The California Highway Police appear to have spent little time in making an arrest in a recent crash in Chula Vista, California. Unfortunately, the officer arrested a fire fighter who was struggling to help the seriously injured driver and other victims.
On Tuesday night, a police officer ordered a fire fighter to move his truck out of the center divide of the road and the fire fighter said that he was too busy saving the life of the driver. The officer then arrested the firefighter and put him in handcuffs in the cruiser for half an hour. He sat there while victims needed attention and the officer then released him.
Chula Vista Fire Department Chief Dave Hanneman objected to the “ridiculous” arrest, though he sounded a bit like the Sprint manager of a phone bank: “It doesn’t provide the good customer service, the good public service that both of our agencies are there to do.”
A meeting is planned today between the California Highway Patrol and Chula Vista Fire Department to “work out” the incident like two rivaling gangs. I would just be careful where I parked if I were with the CVFD.
If this happened in New Jersey they could blame it on Christy
I would like to see a photo of what the scene looked like first but on its face this is a huge can of worms.
I cannot see a logical reason to arrest the firefighter. Regardless if the firefighter had parked illegally or whatever logic dictactes making a custodial arrest of one of the rescue personnel is going to detract from the rescue of the injured. If it was so imperative the fire truck be moved, why didn’t the CHP officer find another firefighter to move it? It sounds more like a face issue with the officer than anything.
So what was the reason for moving the fire truck? Was it an extreme hazard or was it to ease the flow of traffic? I cannot see it being one unless some great exception is made. If people are rubbernecking and traffic is backed up for two miles too bad for the travelers.
As Chuck mentions protecting the scene is paramount importance. The priorities that are usually trained are as follows:
1) Arrive on-scene safely
2) Assess threats
3) protect yourself
4) secure the scene
5) Attend to the situation / injured.
A secure scene is a must because there is always some fool out there who thinks they must drive through the scene. I have had many times this has happened. One in particular was a medivac situation with a patient and a helicopter. A city officer and I had blocked the scene with two patrol cars with emergency lights on. The helicopter was revving up preparing for liftoff and the wash was kicking small pebbles and dirt up. Then, this woman in her SUV squeezes through between the patrol cars and drives right past the front of the helicopter. After the copter left I pulled over the SUV and asked her why she drove through. Her reply was that Little Johnny needed to get to his soccer game and she didn’t want him to walk a long way.
On another note arresting a firefighter at a scnene of an injury accident for not moving a truck is just plain asinine. Maybe the laws enabled the CHP to arrest the firefighter, common sense and discretion apparently went right out the window here. Ego is probably the reason but is certainly no excuse.
To interrupt firemen while in the middle of a potential life saving call to move their emergency vehicle is the epitome of unbridled sophomoric unprofessionalism.
More training is not the answer.
Those in positions of authority being held to account (eg firing) for their cretinous acts would be a good start.
Nice job officer nitwit.
Police in America are the least professional of the developed countries. They are more like the police of third world dictatorships.
Is anybody else bothered by the prevalence of skinheads on their local Police Departments?
This is a big story out here in San Diego. The firefighters story has now changed to the fire truck was protecting the ambulance from a possible collision w/ oncoming traffic. This was a classic male testosterone who is in charge. There is a protocol as to who calls the shots and the CHP was, like Nuke LaLouche, “Announcing his presence w/ authority.” Unfortunately, the CHP officer didn’t have a seasoned veteran like Crash Davis to calm him down.
I just want to add that it is common for the firefighters to park their pumper truck in such a way that it forms a protective “box” so the paramedics can work in relative safety. There is a psychological reason for this. Drivers going by want to see what is going on. Aviation psychologists refer to something called “target fixation.” This comes from the phenomenon of attack aircraft pilots becoming fixated on the target and flying right into whatever they are aiming at. The same think can, and does, happen with drivers. The video below is a perfect example of why the fire truck is parked where it is.
raff,
I don’t have the whole follow-up story, but I read somewhere it cost the PD about $40K.
This is an amazing story. How in the hell can this cop still be on the job?
OS, your video just brings this story home. I submit that additional training won’t help this officer. The arrogance that you suggest is not something that can be “fixed” by training. How did that case turn out?
This is disgusting…. the cops in the USA are out of control….
Arresting firefighters now? Maybe cops need some intervention nation wide.
The police are utterly out of control. Soon it will be “papers please” just to buy groceries.
This is not the first time this sort of clash has occurred. In May 2003 a firefighter was arrested while attending an injured patient. There are several more similar videos on YouTube. These events are the result of a combination of lack of training and authoritarian arrogance.
Suspend? LOL FIRE HIS ASS
Suspend him? No, he should be fired. Anyone with that little common sense and judgment should NOT be carrying a gun or have the power of arrest.
And that is why I can’t stand the police. They have been militarized to the point that they feel there only purpose is to make life miserable to there sworn enemy, the American people. No more Andy Griffiths , just Nazi Storm Troopers.
I will respect the badge but in my heart I know these are degenerate, anti-freedom, unamerican, traitorous, criminals. I know if I report a crime there is a good chance I could be killed just so the pigs can have a scapegoat so I simply will not call them for ANY circumstance.
Firefighters on the other hand are real heroes and thus despised by the evil scum sucking maggot police. I hope I am not to harsh for this post but that is exactly how I feel and untill I start seeing some of these oath violators go to prison my mind is not likely to change.
Who voted for this new American police state? Is this the Change that was promised?
Why does the officer with a CHP on his sholder claim was the problem with the fire truck protecting the ambulance and the crashed vehicle from more impacts?
I’d be really careful if I was the CHP, as there isn’t a little glass box on every patrol car, or motorcycle.
Break Glass, follow instructions:
deploying a Hurst Rescue Tool (Jaws of Life), and an inflatable trained crew of operators.
Where the HP officer was busy arresting the fire fighter who had been busy saving the life of the driver, ultimately who saved that driver, Santa Clause? If the cop was in need of someone to move the truck, why didn’t the cop jump in and move it? That would seem simpler and more efficient than wasting time arresting the “life saver!” Wouldn’t you like to be a fly on the wall of this upcoming meeting!
Nothing to work out. Suspend the cop without pay for 30 days, 3 months next time & 3 strikes you’re out for good.