In California’s Rancho Corral de Tierra (part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area), a National Park Service Ranger reportedly shot Gary Hesterberg in the back with a taser after he walked away during a confrontation over walking his two lapdogs off leash. He was then arrested on suspicion of failing to obey a lawful order, having dogs off-leash and knowingly providing false information. The park service spokesperson reportedly said it is all part of teaching citizens about the new leash law in the area . . . or teaching Hesterberg to heel.
Witnesses objected that the force was excessive and said that the ranger refused to respond when confronted over the necessity or reason for the arrest.
The ranger says that Hesterberg gave a false name and then began to walk away from the ranger. Howard Levitt, a spokesman for the park service, added that he did not have identification on him. Levitt explained that the ranger “pursued him a little bit and she did deploy her [electric-shock weapon] . . . That did stop him.”
It is common for people to walk their dogs off leash in the area, but when the area was made part of the national park system in December, a new leash rule was imposed.
The article below says that Levitt explained that “the ranger was trying to educate residents of the rule.” Wow, if true, that is quite a lesson plan. Stop, explain, tase, and repeat.
The account of these witnesses not only raises serious questions of excessive force but also excessive charges that followed the alleged abuse. We have seen other cases of alleged abuse where citizens have been hit with an array of charges. This creates significant pressure for the accused to plead or remain silent. I do not see why a taser would be needed on such a minor offense.
Source: SF Gate
Rent-a-Cops & Small Town Cops Are Dangerous to Citizens & Should NOT be Lethally Armed.
If you have a pacemaker, would you ignore a LEO? Would you dare them to arrest you? Does having a pacemaker entitle you to ignore all police lawful orders? If you see flashing lights in your rearview mirror and refuse to pull over because you have a pacemaker? Please, this is pandering of the worse sort. If indeed you have a pacemaker, then its in your best interest to listen to a LEO when they tell you to stop walking away from them. I think they people complain most about cops beeing arrogant recognize thenselves.
I tell people “no” for a living. Having a pacemaker will not excuse you from being told “no”.
A Good percentage of Rent-a-Cops are Wanna b’s Who Would NEVER pass Screening or Training for a Real LEO Job.
Unfortunately, Most Small Town Cops, Including the One I was Reared in Fit into that Same Category. One in My Town put a Bullet through a 16 year old Girls Glove Compartment when She reached for her Registration! They Have Killed at Least One Local Boy recently Via Repeated Tasering&Chokehold, Injured Many More, Including Breaking my Then 70 Year Old Town Businessman/Church Organist?Board Member Trustee @ the Local College.
Small Man Syndrome.
When I Got out of the Milatary in 78, I moved to San Diego, Where in that 1st Year there, S.D. Police Killed 12 people for “Threatining” Police, w/Brooms/Dogs/Various implements…
Hell YES I Pay Attention to LEO’s!
Security Guards Are NOT QUALIFIED Or Responsible Enough/Trained Enough to Hold POWER of Life&Death.
Go Read about Yourself in “The Authoritarians”, Bruce.
b.
Some Ass does this to Me, I’m Dead.
Scramble my Pacemaker that I rely on to keep tiCkin!
Bruce Wilson F’ Off!
The arrogance of power. She just wasn’t going to take him not paying attention to her. She’s important you know!
Police state creep. We’re not there just yet, but we’re getting very close; in little increments such as this.
Civility evaporating,
Another excerpt from the article you provided a link to:
Within a matter of hours, the Taser incident generated cries of foul play among the close-knit dog-walking community in Montara. GGNRA took control of the Rancho Corral property in December, and some dog advocates have accused the agency of trying to limit where they can take their canines off-leash.
“There is total outrage about this. Everyone thinks this is a total excessive use of force,” said Bill Bechtell, who runs the Montara Dog Blog and email group. “I hope this guy hires an attorney because I think he’s got a strong case.”
*****
It sounds like an excessive use of force–to tase someone for having one of his dogs off his leash in a park where dogs are allowed off-leash in some areas.
Hmm, obviously most of the posters here have issues with authority. Honestly, if a LEO gives you a lawful order, you think its okay to lip off? You think its okay to taunt the officer?
How should the officer have handled it? Should she have placed him under arrest? Do you think she knew some secret martial arts move to calmly take him to the ground? If this man is resisting arrest, how should she have handled it? How many of you worked in a similiar line of work? Do you know how hard it is to take someone down if they are resisting arrest, especially if there is a significant weight difference?
Police work is difficult, and there are always armchair quarterbacks second guessing police, people whose jobs entail saying yes to people. Trying taking a job where you have to say “no” all day long. Americans are spoiled rotten. I wish I had a taser for every loud mouthed bully who thought he/she could bully me, intimidate me, guilt trip me, the whole while they are lying through their teeth.
Oh and I don’t think he was pregnant. So that’s a total straw man argument.
Yes sometimes people do deserve a kick in the head. People who walk through neighborhoods firing automatic weapons deserve a kick in the head. People who try to kill other people with their cars deserve a kick in the head.
Honestly, this country went downhill when parents stopped telling their kids “no”.
This Ranger should be fired on the spot.
Tasers kill. Recently a case was brought before a Maryland court by a family whose son was killed by the misuse of this weapon. The subject was tasered once and was unconscious when the officer tasered him again. His death came quickly. Many human hearts will not stand up to this type of show. The case of the park ranger displays the indiscriminate use of these weapons. So far the courts have upheld their use. What do you think?? Band them or a necessary evil???
When is it judicious to disobey a LEO?
How many times can you double dog dare said LEO to arrest you?
An escalating argument ensued, according to John Barlett, a nearby resident who was walking in the area. The dog-walker was “defiant,” Barlett said, daring the ranger as he began walking away, “Are you going to arrest me?”
That’s when the ranger pulled out her Taser, according to Barlett.
http://www.hmbreview.com/news/witnesses-dog-walker-tased-by-park-ranger-in-montara/article_02b264dc-4b86-11e1-b619-0019bb2963f4.html
This is why we need armed drones across this nation. People are letting their dogs run and something needs to be done! In related events I introduce you to: “The Peacemaker”. The picture is very eye catching!!! “Police roll out video surveillance truck called The Peacemaker
January 27, 2012|By Ihosvani Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel
FORT LAUDERDALE — Tania Ouaknine is convinced the police are watching her.
She’s not paranoid — it says as much on the red sign painted along the side on the hulking armored truck that’s been parked in front of her eight-room Parisian Motel for several days.
“Warning: You are under video surveillance,” reads the bold message on the side of the truck.
From the front bumper of the menacing vehicle, another sign taunts: “Whatcha gonna do when we come for you?”
The truck is a new weapon for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department in the fight against drugs and neighborhood nuisances, and it looks like a Winnebago on steroids. They call it “The Peacemaker,” and it may be a first in South Florida.
Mixing high tech with simplicity, the in-your-face strategy is straightforward: load an out-of-service armored truck with some of the latest surveillance equipment available and decorate it with police emblems. Then, simply leave it parked in front of trouble spots.”
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-01-27/news/fl-neighborhood-crime-surveillance-20120126_1_armored-truck-police-roll-brinks
The problem, George, is that the more they get away with it the more they do it. The more power the powers that be take, the power it will take to balance it all out.
Every force has an equal and opposite reaction. It is as true in economics and society as it is in motion.
The further we let our society get out of whack, the further the public will have to go to give the power back to the people.
If it is ok to shoot someone in the back with a taser because they are walking away then the cop who does that better watch her back. And if you are in law enforcement and think that tasers are ok because you got trained in them and got tased, then try it on your grandma or your pregnant wife. These are deadly use of force. It wont be long before the litigation for wrongful deaths and murders proves it to the TaserCult. If you are an insurance company do not issue a policy to a security agency which has these things. Your underwritter will be underwater. The Park Service does not need and the taxpayers cannot afford any “spokesperson”. I am going to call my Congressman Ron Paul on this one. Thank Dog I live in Texas where they have an appreciation for use of deadly force and can fathom the notion of cutting the Park Service budget here. Guy gets shot in the back for letting his dogs run loose. This country has gone to hell in a hand basket.
Welcome to the future. A bunch of out-of-control ninnies with tasers enforcing bureaucratic rules under the color of law. People like this “officer” and the “he deserved it crowd” make me sick. I should feel sorry for them, though, because, like little babies, they have no idea what it means to live in a free Republic.
In our country, ALL power is derived from the people. Those in power better start to get that through their thick skulls and develop a little bit more respect for their bosses.
I hope this idiot ranger is fired or at least sanctioned and put behind a desk. She doesn’t deserve to work directly with the public. Shameful.
Bruce,
A citizen was tazed in Utah for walking off from the officer after a traffic stop. Tazed in the back. Cost the state of Utah $40,000 in an out of court settlement.
I work with law enforcement. That ranger would not want to have to stand in front of my desk and explain herself. She really wouldn’t–she would much rather have a root canal without anesthetic.
Fire her butt. Park Ranger is a very desirable job, and there will be a thousand applicants for the position within an hour, none of whom will taser a man for walking a dog off leash.
National Park Service rangers are issued tasers? Is that something new?
Well, since I work in security, let me show you the other side of the coin. The ranger didn’t tase him for violating a minor ordinance. She tased him for not stopping after she gave him a lawful order to stop. You know, when cops yell freeze, one really should stop. This ranger is a duly sworn LEO, and if she orders you to stop, you stop. Sorry, this guy deserves to be tased. This guy decided to blow off the officer (because she was a woman?) Witnesses say the force was excessive. Really? How would they know? Do they even understand what force is required and what force is excessive? Most people in their cozy suburbanite beighborhoods have never seen excessive force, or any force for that matter. They freak out when people raise their voices. Besides, in order to get your taser certs, one has to be tased as part of the training. This officer was tased herself. So please, stop the crocodile tears. This is not a case of police brutality. This is a case of a jerk who thought he could ignore a female LEO.
A taser is a deadly weapon, and the use thereof is a deadly use of force. In this guys court case I would ask the cop on the stand if indeed a Taser is a deadly weapon.
When he denies it I would have his mother brought into court and ask him to shoot his mother with his harmless little Taser right there in front of the jury.
If you do this a deposition make sure it is a video deposition.
As far you dogs out there, stay away from this so called Ranger.
Identify this nutjob ranger, by name, and shame her publicly. It’s that simple. She’s a wingnut.
Anon 🙁
I agree-
no time to explain! There are too many other law breakers out there that need to be “taught a lesson”
Zero tolerance for police brutality, and prosecutorial misconduct.
There was a taser incident in Occupy DC in the last few days.
Already part of the protocol…
” ….Stop, …tase, and repeat.