dead cyclist

sergio said:

Over here patrol cars are always manned by two officers.
More costly but a lot safer given the complicated equipment to
operate.

That's almost always the case in France and Germany, too.

sergio said:

On Mar 10, 8:22 am, [email hidden] wrote:
The problem is that the deputies are
very

Quoted message said:

inexperienced in law enforcement, and are typically those that can't
get a job in a city police force where the pay is much better.

Over here patrol cars are always manned by two officers.
More costly but a lot safer given the complicated equipment to
operate.

The city where this occurred has no real police force, and they're very
cheap about spending money on law enforcement.

They contract out police work to the county sheriff because it's less
costly than having a police force. They've been cutting back funding for
the sheriff, which has resulted in less deputies patrolling (maybe this
is a good thing!). When I suggested to the local sub-station chief that
they have bicycling education in the schools, he told me that they used
to have it, then when the city cut funding they dropped that program.

When one city council candidate suggested that the city should look into
establishing its own police force, the elected sheriff attacked his
candidacy in a last minute nasty mailer. They don't want to lose any of
their contracts with cities.

SMS said:

When one city council candidate suggested that the city should look into
establishing its own police force, the elected sheriff attacked his
candidacy in a last minute nasty mailer. They don't want to lose any of
their contracts with cities.

Huh. Around here (west of Chicago), the Kane County sheriff is doing all he
can to *dump* contracts with villages, forcing them to form their own police
forces. He claims the contracts don't pay enough, and stretch the county's
patrols too thin.

--

Kristian Zoerhoff
[email hidden]

Kristian M Zoerhoff said:

SMS said:

When one city council candidate suggested that the city should look into
establishing its own police force, the elected sheriff attacked his
candidacy in a last minute nasty mailer. They don't want to lose any of
their contracts with cities.

Huh. Around here (west of Chicago), the Kane County sheriff is doing all he
can to *dump* contracts with villages, forcing them to form their own police
forces. He claims the contracts don't pay enough, and stretch the county's
patrols too thin.

This goes on all over. Tends to swing back and forth depending on how
much the city wants to pay. What really gets people sore is when one
city pays a much lower rate, based on fewer calls, than another city
pays when the population is about the same.

In article <[email hidden]>, Mike

Jacoubowsky said:

"Tom Sherman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
| Andrew Muzi wrote:
| > Santa Clara county sheriff's deputy 'accidentally' crossed the
| > centerline in his cruiser hitting 3 cyclists, 1 fatally. Headline only
| > on WABC radio news just now.
|
| To Protect and Serve?

Thankfully, it's very rare that we hear of incidents involving patrol cars
causing accidents, outside of hot pursuits. And even rarer an accident
involving a patrol car and a cyclist.

<snip>

True. But if the investigation reveals the cyclists were completely
blameless in this affair the officer should be charged with two counts
of manslaughter. Period.

A Muzi said:

Santa Clara county sheriff's deputy 'accidentally' crossed the
centerline in his cruiser hitting 3 cyclists, 1 fatally. Headline only
on WABC radio news just now.

He should never be allowed to drive a motor vehicle again.

- Frank Krygowski

Luke said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Mike

Jacoubowsky said:

"Tom Sherman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
| Andrew Muzi wrote:
| > Santa Clara county sheriff's deputy 'accidentally' crossed the
| > centerline in his cruiser hitting 3 cyclists, 1 fatally. Headline only
| > on WABC radio news just now.
|
| To Protect and Serve?

Quoted message said:

Thankfully, it's very rare that we hear of incidents involving patrol cars
causing accidents, outside of hot pursuits. And even rarer an accident
involving a patrol car and a cyclist.

<snip>

True. But if the investigation reveals the cyclists were completely
blameless in this affair the officer should be charged with two counts
of manslaughter. Period.

I couldn't agree more. In an earlier post someone mention all the hell
this officer is going to endure during the investigation. What about
all the hell friends and family of the victims are going through, not
to mention the victims themselves?

Try going to a MADD meeting and using the excuse the officer used ...
falling asleep. That wouldn't fly there and it shouldn't in the
investigation either. Being tired to that extent makes you just as
impared as being drunk or high on other drugs besides alcohol.

This is a sorry situation all around. But somewhere a line has to be
drawn and the carnage has to stop.

Luke said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Mike

Jacoubowsky said:

"Tom Sherman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
| Andrew Muzi wrote:
| > Santa Clara county sheriff's deputy 'accidentally' crossed the
| > centerline in his cruiser hitting 3 cyclists, 1 fatally. Headline only
| > on WABC radio news just now.
|
| To Protect and Serve?

Quoted message said:

Thankfully, it's very rare that we hear of incidents involving patrol cars
causing accidents, outside of hot pursuits. And even rarer an accident
involving a patrol car and a cyclist.

<snip>

True. But if the investigation reveals the cyclists were completely
blameless in this affair the officer should be charged with two counts
of manslaughter. Period.

I don't think there is any question that the officer crossed the
center line and hit the cyclists, which pretty much absolves them of
any fault. The harder question is whether he should be criminally
prosecuted for falling asleep. I don't believe in criminal prosecution
for simple negligence, but the California legislature apparently does
-- at least based on my reading of the vehicular manslaughter statute.
It carries a sentence of up to one year in county jail, which makes it
a misdemeanor. Gross negligence turns it in to a felony. And yes (to
respond to another post), I do understand the havoc this officer's
negligence has caused and certainly feel sorry for the survivors. I
still feel sorry for him too, assuming that he is telling the truth
about falling asleep. Many lives were ruined. -- Jay Beattie.