Thanks the guy for responding. I really wanted to see an officer respond. I can really see it both ways.

I know what the woman did (if in fact she was drunk) was wrong but at least she pulled over instead of trying to continue driving. She did put others at risk. And the officer was trying to protect himself and the citizens. Still consider that he woke her up and expected her to comply immediately. I'm a little groggy when I first wake up. Maybe if he had been a little more patient and given her a second she would have been more responsive. I guess the tie breaker for me is watching a man drag a woman out of her car by her hair and throw her to the ground. That just goes against the grain for me. He should be fired.

As a veteran police officer, I would assume that you know that DUI's contribute to almost 20,000 deaths each year in America. Thats a 2 with 4 zeros. Not to mention the thousands more that are permanently injured. I'm sure that many are injured by out of control police, but I doubt it runs to as near as many as 20,000. If you know otherwise, please let me know.

What I saw in this video, was an officer attempting to make a half drunk woman comply with his orders to both stop the vehicle and get out. She continually refused, as her automobile continued to roll further down the entrance ramp, into a very fast traveling highway.

I guess if he had been patient and tapped on her window nicely and used soft talk to get out of the vehicle, that she would have complied, but then again, she may have acted as he feared, accidently or on purpose, hitting the gas and moving into the traffic that was passing by. If that had happened and a family of four was killed, I wonder how many would be criticizing the officer for not using more force.

This woman failed to comply. She may have been drunk or just going through a seizure, but only one thing matters, removing her from being in control of a very dangerous instrumentality. If I were that officer, I know I would have had my guts tied up in knots, knowing that she was drifting into the passing traffic, and there was little I could do to get her out of the car. So, I'm somewhat more understanding of this officer in that I suspect his emotions were high, not from being ignored by the drunk as some type of personal "dis" but out of the fear he had that he might not be able to get her out of the vehicle before she moved into the on coming traffic.

I for one, am more than willing to give this and other officers, a bit more of the benefit of the doubt under the high stress circumstances under which they operate.

My experience, while not in law enforcement, did pit me against many police officers and behavior that I found on many occaisions to be a violation of many of my client's rights. I had many confrontations with officers whose egos were the only driving force behind their work. I fought tooth and nail against these unethical and unruly cops, but, I see nothing wrong with what this officer did. He was high on adrenline, and he just wanted to secure the car and the defendant from hurting someone.

If I were to be living in Atlanta, I'd have padlocks and bars on every window and I'd be carrying a weapon at all times out of fear of acts of violence. In Peachtree City, my greatest fears are when my kids are driving home from the bowling alley on a Friday night, having to watch out for people like this driver, who are so drunk, she can't even stay awake in their car.

I hate DUI Drivers. They need to be stopped.

This video and subsequent possible indictment will only help to keep more DUI drivers on the road. When officers know that this type of behavior can cause them to lose their job, their home, and a secure life for their family, then why in God's name would anyone want this hassle. Who wants to be second guessed at every turn, and especially without recognizing the benefit of hindsight.

Give the officer and all officers a bit more of a break. Sure some are bad, like all professions, but they do a helluva job overall.

we had Hobbsian justice back when Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, and Ted Kennedy were driving while drunk. We wouldn't have the divided government we do now, because the Hobbsians would have fitted this trio of people they "hate" with cement shoes.

Kevin "Hack" King

Conserbvatives are excused. Ted Kennedy is a Kennedy. Same kind of people as Barbara and the other Bush twin, untouchable.

He continued with the rough treatment even after he had her out of the car and on the ground.

My own sons had an encounter with a bad cop a few years ago. He arrested them both for "obstruction" when all they were doing was telling him that they would cooperate and he could stop with the screaming and belligerence.

End result: Their charges were dismissed and the cop was fired. (Later, after being hired by another PD, he was arrested for DUI. He argued with the arresting officer (caught on tape), and then never reported his arrest to his superiors. He is now banned from law enforcement in Georgia. Hooray!

Yeah, I had a relative go trhrough a wild cops shenanagins once. He had gotten a call about some mayhem and there wasn't any mayhem. He just believed the caller. Everybody in sight was ticketed for nothing. He knew the false caller.

and bad behavior can occur. I'm curious to see if she was tried for DUI and what was the outcome?

I'm sure glad I have a reverse Mohawk so nobody can pull my hair.

Caution - Long posts can be boring.

You obviously have just witnessed a lawyer, Richard Hobbs, a man who would never understand putting himself in harm's way to the service of citizens, tell you that he understands the situation more than you could. Even though you have walked the walk, Richard has seen it on TV.
Richard tries to cloud issues sometimes. We are focused on the officer's behavior, but Richard points to deaths by DUI as if that statistic somehow has anything to do with a woman being dragged by her hair.
Thanks for your contribution Theguy. I admire the risks police officers take everyday, and I thank you, personally, for the risks you have taken to guarantee the safety of others.

Cheers,

Kevin "Hack" King

When two fruitcakes meet such as this driver and this cop, there are no grown ups around! Stuff happens.
I think his supervisor will clear this up.

As I have said many times on here, we punish those more whom we FEAR.
If this person had been an attractive blond, there would have been no problem.
It is a natural thing for some. They need our help.
Also, I might say that those we fear could do better. They seem sometimes to do just those things that get them into more trouble!
Out of fear maybe?

I'm a supporter of our men and women in law enforcement - but this officer let his emotions rather than his training get the best of him. She was not guilty of a moving violation until he woke her up. Training of law enforcement officers is such that this situation could have and should have been handled differently. That video is damming for this officer. He was obviously angered at the potential danger this woman presented to him and the citizens - but she didn't deserve the treatment she received from this officer. I agree with 'Hack' - this officer is due a reprimand and further training. . .his heart is in the right place; his actions were wrong. Now if this woman's lawyer is worth his/her salt - she has a good case against the city.

I agree that he needed to get her out of the car right away. However, she was not being combative at all and he really manhandled her more than necessary.

I guess she was drunk, but she could have been overtired, on meds, etc and I saw nothing in the way of dui tests. I realize I cannot smell things on a video and take that into consideration of his decisions. Still, it seemed really too much force was used and this guy really looked like he wanted to kick her when she was lying on the ground. There should be some serious follow up.

The idiot wouldn't get out of her vehicle. She was being combative by not complying with his orders. How was he to know what she was doing in there and why she wouldn't get out? Maybe she was searching for a weapon? That's what I would have been thinking if I were the cop. It also appears as though she is overweight. How much weight is a cop required to hold up, or press, or whatever the terminology is? I think he showed a lot of restraint. What a scary job. One never knows what one is going to face. Death lurks behind every corner.

You could be right and I don't serve on jury panels. LOL