MONTARA, Calif. — A park ranger used a stun gun on a Northern California man who was stopped for walking his two small dogs without a leash.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports Gary Hesterberg didn't have identification and gave a phony name when he was stopped Sunday afternoon.
He was walking two dogs off leash at Rancho Corral de Tierra, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, located near Montara, a coastal town south of San Francisco.
7 comments:
Read the article and I gotta say that CBS/AP did an outstanding job of blowing this whole incident out of proportion. The Ranger is a law enforcement officer. The suspect was breaking the law. The suspect escalated the incident by giving a false name AND trying to walk away. The ranger was only going to warn him by warning him about the leash laws while at the park. The suspect apparently believed he was above the law. He was detained - in my opinion - in a manner consistent with the use of force continuum policies employed by most law enforcement agencies with which I'm familiar. The guy was resisting arrest.
@ 8:55 so you believe that any law enforcement officer should be able to tase someone because they are not abiding by the law? What about if I am speeding, should they pull me out of the car and tase me for that too? The man was in the woods walking his dogs minding his business and probably didn't have money to worry about a fine int he current economic conditions. I could understand if he had been causing a scene but it clearly states the Rangers just happened to come across this, it was not as if someone called him for a disturbance. If it is questionable to tase someone who has ran on the field of a sporting event then there should be no question this is out of line.
Tased in the back for walking dogs without a leash? Or refusing to acknowledge an over zealous Ranger who should have said whatever.... put your dogs on a leash please because the law just changed with the FEDERAL TAKEOVER. Have a nice vacation. thank you, and walk away. Really people....suspect? Breaking law? Force continuum?
Are you nuts like most cops that think like this? Was this really an electrocutable offense? Ok, so the next time a cop blows you off and walks away when you ask a question about them speeding and wreckless driving to Panera bread for lunch unnecessarily we as citizen's have the right to subdue them with electric shock until they respond to a lawful request?
Yeah, I'll keep that in mind.
To tase someone means they could possibly die from the occurance....if this man had died then what? Would you be saying oh well he was walking away from the officer with dogs without a leash so he deserved it? It should be used in a last case scenario before the gun is pulled when there are no other options, it is not a toy or tool that should be used whenever the feeling hits.
Neither of you commenting on this story and bashing the officer have all of the facts because you weren't there. She has a job to do which includes enforcing the laws of the national park. He gave a false name. Part of her job is to write citations or give some type of documentation or warning for those that are breaking the laws. If the officer just told him to leash the dogs as he walks off what proof does she have that she was doing her job? In addition to documenting that she was attempting to enforce the laws she also has to run his name and date of birth to see if he is some type of wanted felon or criminal. Timothy McViegh was caught because an officer took the time to stop him for a traffic violation. The Son of Sam Killer was caught as a result of parking citation. What if the dog walker was on the run from another state for some type of serious charge and that's why he gave the false name and that's why he was walking away before she figured out he was lying to her? Was this the proper use of force? I don't know because I wasn't there and neither were you. Providing false information to avoid prosecution is an arrestable offense, failure to obey a lawful and reasonable order is an arrestable offense, obstructing and hindering her in the course of her duties - same thing. That's why he got tased. It wasn't because he didn't have his dogs on a leash, it's because he was lying and he wasn't following directions, and may have been attempting to flee from her. Wake up people. You guys are always so quick to pass judgement on law enforcement because some liberal agenda reporter tells you their lopsided version of the story with their misleading headlines. Everybody wants to assume she was in the wrong. She probably went through a very lengthy academy and probably knows a lot more about her job than you do to include the proper use of force.
And yes I am a cop - Somebody has to speak up for us because we can't trust the public to try and see it our way for once. Give me a false name during a traffic stop and you are probably going to go to jail once I've determined that you are lying. Try to walk away or drive away from me before my traffic stop is complete and I gurantee you are going to jail. Not because I'm some macho perfect badass. Its a matter of respect and lawful compliance. You would expect the same from me if I was at your place of employment and I would give it to you.
Ok....I'm 8:55. The ranger has a responsibility to identify the violator. He can issue a citation. The suspect gave a false name and refused to be detained in accordance with the law. Use of force continuum is the procedure followed by all law enforcement agencies. Verbal commands then escalating use of force. Believe it or not, the current use of force continuum places the tazer before strong hand tactics and striking weapons. Walking the dog off leash is a violation. He has broken the law and has a responsibility to properly identify himself in the event the officer decides to cite him/her. This guy refused to properly identify himself or remain on the scene. Arrest was the appropriate response or everyone would be able to commit violations and just walk away without being held accountable. If you don't like the laws, elect officials who will remove them from the books. Until then everyone has the responsibility to answer for any crime they commit.
In order to get respect, you have to earn it and give it. Just today we read about f.b.i. cutting a womans door down with a chain saw, wrong house.
Off duty sheriff deputy in fla. abuse of power, road rage, abuse of power, theft of cell phone, assualt, and whatever I can't remember.
That damn pesky 1% again, right?
We need cops. They are a necessary evil.
But their actions, words and attitudes put off many.
You are entrusted with a little power to keep the bad guys at bay. Not to intimidate, abuse, and taunt the average citizen.
You guys keep saying the same thing for defense. While those words may or may not be true, it does not excuse the wrong actions of you fellow cops.
You lump us into the same category with criminals. We lump you in same category of rouge cops.
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