question for leos

[joec]

Hi, I just had a quick question for the leos around here.

I had an encounter with a stalled motorist tonight. He was @ a gas station, and said his car broke down about 3 miles up the road and he asked if I could give him a ride to get a gas can (the gas station would not let him borrow theirs) and then borrow a couple bucks to get gas with and give him a ride back to his car. He works at the same place of employment I do, so I had a little bit of trust in him, but still do not feel comfortable giving him a ride because I had my girlfriend and her friend with me. I offered willingly to let him have 5 dollars to get some gas, but told him I could not give him a ride. He understood why I wouldn't give him a ride. But I saw 2 police officers inside the gas station chatting with the attendant on duty. I walked on in and asked if I could have a word with the police officers, and they kindly agreed. I asked them if there was any way possible for them to give this poor guy a ride to get a gas can and get some gas for his car (it is well below freezing here right now). The first officer to respond told me "not on a night like tonight, we're entirely too busy". And then the 2nd officer chimed in and told me "we cannot be held responsible for him".

I'm not trying talk bad about police officers. so don't think i'm trying to flame everybody, because i'm not. I just want to know if their answers were correct or not? Because to me that seemed entirely too shady of an answer for me. I mean, hell, it's below freezing and this guy has had some bad fortune. I would have more than gladly taken him myself, but like i said, i had 2 girls in the car and i didn't want to put them at risk if something did happen.

I dunno, it just rubbed me the wrong way. Would they just ignore a stranded motorist if they stumbled upon someone in the middle of hicksville and their car had died?

Just looking for info, like i said, i'm not flaming anybody.

Thanks!

 

[Lawfficer]

It all depends on the Department.

A lot of Departments will not transport people like this unless they are on a motor way. For instance, if a car breaks down on the highway, they will transport you off the highway so that you are no longer a safety hazard. However, once you are safe, it's your problem. Most places get de-sensitized to calls like this, due to the shear volume and type of people involved. Yes, there are some good people that just do forget to check their gauges, but most of them are not. They're the type of people that know the gauge is on E but just have to drive anyway due to lazyness or whatever.

Also, say you take someone, somewhere. That puts you go out of service. Now when a Robbery or Burglary in progress call comes across the air and you can't go because you are transporting a vehicle breakdown, how happy do you think the SGT or your fellow officers are going to be?? Not very. There was one officer that it seemed liked all she wanted to do was bust freaking Curfew violators at 12:30-1:30 in the morning on the weekends. This of course tied her up for 45mins to an hour and trust me... There are much more important things to do at that time.

Last, Liability. I know it sounds stupid, but people will sue anyone that they THINK has money for any reason. Transport a vehicle break down and a drunk slams into the side of the squad, sue the department. Person slips on ice getting out the squad car, sue the dept. If a person hits their head while getting into the back seat they'll all of a sudden devolop chronic headaches, and sue the department but, they can live with the headaches for only $100,000 settlement....



I know it sounds bad, and it makes us sound like asses... but that's how it is. Now I personally would never leave someone high and dry out in the middle of no where. But im not going to chauffer someone to their car and back all shift long. Ill get you to a gas station so that you are out of the elements and can call a tow, friend, what ever. Not to mention, there are a lot of wack jobs out there and I really don't want to meet them if I don't have to. That's what Cabbies are for...

 

[FordSVTFan]

I agree. My previous dept policy was that no civilians were allowed to ride in a marked car unless they were detained or arrested. That is why they have roadside assistance and AAA.

My question to you is, why didnt you let the two girls out and stay at the gas station with the police officers and give your coworker a ride?

 

[Lawfficer]

My question to you is, why didnt you let the two girls out and stay at the gas station with the police officers and give your coworker a ride?

Man, I wish that would happen to me ! :rockon: :banana:

 

[SSCOBRA03]

**Removed by Moderator** as the author asked for L.E.O. responses!!

 

[joec]

I appreciate everybodys answer!

The reason i did not leave the two girls at the gas station was because the gas station that i stopped at was in a very bad part of town. And I had no physical proof that he actually worked where I did (i did not recognize him & we don't have ID badges, so there was no proof, just his word).

But like I said, thanks for the responses!