting pulled over, so it's not like I'm going out there looking for trouble. I've been pulled over pulling out of a parking lot, got 2 tickets, 1 for speeding (which I wasn't) and for running a stop sign (which I didn't and he couldn't see anyways.) That officer is no longer with the department. Based off the attitude he gave me, seriously misjudging my speed, and appearantly I wasn't the only one . . . Another office pulled me over for, yes, get this, passing zone. No, I wasn't speeding. I passed the car in front of me because he was doing 20 in a 55 zone. Later, in court, he told the judge that he was behind me when he saw this occur but then said "oh, I thought he was going the other way." And both directions are passing zones.

So yeah, some officers are jerks, but some aren't. This one got what he deserved because that is WAY off base.

"We all recognize the need for effective law enforcement, but we should also understand our own rights and responsibilities -- especially in our relationships with the police. Everyone, including minors, has the right to courteous and respectful police treatment.

If your rights are violated, don't try to deal with the situation at the scene. You can discuss the matter with an attorney afterwards, or file a complaint with the Internal Affairs or Civilian Complaint Board. "

from
http://aclu.org/police/gen/14528res20040730.html

a nice 'Know Your Rights' link, shared in the related digg comments.

http://digg.com/videos/people/The_full_expanded_newspaper_report_of_the_Missourri_Policeman_Gone_Wild

So basically, the guy (Darrow) just runs around the town looking for cops to piss off so they yell at him on camera?

What was he doing to piss that cop off?? He only asked what he did, and it was a legitimate question with no attitude in it.

In Rubadub's comment you can read an article where Darrow explains the camera -

Darrow said he installed the cameras in his Nissan Maxima after past run-ins with police. He said he was involved in a physical confrontation in 2005 with an off-duty St. Louis police officer, in a case Darrow said was later dismissed.

It paid off for him to have his driving on video, because this post isn't even his second encounter, it was his third!

Here is his second - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2585482423715017278

Again you'll see that he does nothing wrong.

Waiting for a friend my ass.

Oh yea, that's right, the story was clearly made up. Obviously the kid was driving around at 2 a.m. because he might run into a cop who might yell at him and maybe even might threaten to make up charges after he did nothing wrong. Yea, that's gotta be it!

Well, karaidl, I did read those other articles. But why does this guy seem to have all the trouble?

Here's what he does to piss him off:

Cop: "What's going on?"
Darrow: "Nothin"
C:"Why are you parking here?"
D:"Can't I park here? It's a commuter lot."

D:"What did I do wrong?"
C:"You are a suspicious vehicle right now."
D:"Because I can park right here."

If he would have just answered the officer's questions properly without giving him lip, he probably wouldn't have gotten pissed.
It seems to me like these responses we made so as to not keep the cop in a jolly mood as possible (i.e. to piss him off)
However, I am in no way defending the cop. He was an asshole.
I only say the "waiting for my friend" bit is made up because I've never seen a commuter parking lot in town. They are always right before the interstate, so people can carpool.

So yes, I think that he did drive around in the hopes this kind of thing happening. I mean, does he ALWAYS drive around with the camera on? I think if there were a few minutes of footage before this incident, it might answer a few questions.

I'll be going to St. Louis next month, I wonder if I need to install a camera in my car before I go.

Cop sounds like a chump on a power trip. Assbag. Giving cops a bad name.

Wait... is that Farva??

Oh my god, can people stop labeling every damn video as fake?!? Is this some stupid in-joke that I don't understand? How much more real does it need to be? It's on multiple news sites with a congruent story spanning 2-3 years. STFU already. Can't you accept that surprising things happen outside of your bedroom? This isn't even that surprising. Some cop is a dick and threatens to make up charges against someone under the age of 25 who he assumes is too young to know any better. SHOCKING.

(OK. rant finished. onward and upward)

i think his issue is twofold. one, yes, the kid has a chip on his shoulder after being assaulted by an off duty cop. he is slightly combatant, but not aggressively. but i think his major issue is that he feels that he has a right to privacy, which is something that we as a society, IMO, are releasing without a fight. in both incidents, cops ask him what he's doing, where he's going, etc. when he isn't doing anything out of the ordinary. (i don't see stopping in a parking lot as strange. if i'm tired, or need to pull over for a few minutes, and there's a parking lot, well why wouldn't i pull in?)

so he is taking his stand by refusing to discuss his personal life with people of authority, simply because they enforce the law. your upholding the law does not entitle you to know where i am going just because i'm walking down the street and you happen to see me. if i'm walking down the street with a gun, sure, you totally have a reason to ask me where i'm going. but if i stop my car in a parking lot, don't ask me why i stopped there. i parked in a parking lot. that is not headline material. "Guy parks in parking lot. Also washes hands in sink and reads in library. Arraignment scheduled for 9/24." the why of it is inconsequential.

the same happens in the incident where he is asked to get out of the car at the checkpoint.
"where you headed tonight?" (a reasonable question. a lot of people will openly discuss their plans. those that don't wish to are often intimidated enough by cops to blabber out what they're up to, eager to prove that they are guilty of no wrong doing.)
"i don't wish to discuss my personal life with you officer." (a completely reasonable response. you asked a question that i am uncomfortable answering. it has no bearing on our current situation, which essentially involves you making sure that i'm sober. i will not be stripped of my right to privacy simply because you're wearing a badge.)
"Alright. Come on up here. As a matter of fact, just stop your car right here and step out."(the cop's first question is actually him asserting his power in the situation. he asks questions. you answer those questions. any deviation from this script and many officers don't know how to react.)

that, i feel, is the major issue. police officers don't know how to react when this happens. i believe it is lack of training coupled with erratic behavior from cops. officers are afraid of losing their power in any situation. if you defy the slightest order or refuse to answer the most inconsequential question, they become immediately fearful and frequently turn to brute force to get you back into line.

It's on multiple news sites with a congruent story spanning 2-3 years.

My thoughts exactly. Marine seems to be under the impression that this kid has set up his own sting operation, during which time he must have had incredible patience to capture two cops on film within a year's span. What is the notion here? That he just randomly drives around obeying all traffic laws just waiting to be pulled over on the extremely off-chance that the cop might be in an incredibly bad mood that particular day?

Here's what he does to piss him off:

Cop: "What's going on?"
Darrow: "Nothin"
C:"Why are you parking here?"
D:"Can't I park here? It's a commuter lot."

D:"What did I do wrong?"
C:"You are a suspicious vehicle right now."
D:"Because I can park right here."

That shouldn't piss ANYBODY off! Can you please explain to me what was wrong with that?? Here's how it should've went if the reaction was even remotely justifiable -

Cop: "What's going on?"
Darrow: "Nothin"
C:"Why are you parking here?"
D:"Why the fuck can't I park here?"

D:"What did I do wrong?"
C:"You are a suspicious vehicle right now."
D:"Fuck you!"

I only say the "waiting for my friend" bit is made up because I've never seen a commuter parking lot in town. They are always right before the interstate, so people can carpool.

Maybe not your town, but that doesn't apply to everybody's town. Besides, you would think the cop would have logically pointed that out, which leads me to believe that you're wrong. If you were right, the cop should have said something like, "You're picking up your friend beside the interstate at 2 a.m.?"

So yes, I think that he did drive around in the hopes this kind of thing happening.

That's just twisted logic. You don't believe Darrow's story, so you've come up with your own that is even far more ridiculous. Ask yourself, do you honestly believe that this kid has just gone around for the last year obeying the law on the hopes that he could be falsely charged? And how is that more probable than the story presented?

I mean, does he ALWAYS drive around with the camera on?

Just because you wouldn't doesn't mean nobody would.

I think if there were a few minutes of footage before this incident, it might answer a few questions.

The cop was nowhere to be seen in either this post or the video I posted for the first minute.

I'll bet with a penis that small, that cop beats his wife and treats his dog like shit too. A civilian has the perfect right to question a police officer just as much as a police officer has the right to question a civilian. It's called independent and critical thinking and lot more people need to do it instead of practicing blind obedience to authority. Just because a person is vested with power does not make them or their actions correct. Milgram taught us all that.

You're right karaidl. I know that the cops in his area must be complete assholes. Didn't the article say it also happened to his friend as well?
I just think that Darrow could have answered those questions in a more respectful manner. It was up until that point the officer was actually be courteous.

The lesson here is to those who believe themselves to be our masters... LITTLE BROTHER is watching, you oppressive (things I'm not allowed to call you here.) Those of you who wish, may side with the cop. You probably also think the National Guard was right to fire on the unarmed college students at Kent State University in 1971, and you probably won't protest if the draft is re-instated, even if you're not a war-supporter. Check yourselves, man. If you're not gonna carry around a camera, I hope you carry around lube for your own sake for when you run into this guy or one of his many clones.

Two words: Captain McCluskey. (Am reminded of his behavior in the book, although this guy probably has more bark than bite.)

I don't see anything wrong with the policeman's behavior. He was being calm and rational the entire time.

Lying to convict an innocent man is much worse than lying to free a guilty man. This cop is no better than a mafia thug.

You're right karaidl.

What?? Don't agree with me, that's boring! Don't you know how to use the internet? You're supposed to compare me to a nazi and call me fucktard! Then post a picture of an lolcat.

Sigh... I guess I'll go back to making incoherent jokes...

HAHAHAHA - Meet me over at YouTube, karaidl. Then you can have your wish.

Way to end the stream you two.......!

What have we learned here? That this kid with a camera in his car is a dick, and his new friend, Vein Popper the cop, is a dick, too. Now they simply need 2 pairs'a balls, to make the exchange, worthwhile.

who's down on him for videoing this? what could possibly be wrong about that?

I've never had a cop be an asshole to me, and I've been pulled over 5-6 times.

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Adding video to channels (Politics) - requested by looris.

How can anybody be criticizing the kid? While it may be an effective strategy to kiss ass, it is not a legal requirement. "Well, thank you officer for not grinding my face into the pavement and gently resting your boot against my neck".

The kid was entirely within his rights. Good for him. AND THE OFFICER IS A HUGE DICK. period. it's not like the kid was mildy harassed and this was a borderline case like the DWI video. That one is outrageous if you believe in the 4th amendment but the cops didn't do anything too egregious. There's no defending this officer. I'm sure he had a bad day/week/marriage whatever, but he's clearly unfit and improperly trained.

BELIEVE ME... I've met some cool cops!

there's all kinds of cops, but i don't think it's unfair to say that power corrupts, and this is a good example.

Of course there's cool cops! Hasn't anyone ever seen Superbad!?

Mclovin!

I was curious about any followup activity on this. So far I haven't found much, but some more interesting background I got a LOL out of.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/34992940ABCFBFF886257355000D2A55?OpenDocument

A check of court records shows Kuehnlein [the officer in this story] himself pleaded guilty of assault and stealing in two different cases, in 1988 and 1990. He successfully petitioned a judge in St. Louis County in 1998 to expunge his criminal record, which was making it hard for him to get work as a cop.

The judge ordered those records sealed, as well as records of an acquittal for drunken driving and an assault arrest that did not result in charges.

...

Five years ago, an administrative commission upheld an accusation that Uhrig [the police chief who suspended Kuehnlein] propositioned a 17-year-old girl for sex during a traffic stop in 2000, when he was an Arnold officer.

Cole told investigators that Uhrig had her drive to an empty parking lot where he spoke of jail, petted her arm and face, told her she was "beautiful, hot, and tempting," and suggested a "quickie."

...

Police misconduct is an old story in St. George. In 1981, Chief Milton Russell Schepp worked with the so-called "Syrian underworld" to plant a bomb in a car driven by mobster Paul J. Leisure. Leisure survived the blast, and Schepp went to prison.


Did you catch that last bit? A former police chief set up a car bomb. This sounds like a great place to live, with real role-model cops to help you through your daily life!


Edit: This seems to be a good place to keep up on what develops: http://www.zimbio.com/Brett+Darrow

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Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Monday, September 10th, 2007 5:58pm PDT - promote requested by dotdude.

*laws *dead

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