Agressive driving Sebastopol Police officer

[SonomaPatientsCoop]

First- let me be clear- I have never had any interaction with this officer, nor do I know anyone who has.

That said, the other day, for the 2rd time in probably 8 months or so I had to swerve to avoid being hit by the aggressive driving of the Sebastopol police officer who drives one of their SUV's. This as he popped out from a side street or parking lot then accelerating (read, stomped on the gas pedal) to WELL in excess of the speed limit speeding back and forth across the lanes passing The Feed Store and Hopmonk , cutting off traffic to go east on 12. No sirens nor lights. (after turning onto 12 he turned on lights and pulled over a vehicle).

This is the second time this has happened to me. And I've also witnessed this officer almost hit other drivers on at least a couple of other occasions. While I didn't see what caused this in this case, the time before it was very minor traffic infractions. And all three times it appeared he was pulling over quite nice but perfectly normal cars, with quite nice and perfectly normal (well, maybe too straightlaced for Sebastopol) drivers.

Sooner or later this officer is going to injure or kill someone.

I guess I'm not really sure what I am looking for by posting here. I guess wondering if anyone else out there has had or witnessed similar experiences? And if anyone knows what channels are available to file some sort of complaint- or least let Sebastopol PD know that there may be an issue (and a liability).

Yes- I too hate the drivers who switch lanes without signaling- but if I behaved as this officer does I would face numerous charges. And there's an adage in traffic research- you drive how you live. If this officer is being reckless and aggressive in his driving for minor traffic infractions, well...

[Barry]

...That said, the other day, for the 2rd time in probably 8 months or so I had to swerve to avoid being hit by the aggressive driving of the Sebastopol police officer ...

I ran this by Chief Weaver and he replied:

Folks who have concerns about the conduct of a Sebastopol Police Officer, whether related to their driving or otherwise, are encouraged to call or visit the Police Department and speak with a supervisor who can address their concerns. We take all concerns seriously and will address any wrongful conduct on the part of our employees.

[Barneys Mom]

...
That said, the other day, for the 2rd time in probably 8 months or so I had to swerve to avoid being hit by the aggressive driving of the Sebastopol police officer who drives one of their SUV's. ...

Why don't you grab the license plate number or partial of the SUV and the exact time and go on record via a letter of complaint. to the Chief of Police next time if you can.

[arthunter]

I come from a law enforcement/military family and I know that our police are taught to drive in a way that allows them to do their jobs. I know that it can be intimidating, but how many police cars do you see that are involved in accidents, in spite of their high rate of speed? One day your safety might depend on those driving skills, though they might seem over the top in some situations. As Barry pointed out, there is a good way to express your concerns ...

Our police are under more pressure than ever and I do hope that they can continue their practice of holding occasional community meetings at the Sebastopol grange. The one that I attended went a long way to answer questions and soothe fears about police behavior. It was good to have everyone together as a community, face to face, instead of possibly polarized behind distrust and ignorance ...

We're all in this together ...

[Shandi]

This is a situation that seems to clearly endanger lives, especially since there was no siren or lights to indicate that this officer was in pursuit, which would have been easy to do. Even when they're not in pursuit, they can use the sirens and lights to get through a traffic jam. This is one time it would have been great to have a dash cam to capture what you've described. I do hope you make a formal complaint. Next time, an innocent person may be a victim of reckless driving. Any reckless driver should be reported ASAP. It may save lives.

...the other day, for the 2rd time in probably 8 months or so I had to swerve to avoid being hit by the aggressive driving of the Sebastopol police officer ...

[SonomaPatientsCoop]

...I know that our police are taught to drive in a way that allows them to do their jobs ...

I'm sorry- but I must disagree. Police cars have lights and sirens for exactly these reasons- which were not used. I had to ACTIVELY respond to avoid being hit- on two occasions- and on one had the person in the other lane not been in top form it would have resulted in either the officer hitting me or me hitting the person in the other lane.

I'm sorry- but there is zero excuse for an officer choosing to drive aggressively, ignore speed limits and lane demarcations, while not using their sirens and or lights. Especially not for minor traffic infractions.

edit to add: I think it was just a few months back we had an officer involved in an accident with an innocent civilian in a high speed chase. And I seem to remember reading of several high speed chases in the past year- a few with the suspect getting away, for cases that did not appear to warrant the risk to civilian lives. Many areas of the country now bar high speed chases except in serious felony/danger to society cases because the risk to innocent civilians is not worthwhile. I don't feel we have that mentality here.

[SonomaPatientsCoop]

...Folks who have concerns about the conduct of a Sebastopol Police Officer, whether related to their driving or otherwise, are encouraged to call or visit the Police Department and speak with a supervisor who can address their concerns...

Thanks Barry,

I will look into this. Mainly I have not because these events happened in the normal course of my day. And while driving, I can't really take notes. So it becomes a vague accusation I suppose. I'll try and contact them with the general gist- and given past experience I doubt it will be long before another incident I can provide more specifics.

I was hoping I suppose others had witnessed similiar incidents, and maybe complaints had already been leveled tht I could add my experiences to.

[arthunter]

yes, you are right ... a siren should have been used ....

[beshiva]

go to the police department in Sebastopol file a complaint. They have to address it. Name the officer so everyone KNOWS who you are talking about. Use a camera, videotape whenever possible. Confront the officer directly, and tell them they are being reckless. You Can confront them without being nasty. There are videos online of people stopping police officers for being reckless. yeah, it's scary. cops are scary. never know if you get a hothead or someone who tries to intimidate you. but, you do have the right to question them too.
good luck
beshiva

[Shandi]

I must add here that having a "right" to confront an officer, doesn't mean it's the safest thing to do. As you mentioned, we never know who we're dealing with, and police are people first, with a lot of stress from the job, and or home, but in a power position, which could result in you being "collateral damage" from their defensive reaction. I personally, would never confront a police officer. People get killed for much less.

Those who live in Sebastopol, and have felt safe in this town, are discovering some ugly truths about these fantasies, including murder, rape, animal poisoning and theft. These are shocking truths, but hopefully will lead to more awareness and pro-active defense strategies in Sebastopol, and beyond.

[arthunter]

This is why I mentioned the police meeting with the community at the grange. It was very constructive. We are all people trying to do our best to survive and prosper in a world of stress. Our police are very important for our protection and they are under their own stress. Confrontation isn't the answer, ... calm, intelligent discussion can do a lot more. At the grange meeting we were sitting face to face with our police, and people were not afraid to question their behavior, and they were very very respectful of that and the fears and concerns that were expressed by the public. We need to do more of this.

I must add here that having a "right" to confront an officer, doesn't mean it's the safest thing to do...

[gypsey]

Contact the Seb PD directly, and by all means talk to the Chief. Be sure you have info that identifies this officer specifically. I once had a complaint about a desk sergeant. It was handled sensitively and directly by the Chief.

[gypsey]

PS to my earlier post. Speaking for myself, I would not recommend you bringing up any opinions or observations about the drivers this officer pulled over. The issue is the officer's reckless driving.
Good luck!

.... the time before it was very minor traffic infractions. And all three times it appeared he was pulling over quite nice but perfectly normal cars, with quite nice and perfectly normal (well, maybe too straightlaced for Sebastopol) drivers...

[Shepherd]

I agree totally with Gypsey. I have found Seb. Police Chief Jeff Weaver to be very responsive to the community that he serves and protects. He is a good listener and acts appropriately. This is why the Chamber of Commerce chose him to be our Citizen of the year this year.

If one has a complaint, I think the best way to express it is to get license plate numbers, time of day, kind of vehicle, etc. I do not think it is fair to initiate such a complaint in a public forum like this without first going through such preliminary steps. Otherwise, one runs the risk of tarnishing our good police leadership in Sebastopol.

Contact the Seb PD directly, and by all means talk to the Chief. Be sure you have info that identifies this officer specifically. I once had a complaint about a desk sergeant. It was handled sensitively and directly by the Chief.

[Shandi]

Shepherd,

I didn't see the post as "initiating a complaint", but just reporting what happened, to see if anyone else had experienced this. Reporting facts, and gathering information from others who may have experienced the same thing is an element in presenting any kind of complaint, whether it's to the Police Dept or the City Council, or other authorities.

An example is the poisoning of animals. One person can make a complaint, but by posting the facts, other animal guardians can be alerted that the death of their animals may be related to this, who might not have known. It also creates a new awareness that may save lives in the future.

It's the same with rape victims, who many times, don't report it. Look what happened when it did get reported. The resident activists took it a step further in posting warning signs.

I think Wacco provides a wonderful platform for sharing the "good, bad, and the ugly". I would encourage members to keep doing it, in the spirit of being AWARE and INFORMED.

... I do not think it is fair to initiate such a complaint in a public forum like this without first going through such preliminary steps. Otherwise, one runs the risk of tarnishing our good police leadership in Sebastopol.

[beshiva]

i suggest everyone go and see the movie "where to invade next". by Michael Moore. i'm sure there are going to be those who bash it because what else can we do to live with ourselves.

specifically, there is a view in some parts of the world, by the police, that treating people with respect and dignity is paramount. But, here we have to go on and on and on about the other way around and IF we question the motives, the job of a police officer we are committing blasphemy. Having coffee with a cop is not my idea of really getting to the issues of what creates distrust towards law enforcement in our communities. And, accountability doesn't just lie with the people they serve- it goes both ways. peace beshiva

[SonomaPatientsCoop]

...I do not think it is fair to initiate such a complaint in a public forum like this without first going through such preliminary steps. Otherwise, one runs the risk of tarnishing our good police leadership in Sebastopol.

While I understand your point, I will respectfully disagree. I was in most part trying to see if others have witnessed similiar problems and/or if anyone knew of such complaints already filed. And I was also asking if others knew how, and to who, to best address this issue (information which HAS been provided through this thread).

I think it is a crucial part of being a member of society, whether when dealing with a government agency, a business, or another individual, to try and understand if others have been affected in siiliar ways, and whether the issue has already been properly raised- that either ones voice can be added to or where one can file a new complaint making it clear the issue has been raised previously and does not seem to have been resolved.

[american dream]

We love the Michael Moore movie - lively, fun, serious, warm and thought-provoking.

i suggest everyone go and see the movie "where to invade next". by Michael Moore. i'm sure there are going to be those who bash it because what else can we do to live with ourselves.

specifically, there is a view in some parts of the world, by the police, that treating people with respect and dignity is paramount. But, here we have to go on and on and on about the other way around and IF we question the motives, the job of a police officer we are committing blasphemy. Having coffee with a cop is not my idea of really getting to the issues of what creates distrust towards law enforcement in our communities. And, accountability doesn't just lie with the people they serve- it goes both ways. peace beshiva

[AJL]

There is definitely at least one police officer that has acted extremely aggressively in the past and physically hurt me while another officer stood by watching and doing nothing to stop him even though I screamed in pain. I complained immediately to the police department. I don't know if that officer is still on the force. Our police chief took time on his day off and apologized to me personally for the officer's behavior and told me what steps he had taken to prevent it from happening again. I think our chief will be responsive and appreciative of your observations. We all need to help our police do the best job they can in the best way possible. Sirens and lights should go on BEFORE the gas pedal is pressed if pursuing in traffic...

[danargraves]

This happen to me 2 nights ago in the same location. Before he made his right turn (no turn signal), he had approached the intersection far too fast and pulled halfway out onto the street before stopping. I actually had to swerve to avoid being hit. Then he had the BS attitude to tailgate me before turning onto hwy 12. I have witnessed this before very recently in town. SPD driving an SUV uncaring, recklessly and I would write being a "bully" driver.

I pulled over in front of Screaming Mimm's to see if was he on a call. He was not. He just cruised down hwy 12 and turned onto Morris, stopping first (no turn signal) and crashed the red light.

Who in the hell is this jerk? If the chief of police reads this as I know he does read the articles, then DO SOMETHING about this cop before he hits a pedestrian or another vehicle. Put him behind a desk for a while. He is not safe to be driving a vehicle in this community.

[Shepherd]

I am sorry to hear this. I think that you should feel safe to report this to Chief Jeff Weaver, which seems like the best way to deal with this problem, rather than let it continue, before even something worse happens.

[danargraves]

While i do agree with this response, it does not take away the fact that there is at least one cop who is aggressive and uncaring behind the wheel and is danger to the Sebastopol community.

I come from a law enforcement/military family and I know that our police are taught to drive in a way that allows them to do their jobs. ...

[arthunter]

Would anyone know if our police are using the "Tetra" communication system? If so, there's a well known scientist in the UK who is trying to warn the world about this system saying that it is dangerous and that the microwave frequency that it runs on might cause aggression ... it is also a health hazard ... Barrie Trower is a former Royal Navy microwave weapons expert and his opinion is sought worldwide ... a quick search will lead you to massive amounts of information about his warnings ... a long shot, I know, but I have wondered about this as police aggression seems to have increased in this country at a time when the crime statistics are headed downwards ...

[Barry]

This happen to me 2 nights ago in the same location. ...

I sent Dan's report of a second incident of aggressive driving by Sebastopol cop to Chief Weaver and he replied:

"On Sunday afternoon, after you e-mailed me originally, I shared the WaccoBB post with everyone who drives a vehicle here at the Sebastopol Police Department.

I've also spoken with four of our five supervisors (I will be speaking with the fifth tomorrow) about the concerns expressed in the post. I asked the supervisors to be aware of their own driving habits and to talk with their subordinate employees about their driving habits.

If folks have specific dates, times and locations, that's most helpful as it will help identify which employee's driving was perceived to be unsafe. Anyone with that specific information is asked to call or visit the Police Department, speak with a supervisor, and share the information so the matter can be investigated and addressed.

It goes without saying that, in order to catch up to a traffic violator, officers have to go faster than the vehicle they are trying to catch; otherwise, they would never overtake it. But it's important that the effort to overtake vehicles must be done safely."

[Shandi]

Chief Weaver's comment " But it's important that the effort to overtake vehicles must be done safely." This is the issue and concern that's being expressed..... so it seems that it's not being done safely.

[Shandi]

If our police are using the "Tetra" communication system, then the microwave frequency that might cause aggression would probably be affecting most of, or more officers. And that would be very apparent in this community, beyond aggressive driving.

We know there's much more police aggression overall, and if the Tetra system is responsible, there could be an easy fix, to save the lives of innocent people.

Would anyone know if our police are using the "Tetra" communication system? If so, there's a well known scientist in the UK who is trying to warn the world about this system saying that it is dangerous and that the microwave frequency that it runs on might cause aggression ... it is also a health hazard ... Barrie Trower is a former Royal Navy microwave weapons expert and his opinion is sought worldwide ... a quick search will lead you to massive amounts of information about his warnings ... a long shot, I know, but I have wondered about this as police aggression seems to have increased in this country at a time when the crime statistics are headed downwards ...

[Jay95446]

I come from a law enforcement/military family and I know that our police are taught to drive in a way that allows them to do their jobs. I know that it can be intimidating, but how many police cars do you see that are involved in accidents, in spite of their high rate of speed? One day your safety might depend on those driving skills, though they might seem over the top in some situations. As Barry pointed out, there is a good way to express your concerns ...

Our police are under more pressure than ever and I do hope that they can continue their practice of holding occasional community meetings at the Sebastopol grange. The one that I attended went a long way to answer questions and soothe fears about police behavior. It was good to have everyone together as a community, face to face, instead of possibly polarized behind distrust and ignorance ...

We're all in this together ...

The ignorance is on the part of the cop who feels that giving someone a traffic ticket is more important than the lives and safety of the public. I don't give a rat's @ss who you are related to

[jbox]

That said, the other day, for the 2rd time in probably 8 months or so I had to swerve to avoid being hit by the aggressive driving of the Sebastopol police officer who drives one of their SUV's. This as he popped out from a side street or parking lot then accelerating (read, stomped on the gas pedal) to
Please tell the Police Chief date, time, and location of the citation issue and Officer Barney the Speed Racer can be busted. Easy and hopefully effective citizen involvement and oversight.

[Shandi]

Jay, I agree with the first part of your statement, but your second sentence is unnecessarily unkind, and uncalled for. When I see such personal disrespect, I tend to disregard posts that follow. This is a "conscious community" bulletin board, which means conscious communication, that doesn't resort to low level attacks on others because you don't agree with them.

The ignorance is on the part of the cop who feels that giving someone a traffic ticket is more important than the lives and safety of the public. I don't give a rat's @ss who you are related to

[beshiva]

if you think the police are under pressure, then try thinking about how many many people feel, under attack actually, and
living (dare i say) in a police state as we watch our police departments become more and more militarized.
as i said before, respect goes both ways
Police officers are number 18 on the list of the most dangerous jobs.

The ignorance is on the part of the cop who feels that giving someone a traffic ticket is more important than the lives and safety of the public. I don't give a rat's @ss who you are related to