Amazing act of kindness by a Somerville Police Officer

[Chancellor]

http://ulocal.wcvb.com/mediadetail/24089680

Saw this on the news this morning. WOW!

[KathyK]

Lovely gesture by the officer.

[Chancellor]

Wouldn't it suck if it turned out that the woman was making a story up to get out of a speeding ticket???

[scruffy the cat]

This happened to me 2 years ago. I was heading to the hospital to have a meeting about my son and I was late. I was going over the speed limit and I was pulled over. I apologized and promptly burst into tears- it was just the final straw to tip me over the edge. I totally deserved a ticket but the officer told me to be on my way and just to be careful, since being upset can cloud our judgement. He was a good guy.

[DJR]

My last speeding ticket was on my way home from the funeral of the man who formed the health organization I work in. I was visibly upset (evidence of having been crying, although I wasn't in tears at that time), and the officer asked me about it so I told him that I was on my way home from a funeral and hadn't noticed that I was a bit over the speed limit (it wasn't much, maybe 15 km/h over). He sort of grunted and went back to his vehicle. A few minutes later, he gave me my full-cost speeding ticket and said nothing more to me other than the usual legalese they tell you.

I've received compassion from police officers in the past (over other issues), but nothing that day!

[CanadianTrotter]

Wouldn't it suck if it turned out that the woman was making a story up to get out of a speeding ticket???

if the woman had posted the officer's name and/or badge number she would have been disciplined for not doing her job. Regaedless of the reason... she was speeding and broke the law. What if she caused an accident, or worse injury and death to innocents after this officer let her go?

[CanadianTrotter]

My last speeding ticket was on my way home from the funeral of the man who formed the health organization I work in. I was visibly upset (evidence of having been crying, although I wasn't in tears at that time), and the officer asked me about it so I told him that I was on my way home from a funeral and hadn't noticed that I was a bit over the speed limit (it wasn't much, maybe 15 km/h over). He sort of grunted and went back to his vehicle. A few minutes later, he gave me my full-cost speeding ticket and said nothing more to me other than the usual legalese they tell you.

I've received compassion from police officers in the past (over other issues), but nothing that day!

Your officer did nothing wrong except the fact he lacked empathy. I 'm surprised at the number of people that think they should be shown preferential treatment when they visibly break the law because they are experiencing a difficult time. If you were upset enough that you didn't realize you were speeding... you should not have been driving.

[DJR]

My last speeding ticket was on my way home from the funeral of the man who formed the health organization I work in. I was visibly upset (evidence of having been crying, although I wasn't in tears at that time), and the officer asked me about it so I told him that I was on my way home from a funeral and hadn't noticed that I was a bit over the speed limit (it wasn't much, maybe 15 km/h over). He sort of grunted and went back to his vehicle. A few minutes later, he gave me my full-cost speeding ticket and said nothing more to me other than the usual legalese they tell you.

I've received compassion from police officers in the past (over other issues), but nothing that day!

Your officer did nothing wrong except the fact he lacked empathy. I 'm surprised at the number of people that think they should be shown preferential treatment when they visibly break the law because they are experiencing a difficult time. If you were upset enough that you didn't realize you were speeding... you should not have been driving.

I never said he did anything wrong, at all. I did not expect nor receive a break. A bit of compassion would have been appreciated (and I do not equate compassion with getting a reduced ticket, I just mean something along the lines of "I'm sorry for your loss" which is just a nice human touch).

And your comment about not realizing I was a bit over the limit is rather unappreciated. I challenge ANY driver to honestly state that they don't inadvertently break the law (speed, or otherwise) from time to time due to inattention. As I said in my post, I was NOT crying at the time (I had been at the funeral), I was simply deep in thought about the person who had died and let my speed drift up.

[boots-aregard]

Just a tangent here to tell a story where my most memorable speeding incident was *caused* by the police.

I was going to grad school at the time, in LA. My daughter was in elementary school, and we had this car pool all set up to get her to-from school. I had driven from my work to UCLA, and when I got there, I checked in by phone, to make sure daughter had got home. No answer. So, I checked the messages on the answering machine (this was all pre-cell-phone) and there was a message from the "mumble mumble police officers mumble. please call back asap." I panicked. Leapt back into my car and drove home like a bat out of hell. (Not sure why. I already knew she wasn't home. I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe my phone book was at home, or maybe I was just an idiot.)

I'm driving like a maniac thru rush hour traffic, laying on the horn, running yellows, jumping greens, zipping around cars.

Turns out, the car pool lady, who's English was really dodgy, had taken her kids (and my daughter) to an after-school Drs. appointment and hadn't let me know (Because her English was dodgy. Though, I pointed out to her later, she could have had her KID leave the message!!! His English was just fine). And the phone call from the POLICE was entirely unrelated. It had to do with some fundraiser, but I hadn't understood the details over the phone. I was going to call them back about that "asap" but I'd broken the law 7 ways to Sunday, so I didn't.

I didn't get stopped for speeding, but I did nearly cause several accidents on my dash, and SHOULD have been pulled over.

[Chancellor]

Wouldn't it suck if it turned out that the woman was making a story up to get out of a speeding ticket???

if the woman had posted the officer's name and/or badge number she would have been disciplined for not doing her job. Regaedless of the reason... she was speeding and broke the law. What if she caused an accident, or worse injury and death to innocents after this officer let her go?

Actually, the officer would not be disciplined for not doing her job. She pulled the woman over and let her go with a warning.

CT, you are really pretty negative. Is there some reason for that?

[CanadianTrotter]

Wouldn't it suck if it turned out that the woman was making a story up to get out of a speeding ticket???

if the woman had posted the officer's name and/or badge number she would have been disciplined for not doing her job. Regaedless of the reason... she was speeding and broke the law. What if she caused an accident, or worse injury and death to innocents after this officer let her go?

Actually, the officer would not be disciplined for not doing her job. She pulled the woman over and let her go with a warning.

CT, you are really pretty negative. Is there some reason for that?

Nope, it just happens that the threads/posts I am replying to are of a personal nature to me.

I guess I should have said the officer "could have" been disciplined.

[myleetlepony]

if the woman had posted the officer's name and/or badge number she would have been disciplined for not doing her job. Regaedless of the reason... she was speeding and broke the law. What if she caused an accident, or worse injury and death to innocents after this officer let her go?

No, the officer likely would NOT have been disciplined. Officers are allowed a certain amount of discretion in most situations, and it sounds like the officer in this case realized that the woman was distressed and the stress of a ticket and the time/costs involved would have made things worse.

Instead, this woman got a warning and enough time to settle down a minute and rethink how she was driving. Most of the time, that's all it takes.

[Code3]

Officers have discretion. Nothing wrong with showing compassion and not issuing a ticket. Nothing wrong with issuing a ticket either although if the goal is to stop the behavior sometimes the stop itself is enough. It sure doesn't hurt to show a little compassion even when issuing a citation.

Back when I worked patrol and would stop a young (teen) driver, I would offer them the choice of a citation and no lecture, or a lecture and no citation. They inevitably chose the latter.

[scruffy the cat]

When you have a kid on the psych ward, nobody is nice to you. That officer's "discretion" was a kindness I will remember always.

[CanadianTrotter]

Officers have discretion. Nothing wrong with showing compassion and not issuing a ticket. Nothing wrong with issuing a ticket either although if the goal is to stop the behavior sometimes the stop itself is enough. It sure doesn't hurt to show a little compassion even when issuing a citation.

Back when I worked patrol and would stop a young (teen) driver, I would offer them the choice of a citation and no lecture, or a lecture and no citation. They inevitably chose the latter.

Some cops show no compassion for very good reasons... even become hardened.

What about the cops that have been the first responders to tragic car accidents caused by those inadvertently breaking the law by speeding due to inattention? The ones that have physically or emotionally dealt with mangled and bloody bodies... dead, alive or dying? The ones performing CPR on or holding the hands of the victims in the process of dying because someone was too distracted to drive properly. Or what about the ones that have the task of telling family members that the person they love is dead?

I also challenge any driver that has sped because of inattention to honestly say that they haven't insulted, ridiculed or gotten angry at the "other driver" that speeds by them or cuts in front of them, also due to inattention.

[scruffy the cat]

I don't think we're talking about going 105 in a 35 zone here. At least in my case, I was going 40 in a 35 zone. I think if you're the cop, it makes a huge difference if you're a few miles above the speed limit due to distraction (e.g. not noticing the speed limit had lowered, as it does in the city), vs willfully driving 15 mph or more over the limit, which indeed would be a hazard to everyone.

I credit our law enforcement with the ability to make those sorts of determinations based on the situation in front of them.

[Code3]

Officers have discretion. Nothing wrong with showing compassion and not issuing a ticket. Nothing wrong with issuing a ticket either although if the goal is to stop the behavior sometimes the stop itself is enough. It sure doesn't hurt to show a little compassion even when issuing a citation.

Back when I worked patrol and would stop a young (teen) driver, I would offer them the choice of a citation and no lecture, or a lecture and no citation. They inevitably chose the latter.

Some cops show no compassion for very good reasons... even become hardened.

What about the cops that have been the first responders to tragic car accidents caused by those inadvertently breaking the law by speeding due to inattention? The ones that have physically or emotionally dealt with mangled and bloody bodies... dead, alive or dying? The ones performing CPR on or holding the hands of the victims in the process of dying because someone was too distracted to drive properly. Or what about the ones that have the task of telling family members that the person they love is dead?

I also challenge any driver that has sped because of inattention to honestly say that they haven't insulted, ridiculed or gotten angry at the "other driver" that speeds by them or cuts in front of them, also due to inattention.

What makes you think, CT, that I have not been that cop? I have. EVERY single example you gave I have experienced. It doesn't mean I have to be a jerk to everybody. I would suggest, if the job has hardened you to the point you can't show compassion or be civil to a person, it's time to find a new job because you are no longer effective and you are doing yourself harm.

[Woost2]

Clearly this is hitting close to home for you CT. I'm sorry for whatever you have been or are going through.

[CanadianTrotter]

Officers have discretion. Nothing wrong with showing compassion and not issuing a ticket. Nothing wrong with issuing a ticket either although if the goal is to stop the behavior sometimes the stop itself is enough. It sure doesn't hurt to show a little compassion even when issuing a citation.

Back when I worked patrol and would stop a young (teen) driver, I would offer them the choice of a citation and no lecture, or a lecture and no citation. They inevitably chose the latter.

Some cops show no compassion for very good reasons... even become hardened.

What about the cops that have been the first responders to tragic car accidents caused by those inadvertently breaking the law by speeding due to inattention? The ones that have physically or emotionally dealt with mangled and bloody bodies... dead, alive or dying? The ones performing CPR on or holding the hands of the victims in the process of dying because someone was too distracted to drive properly. Or what about the ones that have the task of telling family members that the person they love is dead?

I also challenge any driver that has sped because of inattention to honestly say that they haven't insulted, ridiculed or gotten angry at the "other driver" that speeds by them or cuts in front of them, also due to inattention.

What makes you think, CT, that I have not been that cop? I have. EVERY single example you gave I have experienced. It doesn't mean I have to be a jerk to everybody. I would suggest, if the job has hardened you to the point you can't show compassion or be civil to a person, it's time to find a new job because you are no longer effective and you are doing yourself harm.

I didn't say or think that you haven't "been that cop".

I responded to your saying, "It sure doesn't hurt to show a little compassion even when issuing a citation".

I was speaking about cops that have seen their share of bad accidents that happen because of speeding and have zero tolerance and no compassion for those who speed. I didn't say they weren't civil... just that they show no compassion.

I was specifically responded earlier to DJR's post where the cop was civil and gave her the ticket, but she complained that he wasn't compassionate to her excuse.

If you have seen broken, mangled and bloody bodies and held the hand of a person dying because of a collision due to speeding caused by an inattentive driver, and can still show compassion to a person that speeds, that's all well and good. Just because a cop that has also experienced those things shows no compassion to people that speed, does not mean they are or does it make them any less effective nor are they doing harm to themselves just because they don't show compassion in certain areas.

[CanadianTrotter]

Clearly this is hitting close to home for you CT. I'm sorry for whatever you have been or are going through.

Thank you... very close to home.

[CanadianTrotter]

I don't think we're talking about going 105 in a 35 zone here. At least in my case, I was going 40 in a 35 zone. I think if you're the cop, it makes a huge difference if you're a few miles above the speed limit due to distraction (e.g. not noticing the speed limit had lowered, as it does in the city), vs willfully driving 15 mph or more over the limit, which indeed would be a hazard to everyone.

I credit our law enforcement with the ability to make those sorts of determinations based on the situation in front of them.

Going 5kmph over the limit may earn you a ticket but will doubtfully cause much of a hazard to anyone. Most cops would either look the other way or stop you to give you a heads up or a warning.

Going 10-15kmph or more over the limit, whether willfully or due to distraction is most definitely a hazard. Based on my personal experiences and the experiences of cops I know and am close to, this kind of speeding in my opinion deserves no compassion.

[scruffy the cat]

I don't think anyone would disagree with you on that one.

[Red Barn]

Flowers and a card?

Creepy and inappropriate, I'd say.

[Code3]

Clearly this is hitting close to home for you CT. I'm sorry for whatever you have been or are going through.

Thank you... very close to home.

Because of this post, I'm not going to answer. I wish you well, CT, and I wish you compassion.