For the crime of being outdoors with your family and not adhering to social distancing, the state is going to get in your face, touch you, and ratchet up the chances you personally get coronoavirus.
Matt Mooney, a 33-year-old father and resident of Brighton, Colo., was accosted by police in a public park and restrained with handcuffs for playing tee ball with his wife and 6-year-old daughter on Sunday afternoon.
Mooney told his story to the FOX31 Problem Solvers and believes he is entitled to an apology because of the cruel mistreatment he received from these uniformed thugs on a coronavirus-enabled power trip.
He described the shocking and traumatizing ordeal that his young daughter was forced to go through because of the government overreach.
Mooney noted that he and his family were in full compliance with the sign that was posted at Donelson Park, which said “Closed” but specified in small print that “in groups of no more than 4 persons, parks remain open for walking, hiking, biking, running and similar activities.” He is accusing the cops of violating the social distance orders by hassling him and humiliating him in front of his daughter.
“During the contact, none of the officers had masks on, none of them had gloves on, and they’re in my face handcuffing me, they’re touching me,” he said.
ht/ fdr in hell
“Rules are for thee, but not for me.”
Dear God, please let the Seattle Police Thugs arrest me. I know just the lawyer.
I have a feeling that before this is over there are going to be quite a number of lawsuits questioning the government’s power to suspend an individual’s constitutional rights. In South Carolina, abortion protesters, who were socially distanced, were arrested–a clear violation of free speech and right to free assembly.
What was the cops’ response to the questions, “What am I being arrested for? What ordinance am I not in compliance with? Read the damn sign and tell me how I am not complying?”
I would have been pissed and I typically give the police wide latitude because I think they have a very difficult job.
Some cops are a..holes!
But! They had no choice! They’re the Good™ guys! That’s why you pay them.
And, now, cover their medical “expenses”. And PPEs. And pensions. And their families.
Do you want armed xen? Wandering at large? In “your” neighborhoods? Doing whatever they want? Taking your stuff? Is that what you want!?
Joe6 — You’ve seen for yourself the Downtown Seattle police in their poncy spandex, bicycling, right? I don’t think they’re doing much other than bicycling and posing in their cute little spandex uniforms.
Shows just how phony the cure is! If social distancing or better yet self imposed home arrest are pushed as being vital in the war on the Chi Com Virus then why isn’t ‘everyone’ mandated to stay home until, as the CDC states, ” we no longer have any new infections or deaths”!
@Racer X April 7, 2020 at 3:42 pm
> What was the cops’ response to the questions, “What am I being arrested for?
Always good to hear from an Irish Lottery winner! But this was in The United States. In the United States you get the justice you can pay for. Right OJ? Oh, maybe I should have said “Right, Hillary?” On second thought, “Right, OJ?” is right (on the money).
I would suggest the Brighton PD switch their shirts from black to brown. If they’re going to act like brownshirt Nazi enforcers they might as well look like brownshirt Nazi enforcers.
I could be wrong. But. My bet is democrats and other leftist dream of this sort of thing becoming normal in America.
Even in Toronto there is a clear exemption for MEMBERS OF THE SAME FAMILY WHO CO-HABITATE Together.
However, 4 nurses (I actually Know one of them) traveling to work together in the same car got a $750 ticket. from the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police)
Nurses for F-Sake on the way to a shift!
Toronto Police, Peel, Duram all issued public statements saying that they DO NOT TICKET for people traveling together for work .
I am pro cop but this was Beyond Stupid!
joe^pak; your 100% correct. Just because they have a badge doesn’t make them clever or smart. I live next door to one, and he should not be in possession of a badge or a gun. I used to have a good friend who was one and he was a great guy. But this one scares me.
Now they are deciding if we need a mandatory face mask law in central TX or face a fine, arrest or being banned from essential shopping. Knowing usually they implement this crap a day or so after floating it we did our grocery shopping today and 75% of the people had something on their face. Sheep. Some of it is absurd. Bandanas, ties, sheets, socks, knit wool scarves when it is 85 outside. Last Saturday maybe 25% had masks on. What next.
I’d venture most cops aren’t scumbags like this group. Gotta wonder why there wasn’t someone in the bunch saying, ahhh guys.
I know one thing, it will never EVER be the cop that de-escalates. Keep that in mind if you ever want to argue with one.
Power mad jerks.
There is a couple here in Maine who had a table set up at a rest area to give free hot meals to truckers. The Staties came and told them to shut it down.
The Mayor of Portland, ME got calls from busybody tattletales saying there were too many people out on Back Cove so she shut down the park parking lots. (They’ll just park across the street at Hannaford).
Power mad liberals.
There is a Sheriff however, from Franklin County Maine:
Scott Nichols Sr.
April 1 at 8:25 AM
A message from the Sheriff regarding the latest Executive Order
We will not be setting up a Police State. PERIOD.
The Sheriff’s Office will not purposefully go out and stop vehicles because they are on the road or stop and ask why people are out and about. To do so puts our officers at risk. This is not Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia where you are asked for your papers!
What we will take action on, if needed – are those rare situations where there are a lot of people overtly hanging out in public – obviously in defiance of the Governor’s order. Even in that case – we will first educate and try to disperse the group. We will avoid arrests unless absolutely necessary.
Please use common sense during this executive order. We are more interested in the safety and well-being of the public as well as our officers at this time. With that being said, we are sworn to uphold the Constitution and laws of the State – for any unlawful act/situation, arrestees will be taken into custody and transported for fingerprinting and bail.
The best way to approach the coming days is to treat everyone as though they have the virus. Follow strict CDC guidelines and recommendations, use masks if needed, wash your hands frequently, disinfect, wear gloves and use common sense in all situations. The longer we do NOT follow these guidelines, the longer we wait in isolation.
Most of you are doing a fantastic job – we appreciate that! Please look out for one another, especially the elderly and shut ins. Please be a good neighbor/citizen always showing compassion. Please be kind especially on social media, negativity online only adds to the stress people are currently experiencing.
Thank you for your great attitudes and your continued support of the Sheriff’s Office. Remember this is temporary, if you have any questions please contact us at the Sheriff’s Office 207-778-2680.
Sheriff Nichols
“Of the People, For the People”
AA, Seattle bicycle cops sometimes give me the same impression that militant gays do. Some of those guys have real issues. Others do a helluva good job. You just don’t know who you’re dealing with until it gets personal.
@Kcir – China is asshole April 7, 2020 at 3:58 pm
> I am pro cop but this was Beyond Stupid!
S… M… DAYM! H…
Shit flows downhill.
Don’t like the police actions or inactions? -Watch who you elect as mayor.
And throw him in a crowded jail… for not maintaining minimum safe distance… 🙄 🙄 🙄
The constant argument on the Gun Blogs is when Gun Confiscation finally occurs, will you next door neighbor the cop, come for your guns. A couple years ago when I stumbled on to these gun sights I was a total “Hell no, they’ll honor their oath to the Constitution.”
Well I flipped 180 degrees in a short period of time. An the whole, cops suck, and they are not your friends and not to be trusted.
Blink–
You are not wrong.
Arrested for contempt of cop and causing a butthurt. They hate when you know your rights.
The “good” cops still have to honor the thin blue line. If they don’t, they’ll get Serpico’d.
If this wasn’t such a serious charge it could be a Reno episode. Or it can be serious like “Making A Murderer”. I wish we were laughing and enjoying Reno episode. Yes
Eventually, stuff like this is going to have a bad outcome.
An outcome more than just posters griping on internet forums.
I’m with BB. Never trust a cop. They are not your friends. Do not talk to police. Know your rights.
I will say this- had the father just provided his ID when the cops asked him it would have probably ended with the cops thinking- ‘what a jerk, pity we had nothing to arrest him over’. I’ll bet a dollar that the guy was a little happy of the idea of “I know my rights, I know I’m right, I’m not drunk and I’m not in my car where I have to worry about ‘proof of insurance, DL or registration’ so copper you can kiss my ass”.
I’m just saying when you have to talk to the man use “sir” or “mam” and don’t raise your voice and for the love of God if they ask to see your ID hand it over. If you comply with any reasonable requests like “keep your hands where I can see them” or “may I have your ID” things tend to end better than if you decide to throw a hissy fit. Reminds me of that Chris Rock ‘How to avoid getting your ass kicked by the police’ but I digress.
^^^ Bootlicker. That’s your choice and I respect it, just not as much respect I have for those that choose to defend our rights by exercising them.
” ,,,, those that choose to defend our rights by exercising them.”
And going to jail and having a rap sheet that all future employers, landlords, and other institutions will be able to reference to judge your character against others who have managed to avoid it seeking the same positions.
Don’t do stupid things, like making unnecessary stands against authorities.
Just in case you were thinking the local cops are on your side..
Anonymous — I’m with Answerman. cops don’t deserve “m’am” or “sir” just because they have a badge on. It’s the polite thing to do, but no one should have to worry about petty retaliation just because they don’t bow and scrape before “authority.” And authority over who? They are here to protect and serve, not to retaliate against someone who questions why they are being harassed unnecessarily by the police. The guy was out with his family and by all accounts was not breaking the law. By what right does a cop have to call him into question? Merely being a cop doesn’t bestow him with extra rights.
“And going to jail and having a rap sheet that all future employers, landlords, and other institutions will be able to reference to judge your character against others who have managed to avoid it seeking the same positions.
Don’t do stupid things, like making unnecessary stands against authorities.”
Nobodies suggesting that. Constitutionally he does not need to provide his ID to the wanna be storm troopers. And they need to know he knows this. A lot of cops don’t seem to know it. He should have called for a Sergeant on scene. And maybe a news network or two. But do what ever it takes getting arrested.
But mean time, collect badge numbers.
Answerman Cooper,
Are you calling me a bootlicker for suggesting one should comply with a reasonable request from a LEO? We pay LEO to deal with people we want in prison. If an LEO asks you for your ID that is your chance to validate the proposition that you are not the kind of person society wants in jail. It’s not rocket science; sadly it is a mystery to jackasses and when a jackass winds up in jail I just shrug my shoulders and think- life is hard and it’s more hard when you are stupid, a jackass or worse a stupid jackass.
If bootlicking was ever requested/required of my by an LEO I would have the presence of mind to understand I just won the lottery. Even then I would still use “mam” or “sir” and I would politely ask for their badge number if I could not see it for myself. I would give the jury ZERO reasons for voting in my favor and all the more reason for them tacking on more zeros and the check they are going to award me.
@Answerman Cooper April 7, 2020 at 5:13 pm
> The “good” cops still have to honor the thin blue line. If they don’t, they’ll get Serpico’d.
That’s why Good™ people become cops. Agents. Pols.
Cops are jerks, creeps, and all other assorted names.
My parents paid rent for an additional two months, 2 weeks in our landlord decided to pocket it (because they never got the lease extension in writing), got the sheriff involved and demanded we leave, so at six years old I got evicted by an evil old man and three armed police officers. Didn’t even give us time to pack our things. We had to fight to get back in to get them at a later date.
When one of my brothers was 13 he was walking around a new neighborhood, was in a public walking trail and took a quick piss, some creepy ass older woman saw him, assumed he was a sexual predator and called the cops.
The cops wouldn’t believe him when he said that he was 13 because he was tall and strong for his age, said he must be at least 17 and hauled him in.
My parents had to look for him for FIVE hours driving around, praying, panicking, before they flagged down one of the very same cops who had him arrested and boy oh boy the look on his face was apparently priceless.
Meanwhile my brother was being harshly interrogated and yelled at by two grown ass men.
And wouldn’t you know it. My brother was forced to take state mandatory psych and anger counseling for a year.
I have no idea how that even happened.
Police officers are typically power trippers who don’t care about what’s wrong or right but who has the most authority in a situation.
It’s gross.
I actually have more stories but I think I’m going to stop here and not make this post any longer than it needed to be.
Most of the cops around here are on a power trip, while telling people they have no choice and are just following orders.
It’s not just here though it’s everywhere, red states, blue states, purple states.
@Pelopidas April 7, 2020 at 7:37 pm
> I would give the jury ZERO reasons for voting in my favor and all the more reason for them tacking on more zeros and the check they are going to award me.
And they seem “genuinely” perplexed, when every generation after chants “Go Wuhan! Go Wuhan!”
Following orders are what all thugs in the military and cops say. Never trust em.
@Brad – “…Well I flipped 180 degrees in a short period of time. An the whole, cops suck, and they are not your friends and not to be trusted…”
Sadly, as with most people, their first allegiance is to the organization that signs their paycheck.
stirrin the pot
During the heat of the Virginia fiasco, I was posting regularly on a pretty fringe site that was challenging Virginia State Trooper to answer what their intentions were. Which the did occasionally. Mainly Libtard answers, guns are bad, we know how to use them, you don’t, that kind of shit. Then about 5 in a row are all about “We need to feed our families too you know”. WTF? So your going to plan on kicking down my front door, armed to the teeth so you can confiscate something that’s legally mine and protected by the Constitution so you can feed your families? They were told by multiple posters, don’t plan on living through it. If it’s all about family mines just as important and you just leveled the playing field. Talk about motivation.
@Brad – Yup! History is replete with “Brown Shirts” who value their paycheck over their neighbors’ life, liberty and unalienable rights.
p.s., I used to think cops were above all that too. But, that was a by-gone day. Before somebody rips me a new one over that statement, I do believe that there are plenty of good cops. But unfortunately there are too many of the power hungry ones.
Watch Live PD. “I smell weed.”
Well, this IS Colorado…..however,
We all agree, there are GOOD cops and there are commie fascists that wear a ‘police officers’ uniform that they should NEVER be allowed to wear.
Be vigilant, watch which side your city cops are on, watch which side your Sheriff is on. You already know which side your governor is on.
Most of all, keep your stock pile up to date and trust your gut feeling.
Plus, sir or ma’am IS NOT as important as one’s tone of voice.
Sadly, most leo-s get greater recognition with a higher arrest count.
@Lady M, cops did that to my daughter once. They tore her car apart and left it all out on the ground. She had cleaning business so it was a lot of stuff.
What did they find? Nothing. The cop had a cadet on a ride along.
Why did mom and the kid get a pass? Give the cops a few weeks off without pay for dereliction of duty.
As I’ve noted before, cops here started to change about 20 years ago. Before then, they were conservative, blue collar types. Then the college-educated “professionals” started to dominate the new hires. Now they are in management. And they tend to be liberal, know-it-all assholes, while the old guard has mostly retired.
I do think this was Bull shit but the key fact is that he “refused to provide his identity to the police” That was a stupid “I’m a cool dude attitude” that was the root of the problem He really didn’t set a good example for his daughter
I just received my new body camera from Amazon. It’s the same kind cops use to video everyone they come into to contact with. I will always have it with me and will be recording any interaction I might have with the police or anyone who I decide needs to be recorded. I suggest everyone else do the same. $139 buys a lot of protection.
Just so people know, Colorado is an ID on demand state. Texas isn’t! In Texas, you are not required to ID unless and until you have been LAWFULLY arrested. I won’t be producing my ID for any other reason. Learn the ID laws in your state.
Of course, it goes without saying, if you have been pulled over driving, producing a driver’s license is required.
Hard to believe these comments are coming from IOTW fans. Yes, there are a bad cops, but the vast majority are solid Americans doing a difficult job for very little pay.
@2A4ever: Their pay isn’t that little, especially when you include benefits. But I agree their job is sometimes tough, especially in shithole cities. But the Andy Griffith days are long gone.
95% of the GESTAPO came out of the local Police Forces.
95% of their arrests stemmed from neighbors pimping out neighbors.
Hobbes was right: “… war of every man against every man …”
izlamo delenda est …
Too many cops are dirt stupid. Because of lux 20-year retirement protocols what you tend to get in the forces these days are young guys who couldn’t cut it into college and very old political types in administration who are like the fearful Parkland loser. Experienced, smart cops (mentors) in their 40s, 50s are rare. Another iatrogenic effect of public unions, and one kind of those pensions that also are bankrupting cities.