Officers of the law are once again being criticized for unnecessary roughness in carrying out their duties and this time it is in Tampa, FL. Deputy Kevin Stabins pulled Melissa Langston over in November for doing 63 mph in a 35 mph zone in front of University Community Hospital. As soon as the deputy approached Ms Langston’s vehicle she tried to explain that her father was having a heart attack. Deputy Stabins asked her for her license and registration and told her that her father was under a doctor’s care. Ms Langston further explained that her father was driving himself to the hospital and she just wanted to see that he got there ok and that he was indeed receiving medical care.
While the deputy was running her license, Ms Langston pulled her car forward into the parking lot of the hospital. By her own account she was looking to see if her father’s car was there. Deputy Stabins pulled her over again and this time he was much more aggressive. As the deputy reaches in to physically pull Ms Langston from her vehicle the car rolls forward. Ms Langston is crying somewhat hysterically and begging to be allowed to see her father.
Once Deputy Stabins gets Ms Langston out of her vehicle he tosses her against the back of the car and proceeds to hand-cuff her and explain that she will not be seeing her father because now she is going to jail. The incident was captured on the dash-cam video. It does appear that Deputy Stabins was both physically and psychologically abusive to Melissa Langston. His explanation was that he didn’t believe her story. After an internal affairs investigation the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has suspended the deputy for five days beginning May 22nd.
Sources: http://www.bn9.com/content/36/2007/5/2/244329.html
J. Hernandez blogs at http://www.jensview.com Interested readers can email her at jensvufrombr@cox.net
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13 users commented in " Tampa Cop Suspended for Arresting Speeding Woman "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackCops like this shouldn’t be allowed to work security at Wal-Mart, let alone patrol our streets. As if our society didn’t already distrust police officers, this had to happen.
5 days suspension????? That’s it!? He should certainly be fired at the very least.
Oh well, what comes around goes around, and I’m sure something awful will happen to him.
Please, I’m sure the police run into people acting hysterical all the time to try to get out of tickets.
Everyone sees the headline “woman going to see ill father” and thinks he knew that…yes she tried to tell him - and we can’t see her on the dash cam but there could have been things about her or her car that made him sense that something was not right. Plus she was doing almost double the speed limit in a hospital zone - putting many other people at risk.
So he was calm the first time and asked to see her license, and she chose to drive into the parking lot in direct contradiction to the officer’s orders. This is a FELONY in most states - there are no provisions for evading a police officer for personal reasons.
Then after she tries to park the car the officer approaches and the car starts moving AGAIN - is it just possible that he thinks he could be about to be run over and needs to stop this situation before his life becomes at risk from this woman whose behavior has already been shown to be extremely erratic?
The part that got him suspended is that he got emotional and used his adrenaline instead of his head in reacting to the woman, he was right to yank her from the car but he was acting excessively when he used as much force to slam her on the hood because frankly he looked pissed at her behavior.
I don’t really blame him though, after being through a traffic stop like that, try not being upset and being pumped full of adrenaline. She disobeyed him at least twice during the course of this traffic stop, should we give anyone with someone ailing in the hospital a free pass on endangering people in the streets?
She needed to play this smarter than she did, and he needed to calm down after she removed from the vehicle.
Michael, I think you may need to re-think your view point on police officers.
The majority of police take their jobs because they enjoy the power that comes along with it. You often hear them say things like ‘I took this job to make a difference’ - it’s B.S. In most cases, these officers do not even hold post-secondary education. They exit high-school, complete a 3 month course and then are handed a huge amount of power. Read: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E6D7143CF93BA35753C1A9669C8B63
I have a couple of friends that are police officers. They speed all of the time, but if they are pulled over the officer sees they are members of the ‘old boys club’ and does not issue a ticket.
They pull pranks on each other by exceeding the speed limit, in some cases by 3 times, in an area where they know their fellow officers are on radar duty just to ‘Wake them up.’ So when you state “she was doing almost double the speed limit in a hospital zone - putting many other people at risk” it’s a moot point: - why should the average citizen obey limits when officers don’t have to, regardless if they are on duty or not:
Example isn’t another way to teach, it is the only way to teach.
–Albert Einstein
The woman was pulled over in a “hospital zone” in front of a hospital. Not too many years ago when someone gave “I’m on the way to the hospital” as their excuse for speeding the police then escorted them to the hospital. In fact, Good Morning America on ABC aired an interview of Ms Langston this morning where she explained when the cop turned to go back to his vehicle she assumed he was going to escort her and she even asked him to hurry. Ms Langston clearly was not fleeing, she was parking her car. In her panic and confusion she misunderstood the cop.
Deputy Stabins was simply executing a routine traffic stop. He was not in crisis mode. He is an experienced professional who is trained to serve the public under many different circumstances. The only explaination Deputy Stabins has offered is that he didn’t believe her. He has not stated that he feared for his life or for the life of someone he loves.
I for one appreciate the service our law enforcement folks provide. Any one speeding up to a hospital is most likely in dire need of some helpful compassion and understanding. I will go out on a limb here to say most cars speeding up to the hospital at night are not criminal types. I don’t think it is too much to ask that all officers of the law be trained to recognize and interpret this type situation. I’m sure it has happened many times before without the panicked driver being hauled off to jail. Deputy Stabins deserved the suspension if not more (as Christian noted). Everyone is not cut out to be law enforcement. Maybe he should consider a career change.
I’m was totally sickened by this. If my dad died in the hospital while a “stupid” cop was trying to give me a ticket for speeding to the hospital in the hospital zone, I would sue for mental stress. I’d still probably sue for the stress. It would have been way to much to cope with. He gets suspended, so how will he change his ways? Maybe some sensitivity training where he must pass?
Nice excuse….”I…..uuuhhh….oohhh….did not believe her story.” Nice way to ruff up a woman who can’t defend herself. Pretty simple story here-stop being too forceful with people. Althought I must say, officers have to be careful….both deserved what they got.
He must be fired as an example! Please tell us the Tampa Police are not going to have a such low standard when it comes to protecting and serving. He could have handled this situation 100 different way with a better out come. It seems arogance and agression were his only tools. Is this who we want protecting and serving us? If he doesn’t get fired the Chief of Police should.
I wasn’t speeding. I handed a stranded motorist my cell phone and was called a whore & accussed of cheating on my husband. Those were the nicest things 14 male officers said to me over a 2 hour period of pure hell. I WILL NEVER STOP MY VEHICLE FOR A SHERRIFF. I WILL CALL FOR TAMPA POLICE DEPT BACK UP. I am not going away HCSD… I am going to the state attorney… My husband & I were questioned reapdidly about the stability of our marriage but Internal Affairs and these adrenaline junkie, bully cops. I am 5′2″ tall and weigh 100 pounds. Non the less I was interegated to the point of hyperventalating and swallowing my own vomitt. They are pathetic. By the way, the guy I lent my cell phone to was running from them. I had no idea and I was just helping him out. He was wanted on a misdemeanor driving violation. Yet 14 Officers responded to my neighborhood and well as a helicopter. GREAT USE OF OUR RESOURCES.
ANY IDEAS ON HOW TO GET THESE ANIMALS CONTAINED? I’M ALL EARS AND MAKING THIS A PRIORITY. OUT COME OF THE INVESTIGATION. ONE LETTER OF REPREMAND AND A COUNSEL SESSION ON COURTESY. PATHETIC!
To “Kyle”-
Hey Einstein, an old letter to the editor of the New York times from some activist does not constitute fact. In fact, what “office” conducted this analysis? It is also from over SIX years ago, about the New York PD (pre 9/11)! According to the “study”, officers with no college education made up 71 percent of the force, and officers with a full college degree made up 17 percent. So 12 percent had college credits, but not a full degree, right? What portion of that 12 percent generated complaints?
Sorry to get off-topic, but your statements are irresponsible and false. This incident occurred in Florida. Most police academy programs here are 18-20 weeks, and many (if not most) departments require at least 2 yrs. of military experience, an Associate’s Degree, or 60 college credits. Then the officers are usually in “field training” for at least a year. In addition to that, they are required to complete various training courses from time to time to maintain their certification.
It is not a moot point that she was doing almost double the speed limit- that put this officer within his rights to pull her over, and made her wrong for speeding off while she was waiting a whole THREE minutes. If she wanted to see if her Dad’s car was in the parking lot to see if he made it, she should have just looked over there if she was “practically in the parking lot”.
This officer overreacted and should not have been so rough, but she also totally did the wrong thing. Wrong on both sides of the coin, but don’t post outdated, incomplete, and incorrect information and anecdotes about your “couple of friends who are cops” as evidence of a widespread law enforcement personnel problem. If you can provide proof that people can become cops here in Florida at 18 (fresh out of high school) and 3 months (12 weeks or less) of training, and a valid scientific study that cops with bachelor’s degrees receive less complaints, I will stand corrected.
For all of you trying to defend this officer, you’re morons, and I’m not some kid saying this, I’m an adult. This officer, and I use the term losely, is an embarrassment to law enforcement. HE PULLED HER OVER AS SHE WAS TURNING INTO THE HOSPITAL! He obviously has no common sense which is frightening for someone with an authority role. It be one thing if she was on the Interstate, and even then, I believe he is able to provide her with an escort, I could be wrong though. This guy is was the loser in high school that took crap (or get beat up) by everyone and now is using the rest of his life to take it out on everyone else. And yes, even other police officers will tell you, good law enforcement officials, that these types of officers do exist and are a disgrace.
He should be terminated. And to the good cops out there, it’s a same this jack ass has to embarrass your great public service.
The deputy had many other options. He could have ~
• Investigated her claim, by making one inquiry with the hospital thru his dispatch.
• Shed some grace.
• Used common sense.
• Used spirit of the law, rather than the letter of the law.
www-hi-caliber.org
She needed to be slapped the #^@%@ out of then sent on her sorry ##&@^ way. I cant handle all her cry baby #&@^ and these comments make me sick. He should get a raise.
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