By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
In another case of police wannabes acting on impulse and getting themselves arrested, Shawn Robinson of Alexandria, Virginia is alleged to have pulled over a driver and announcing he was a police officer. The joke was apparently on him when the suspect he pulled over was an actual police officer who gave chase.
An off-duty police officer stated he was driving in the city of Dumfries when he alleges that Robinson, driving a Ford Crown Victoria, began following him. Robinson then used the vehicle’s spotlight to signal him to pull over. The officer, believing this to be an actual police vehicle stop, pulled over as signaled. Dumfries then positioned his vehicle alongside and attempted contact.
When the officer told Robinson that he was a police officer the wannabe fled the scene. After a short chase Robinson and another person in the Crown Victoria darted away on foot.
Robinson later turned himself in to authorities after an arrest warrant was issued.
This type of phenomenon happens occasionally in most states. Incidents such as this stem from the persons who have the desire to mimic police officers and live what they perceive to be the police experience. At first they begin acquiring police gear and sometimes later act on an irresistible urge to perform a police duty.
The Ford Crown Victoria, officially known as the Crown Victoria Police interceptor is the standard emergency vehicle used by various police agencies from the late 1990’s until recently when Ford discontinued its production. Most of these vehicles are auctioned off after retirement. In many states they are sold still having police gear such as push-bars, spotlights, antennae, and striping attached.
Several states have enacted laws prohibiting the auctioning of these former police vehicles with their police equipment attached due to this bizarre practice of those impersonating police officers.
While equipping a vehicle with spotlights, push bars, and various other devices used by police is not illegal, eliminating these devices at the source makes these vehicles less attractive to those wanting to impersonate officers. It would be prudent for other states to take such measures and minimize this type of bizarre practice.
By Darren Smith
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.
Isaac:
I do, however, think that the gun made Zimmerman feel brave enough to get out of the car and try to see which way Trayvon went. But he could not handle a physical confrontation without resorting to his firearm.
I believe the confrontation would have been avoidable if either Zimmerman had stayed in the car, or Trayvon had not approached Zimmerman. Why does the “do not approach” advice not seem to apply to Trayvon?
Isaac:
“Established protocol dictates that the neighborhood watch does not approach anybody. He was reminded of this by the dispatch officer. Regardless of Martin’s attitude and past activities, he was simply walking home from the store.”
Whether or not Zimmerman is a great guy, or a complete jerk is irrelevant. It was proven that he got out of his car to try to tell dispatch where the suspect was. He did not see him, but was trying to find which way he went. Dispatch told him not to follow and he said OK. He did not “approach” him. It is also not illegal to follow someone, even if he had.
Trayvon might have tried to Polar Bear someone, who shot him after he bashed his head into the curb. If someone pounded my head into the pavement, I would have thought I was going to die, too.
I personally do not think Zimmerman is a great guy. I think he will continue to get into trouble until one day the law is not on his side. I also think he has a “wannabe cop” mentality, without the gifts to be an actual cop. In an actual crisis he felt over-faced.
Halloween is perpetual? Trick or treat. Dressed as a cop.
Ken – Halloween does come once a year. 😉
Paul-Barkindog
When you go looking for trouble packing a gun, that’s manslaughter. Zimmerman’s history was one of looking for trouble. Established protocol dictates that the neighborhood watch does not approach anybody. He was reminded of this by the dispatch officer. Regardless of Martin’s attitude and past activities, he was simply walking home from the store.
Angela Corey wrongly charged him with murder. Most legal experts agree that had he been charged with manslaughter he would now be in jail doing a minimum of ten years, possibly twenty.
Regardless of all the John Wayne stories out there, guns are for defense, not offense. Zimmerman was armed when he offended Martin. That he got whooped is another thing. That he shot Martin was the result of taking a gun to a fistfight. Zimmerman created the altercation. That’s manslaughter. Zimmerman got off. Perhaps one of those John Wayne types will meet up with him in a bar.
Anything else sounds like the justification Republicans give for slaughtering almost a million people in Afghanistan and Iraq. Well we haven’t been attacked since, have we? Yup.
issac – the fact that you use the term “dispatch officer” shows that you got your information from the MSM, which did a horrible, biased job of covering the trial. And it shows you never caught up after the trial. Shame on you.
Issac
I beg your pardon – about the Zimmerman thing – I am not pulling up any links but I was under the impression it was neighborhood watch? He did have quite a bit of experience – 8 years – I realize he has been violent since then but one wonders if he is being taken advantage of – if you know what I mean – by his wife – Now – I am just trying to see this from more than one side
From January 1, 2011 through February 26, 2012, police were called to The Retreat at Twin Lakes 402 times.[31] Crimes committed at The Retreat in the year prior to Martin’s death had included eight burglaries, nine thefts, and one shooting.[44] Twin Lakes residents said there were dozens of reports of attempted break-ins, which had created an atmosphere of fear in their neighborhood.[3]
In September 2011, the Twin Lakes residents held an organizational meeting to create a neighborhood watch program. Zimmerman was selected by neighbors as the program’s coordinator, according to Wendy Dorival, Neighborhood Watch organizer for the Sanford Police Department.[6][45]
Zimmerman had made nearly 50 calls to police between 2004 and 2012 to report various local disturbances, such as loud parties, open garage doors, potholes, and children playing in the street.[31][44][46] Following break-ins in the neighborhood in 2011, Zimmerman’s calls to police increasingly focused on reporting people he suspected of criminal activity.[18][44]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Trayvon_Martin
We had a guy in Parker County, Texas who wanted to be a judge. Trey Loftin got his daddy to get the governor to appoint him to a temporary post. He was so bad at the job the citizens of Parker County kicked him out of the courthouse. As I understand it he had the most judicial complaints of any judge in Parker County History. Must be a similar mental condition.
BarkinDog:
“In states where many people carry guns the Trayvons of the world are not as bold. Like Missouri rural areas (not Saint Louis) or Texas.”
Because as we all know, legal concealed carriers are almost impossible to find in Florida.
Jason – see if you can’t get BarkinDog to tell you about that Mafia Bar
BarkinDog – great story. It sounds like something out of Janet Evanovitch’s Stephanie Plum series. Awesome.
How sad. I wonder if they think their true life is boring, so they try to invent a new, exciting one. Or they seek the respect that they lack in their own life.
Why not have a real adventure? Join a volunteer organization and make a difference. These people are usually young enough that their lives are not over yet. If they want to be more interesting why don’t they . . . become more interesting?
Larry wrote:
“Zimmerman will end up in jail all by himself because he is the supreme cop wannabe murderer.”
~+~
With some guys who beat the rap, it’s usually only a matter of time before they offend again.
Darren – would you like to explain exactly how Zimmerman was guilty and then how he “beat the rap”?
If citizens will not stop criminals we will need ten times the police forces. Zimmerman was justified in shooting the punk who had Z on his back pounding his head in the concrete. Since that incident Z has been involved in other incidents and does not look like a good Z. But when your last name is at the end of the alphabet you have to deal with the deck as it was dealt.
In states where many people carry guns the Trayvons of the world are not as bold. Like Missouri rural areas (not Saint Louis) or Texas.
I was in a bar in Saint Louis one fine afternoon about twenty five years ago. The bar was called The Edge. A punk came in and the bar and restaurant were crowded. The bulk of the customers were cops or mobsters. Cops in plain clothes. The punk pulled a knife on the barmaid and demanded money. She pulled a gun and smacked him in the side of the head and knocked him out. I looked around and about 25 people had guns drawn. Someone dragged the punk out to the news stand box and threw him on it backwards so as to put the spine in distress. I watched him roll around and finally fall off on his stomach. He crawled away and finally got up. They did not call the police to come get him. He never came back. Everyone went back to eating lunch as if it was a mere glitch. We all tipped the waitress/bar maid who smacked him quite well.
We need more Zs and people like her. Like Trayvon, that particular punk went over the Edge so to speak.
Barkin Dog –
Were you there when Paul Leisure got his foot blown off in that car bomb in 1981?
Zimmerman will end up in jail all by himself because he is the supreme cop wannabe murderer.
rafflaw – you, too, must have followed the Zimmerman trial through the liberal press. Considering that a jury of his peers found him not guilty, you are a little harsh on a man who waited until his attacker was beating his head into the concrete before fighting the guy for his gun and shooting him in self-defense.
I’d give him 20 years at a pig farm.
Yes Darren – too funny
There has to be a new disorder created for these people – I know – we can call it – Munchausen wannabe Police disorder – you know – after the parents that poison their kids and relatives for attention?
trooper
Yeah, his wife, who he beats on regularly, must be a progressive.
HB
Tell that to Martin, OJ’s wife, her friend.
I believe the Zimmerman case was tried in court, with a prosecutor and a defense attorney. The arguments have been heard.
They will keep trying until they get him in jail. No matter what. Because it fits the progressive narrative.
What Isaac said.
Paul
Zimmerman, a notorious police wannabe, acting outside of his role, after being told, “he did not need to do it”, against all protocol, approached Martin. When Martin got pissed off and started to give Zimmerman a whooping, Zimmerman shot him. This guy pulled a Zimmerman on the wrong guy.
Zimmerman got the right idiot prosecutor. Angela Corey saved Zimmerman with her stupidity.
If Zimmerman did not have a gun, he would have stayed in his car. There are no redeeming factors that support Zimmerman. He is scum and will soon be where he belongs, in jail.
issac – Zimmerman actually called the police. You must have followed the trial on MSNBC
Sounds like he pulled a Zimmerman on the wrong guy.