This YouTube video has gone viral showing Jeremy Drew, 12, confronting a police officer in Vegas about his illegally parked motorcycle. The officer parked illegally to buy a soda and Jeremy Drew asks him why he felt that he could park illegally and asked for his badge number. The officer refuses, even though all officers are supposed to allow citizens to see their name and badge number.
Drew asks the officer “Is there a reason for you to park on the sidewalk? Is it like an emergency or anything?”
The officer simply does not respond to which Drew adds “Can I see your badge number?” The officer asks him why he is asking for the badge number and Drew replies “Uh, because I have the right to.”
The officer replies: “You do? Are you a junior lawyer?”
Drew answers “No, I just want to see your badge number. Uh, can I please see your badge number?” The officer then rides away.
I am not aggrieved about the illegal parking for the officer. Officers are in fact allowed to park illegally in carrying out their duties (though soda stops are not exactly part of the thin blue line image). However, the officer did violate the rules in refusing his badge number and Drew was correct that he had a right to see it. More importantly, at a time when citizens are increasingly passive in the face of a burgeoning police presence in our society, this 12-year-old boy showed remarkable courage. He stood his ground even when the officer compounded his violation in refusing to show his badge by asking for identification from the boy. The youngster responds “I’m a minor. I’m Jeremy Drew.”
Yes, you are. And I think it is pretty cool to be Jeremy Drew.
I can’t get too upset about this cop. Parking illegally briefly is not great but he didn’t beat the kid up and run him in for allegedly resisting arrest or suspected terrorist activity or “drop” some drugs on him and throw the false book at him. I’ll save my real outrage for the cops who make this guy look like three saints put together.
http://www.policemisconduct.net/national-police-misconduct-newsfeed-daily-recap-05-07-13/
One example:
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/0210d818536344328ede0a4d823154d5/IA–Officer-Fired
Wonder where he’ll land next.
And what OfT said.
leejcaroll: Is there anything they don’t laugh at on Today? That used to be a legitimate news show; not so much any more. News shows are few and far between, and by all means let’s ridicule the brave boy who stood up to the police. That should take him down a peg and lead him to conformity.
Now if only the Capitol Hill Police in DC would get the memo that parking ON the sidewalks and in the crosswalks where those with mobility disabilities, those using strollers, etc., need to cross, we’d make some progress.
Good for Jeremy. Polite and persistent. I have no problem with cops parking wherever when necessary, but parking a motorcycle on the sidewalk for a drink stop doesn’t cut it for me. But it does show how lazy the cop is that he couldn’t walk a few extra feet from the street to the store.
Kudos to this kid, exposing a cop for the arrogance that abounds among them; “we’re above the law”, and all that. I’d also echo earlier comments that his parents need to watch out for retaliatory actions. I certainly wouldn’t put this cop or his fellows above such a petty campaign. Gotta keep the commoners in line, ya know.
On Today show they told story then Lauer and the other guy laughed uproariously, the kid is going to be a really good lawyer, and so on, making light of what is a legitimate story, esp when compounded with the other police videos, ‘you cant tape us.’ It also seems to be an attempt to intimidate the kid. How courageous of him not to just slink away when the cop refused to give the requested info.
Kudos to Jeremy. I would be careful that the officer does not try some sort of retaliatory ticketing campaign against him or his parents.
The kid has balls, but needs some work on videotaping. I would be honored to help him.
Couple of things.
There are times when the police need to park illegally, due to emergencies or other official reasons. The best thing to do in this situation is to put on the emergency flashers. It lets people know that the officer is parking there for a reason other than being lazy. (sometimes, it is not reasonable to do this, such as when the officer is staking out someone at night and needs to be blacked out but this is uncommon)
What is especially bad about this situation is most motorcycle officers are assigned to traffic enforcement only, which illegal parking is part of.
The refusal to identify here is the problem and obviously it is because the trooper did not want to be embarassed and / or he had no respect for the child enquiring.
Under WA’s traffic code it is a misdemeanor for an officer to not produce a commission card when requested. I wonder if CA has similar laws.
“He’s now on one or more watch lists.”
Following Gene: The kid. Not the cop.
He’s now on one or more watch lists.
Cops have parking privileges that you and I don’t enjoy….. I watch them park a cruiser in a no parking spot…. When some consumer was parked there the guy got out wrote a ticket and then pulled his cruiser and parked in front of another store…. I kid you not…..
my wife has a cousin who used to read the dictionary about what kind of worms they would get if they played in the mud. They used to laugh at him, now they pity him.
Play in the mud kid.
You should. Be “aggrieved” at the fact that the officer felt it was appropriate park his motorcycle on the side walk. If police officers have the discretion to violate parking regulations, it is hard to believe that it was warranted in this case. Discretion implies that one will use it only when appropriate. Too many officers user there discretion to act as if they are above the law.
The officer was in the wrong and knew it. He then compounded his mistake by refusing to give his badge number. I have to admit Jeremy was taking a big chance asking for the number and filming the encounter it could have gone very badly for him, particularly if he had been a little older. It would be interesting to follow up with him and his parents to see if the officer took any further action in retaliation. I would not be surprised.
Jeremy is a courageous kid.
I like him. The kid, not the cop.
Interesting.
He’ll be taken into state care as his parents are obviously unable to teach him to respect his betters.
In the meantime, he should be very careful not to break any bylaws.