Rules for police officers: The first rule of jerking around people you are ticketing is not to do it in front of the hospital where their relative is dying. The second rule is not to mess with people who have some measure of fame, at least enough to get the media interested. And the third rule is to remember that your dashboard camera is on.
This Dallas Morning News story (with video) is very disturbing. Last week, Ryan Moats, a running back for the Houston Texans, drove his wife and other family members to a Dallas area hospital to be with his dying mother-in-law. He violated some traffic rules getting there, and was pulled over by a police officer in front of the hospital. Instead of giving an obviously distressed person a break, the officer gives him a huge load of grief and a lecture about manners.
Moats pleads with the officer that his mother-in-law is dying and will be dying at any second. The officer tells him on the video "that doesn't matter." The article says the officer tells Moats, "I can screw you over. I'd rather not do that."
Dallas Assistant Police Chief Floyd Simpson, when asked for comment, sensibly answered, "When people are in distress, we should come to the rescue. We shouldn't further their distress." Pretty much sums it up.
I am very sympathetic to police officers who rightfully fear for their lives when they do traffic stops, but obviously the officer in this case went a little Deputy Fife given that they were in front of a hospital. The police department is investigating the situation and is promising to give the Moats family an apology.
You wonder what would happen if there hadn't been video documenting the family's version of what happened. Oh, and to make the subtext of the story very clear: Moats is black. The police officer is white. Does the situation go down the same way if Moats is white? The Moats family doesn't think so, and from the looks of the video, I don't either.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
3-26-2009 @ 1:52PM
joaquin said...
Absolutely 100% unacceptable.
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3-26-2009 @ 1:59PM
Amy said...
The behavior of this police officer is horrendous. He took away a moment from this family that they can never get back. What if there had been a terribly ill child in the car, or a woman in labor? He could have followed them into the emergency room if it was that important for him to ticket them. I feel for this family, and hope the officer loses his badge over this. There was no excuse for him bullying this family like he did.
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3-26-2009 @ 2:10PM
Ronald F. Fink said...
Is there any wonder why there's such hatred towards police officers. Go figure!
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3-26-2009 @ 2:39PM
asiever said...
I am a cop and think this is totally unacceptable. I understand pulling the guy over for the violation but that can be handled later. We as police are here to protect and serve not hender. As far as this article is concerned it doesn't matter if the person has fame or not that is not a get out of jail free card. Also I'm tired of hearing the race issue, if it applies to one race then it applies to all. Is it the same if a black cop gives a white guy a ticket. I think what the officer did was wrong and I would have done it differently, I'm just tired of everything being a race issue. Yes I'm white and I give tickets and breaks to black, white, hispanic, asian and anyone else I forgot. Just for the record I have not seen the video just read this article. The video would probably make me wanna kick the officers butt. I as a police officer am sorry for the loss this family has had and for the conduct of this officer.
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3-26-2009 @ 3:51PM
sueandjanat525 said...
i'm glad to hear from the "other side". most cops are good, decent folks. ubfortunately, in this profession, one bad cop REALLY makes them all look bad. you rarely hear GOOD cop stories, although they are plentiful. this guy should, at the very least, needs counseling on dealing with this type of situation. perhaps he could learn a valuable lesson, and if not, be advised to persue a different career. i didn't make it to the hospital in time when my dad died, so i ubderstand the guilt and anguish of this family. it never goes away.
3-26-2009 @ 2:40PM
Frank said...
This cop is on a BIG power trip! I am white and I think this cop acted like a racist. Think about it, running his name and info to see if he had warrants, etc...I HOPE and PRAY that Ryan Motes sues the $h*t out of this individual and the city for failing to say goodbye to his mother-in-law. The nurse said that they him for resussitation! At the very LEAST, this power hungry a$$hole should lose his job!
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3-26-2009 @ 2:46PM
Paul said...
White/Black makes no damn difference. The cop screwed up big time and should be brought up on charges. Protect and serve. Not play God and think you can rule the people. Give the idiot a badge and a gun and he thinks he rules the world.
Make the Dallas Police force pay for the funeral to make good on one of their finest's screw ups.
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3-26-2009 @ 2:51PM
Koch said...
So because a person is distressed means they can be rude to a cop. They should have called the cops, explained the situation and they could have had an escort or a ploice pickup and drive.
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3-26-2009 @ 4:09PM
Debra said...
They would have NOT gotten an escort if they called the police. Geeze! I live in Texas, and they do not do that for anyone except maybe the Bush's, H. Ross Perot, and T. Boone Pickens!
There are many fine officers, but this one is a jerk and deserves disciplinary action and counseling on how to be a HUMAN BEING!!!
I hope when he has a loved one in the hospital dying, another cop stops him from being there when they die!
3-26-2009 @ 3:07PM
Brett Hunt said...
Im surprised they didnt tase him a holes.....
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3-26-2009 @ 3:32PM
terrymartau said...
The officer apparently found him guilty of Driving-to-see-a-relative While Black.
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3-26-2009 @ 3:38PM
sunshine said...
and as usual they try to "PULL THE RACE CARD" get over it all of you. I am so tired of hearing that. I wish every time someone did something to me I could say oh it's because I am white. This is so predicable it's not even unique.... Just because you're of another nationality doesn't mean that THEY ARE AFTER YOU!
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3-26-2009 @ 6:25PM
Stephanie Stradley said...
The difference is that there is a long history of racism in the US, especially regarding situations involving the police. There's a natural skepticism in situations like this. The update on this case says that the officer drew a gun on this family. Do you really think he would have done that to a distraught white family that showed up at the emergency room with the emergency lights blinking on their Escalade to say goodbye to their mother? Ignoring race issues don't make them go away. Suggesting that every time someone mentions how race could be a factor in a situation is somehow "playing the race card" is ridiculous. Are you trying to suggest that the only time race is a factor is when someone overtly says something racial?
3-26-2009 @ 3:38PM
cyrakadin1 said...
There is really only one thing to say here. Shame on the officer. Not only had he been told once, he had been told 3 times by 3 seperate people that what this man was saying was true and it seems to me that he delayed him on purpose. I can only hope that if that officer is ever going through a situation like that with one of his family members that the officer he encounters shows FAR FAR more compassion towards him then what he showed for this family. I have 3 family members who are police officers and am very proud of all of them and very proud that they have NEVER treated someone the way you treated that family.
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3-26-2009 @ 3:41PM
sunshine said...
I do think that the cop was wrong and should have done things differntly, but not the race card AGAIN.
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3-26-2009 @ 3:42PM
lincolnlow88 said...
I agree the officer was being an ass. I have been in Law enforcement for 13 years and have seen those types. It just sickens me to no end that the writer here trys to bring race into it. Cops that act that way always act that way. People need to get off the race thing, it's overused and most of the time not even relevant.
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3-26-2009 @ 3:53PM
jigs said...
I agree...the little piggie was on a power trip. Maybe he's also a racist, but to assume that is asinine.
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3-26-2009 @ 3:55PM
captaindiehard said...
I think that cop would be better off as a Mall security officer. Extemely bad judgement....
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3-26-2009 @ 4:25PM
Buckeye Fan said...
In January my father was on his death bed and in my haste to arrive at my parents house I exceeded the speed limit. As I pulled up in front of their house an officer pulled up behind me with the intention of issuing a citation. All that I had to say was that my father was dieing and he said "Ok, go ahead". No citiation was issued. I was able to spend my fathers final moments with him and was very appreciative of the officer for his professional behavior.
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3-26-2009 @ 4:29PM
kuni55 said...
"I can screw you over. I'd rather not do that."
That is a raw exercise of the abuse of power. This guy needs to canned and I would fully support a lawsuit. I understand officers are at risk, but abusing power and not exercising discretion in this situation cannot be justified. This entire incident could have been avoided if the cop was more a public servant and less a bully.
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